Pole dance routine faces backlash at Colorado State Fair
Marina Garcia
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – During the last weekend of the state fair, our station received multiple complaints about a specific act. Spectators felt that it was inappropriate and did not belong on the stage.
Now the performing group behind it is standing by the dance, saying it was all above board and designed for audiences of all ages.
Lori Trejo, the woman who booked the dancer, says this was the fourth time they were invited back by the fair, and it’s frustrating how the criticism is being handled by management.
“I’m a little upset…to be honest with you. They’re going to do what they need to do to make it family-friendly. However, I wish they would have addressed the bullying that happened because that’s a little more inappropriate than what this beautiful dancer did on the stage,” says Lori Trejo, the previous owner of Wildfire Belly Dance Company.
In prior years, the performers have done the same dance and worn similar outfits.
Jacqueline Santos, who works with the dancer in the video, says the backlash they are receiving is shocking.
“As pole artists, we always take care to tailor our routines to be family-friendly, entertaining, and most of all, appropriate for the audience,” says Jacqueline Santos, owner of Peacock Pole Art & Body Weight Fitness.
The Colorado State Fair says they have worked with Wildfire Belly Dance Company for years; however, they are trying to do right by the customers.
“For them, it may be family-friendly. For some of our other customers, this was not for us. It’s all about time and place,” says Andrea Wiesenmeyer, the Colorado State Fair general manager.
The dancers say that, regardless of their long work history with the fair, they will not be attending in the future.