PSO Rules: 2026 Proposed Updates for Public Comment

We want to hear from you! Please use THIS FORM to provide feedback on proposed updates to the rules for the 2026/27 season (effective September 2026). Commenting closes 6/1/26.

Proposed Judging Criteria Changes: Open for comment

• The Sensual and After Dark categories are currently scored highest in Clarity of Concept, where they should more likely be scored highest in Category Appropriateness or in some element that celebrates the sexy side and SW roots of pole.

• Option 1: Clarity of Concept (currently 25 points and tie breaker) changes to Sensual Energy (25 points and tie breaker) element for Sensual, DTF, and Showstopper. The element definition of Sensual Energy would be:
  
  

• Body language conveys sensuality/passion/flirtatiousness

• Facial expressions match the body language/energy of the routine

• Movement and trick choices exhibit understanding of sensual energy, as well as the category description
  
  

• Option 2: For all artistic categories, Category Appropriateness becomes 25 points and the tiebreaker. Clarity of Concept becomes 10 points.
  
  

• This would mean that routines need to match the category description more than they would have to commit to a clear theme, concept, character, or storyline. For example, in the Sensual category, routines that best fit the Sensual description would place higher than routines with a clearer concept, character, or storyline.

Proposed Process Changes: Open for comment

• Currently, when someone is added to a division late, they are simply added to the end of the division. Proposal to start reshuffling the performance order for that division to ensure randomness.
  
  

• Having the judges converse about placements.
  

• Option 1: Leave things the way that they are. Judges should not discuss placements and should score all competitors independently.
  
  

• Option 2: Change the process to require judges to discuss placements before finalizing scores. A judge would not be required to change their scores, just required to talk about them.

Proposed Level Rule Changes: Open for comment

• A dismount through a flag grip where the competitor is not holding an ayesha is allowed for Levels 2 and 3. Currently, this is a deduction.
  
  

• An arch back in a stargazer, where the competitor’s shoulders or head are below the hips, is an exception for Level 1, and would not be a deduction. Currently, this is a deduction.

Organization Updates: Things we’ve changed as we learn & grow

• Given recent industry events and conversations, we would like to reiterate that PSO believes that the industry owes its history to strippers and sex workers. We are adding guidelines around responsible artistry to the Rules. The text is listed towards the end of this document, and we are open to comments on the language.
  

• Judges are now posted on the schedule around 30 days before an event. If you want to report a conflict with a judge, you can check the list and let us know via email by the requested deadline. We will do our best to avoid placing judges on panels with reported conflicts.
  

• We have added aerial pole and chains divisions to these 2026 events: Pacific & After Dark (Los Angeles), Northwest (Seattle), and Great Lakes (Chicago). In 2027, we will also be adding these at Atlantic & After Dark (Washington, D.C.). You can read more about these divisions here.

• We are adding a PSO European Finals! Level 5 competitors from past events will be invited to compete. We will also have our usual days of amateur competition where you can sign up to compete. Stay tuned for more updates on this as we launch the 2026/27 season dates.

Responsible Artistry

“You can sit with us” has been one of PSO’s core values from the start. We believe there is a place in the community for all of the dancers who want to participate. For this reason, we expect competitors with PSO to consider these guidelines for responsible artistry while creating their competition routines.

A responsible artist:

Is Thoughtful: Considers and carefully crafts the message that they want to send to the audience. Consider why you want to tell this story and what drives this message.

Seeks Clarity: Consults others with different viewpoints or backgrounds to ensure their message is clear. Seeks to learn from others to design the most effective message possible. This helps ensure you are telling the right story and identifying any unintentional messages that could harm others.

Is Original: Creates original work, or uses the work of others only with permission.

Takes Ownership: Accepting the praise, criticism, and/or discussion that can accompany your work.

Special thanks to Crystal Belcher for coining the term “responsible artistry.”

Censorship & Banned Subject Matter

Outside of limited circumstances, PSO does not support the censorship of performances. Whether a routine handles a difficult or challenging topic in good taste or with artistic validity is up to each individual spectator. PSO encourages you to act with artistic responsibility as you build your concept while also being respectful of the pole community and world at large.

PSO will not tolerate performances that contain content that is:

• Racist, derogatory, or any form of demeaning or harmful representation of any race or ethnicity (including, but not limited to, blackface)

• Homophobic, Transphobic, or discriminatory based on gender identity or sexual orientation

• Whorephobic or encourages stigma against strippers and sex workers

• Misogynistic or discriminatory based on gender

• Body shaming, ableist, or discriminatory based on physical appearance or ability

• Likely to incite or encourage harassment, hate speech, or violence against a group or individual based on their identity

If a performance is deemed to fall within one of the above categories by the judges, the Judge Wrangler, and/or the Admin on Call, the competitor will be disqualified. If the Admin Team is made aware of a breach of these guidelines after an event and determines that one has occurred, a competitor may be retroactively disqualified. Decisions made by the PSO Admin Team will be final.

Note: performances that address racism, homophobia, or discrimination against a group or individual based on identity are not banned but will be considered sensitive content.

Sensitive Content

Competitors often wish to create performances that can provoke strong emotional responses. While we do not ban performances related to the subjects listed below, we ask competitors to carefully consider how they approach creating routines that may be upsetting or triggering.

Examples of subject matter that may be considered sensitive:

• Discussion of discrimination related, but not limited to, racism, sexism, homophobia, whorephobia, and other prejudices

• Mental health, self-harming behavior, or suicide

• Sexual assault

• Disability

• Abusive language, physical abuse, or torture

• Eating disorders

• Violence, including domestic violence

• Murder or physical assault

• Drug, alcohol, or substance abuse

• Political statements

• Use of religious or cultural artifacts

• Use of satire or parody to make a statement

Cultural Appropriation

Merriam-Webster defines cultural appropriation as: “The adoption of cultural elements (such as clothing, customs, or hairstyles) of a group (usually a minority culture) by members of another group (usually a dominant culture) in a way that is exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical.

PSO acknowledges that cultural appropriation has the potential to cause harm, even when no harm is intended. However, it is difficult for judges and staff to determine each competitor's cultural or ethnic background, and we believe the question itself may be inappropriate or offensive. In the same vein, it is often difficult for judges and staff to definitively say a performance would be considered inappropriate or offensive to a member of another culture.

It is important for competitors to understand that if they create a routine that includes elements that could be considered culturally appropriated, they may cause harm or offense, which may affect how their performance is received by spectators and the broader public.

It is part of a competitor’s artistic responsibility to thoroughly research their concepts and present their performance with integrity and respect.

Content Warnings at PSO

The following statement is being added to the start of each PSO event.

PSO often contain performances that can provoke strong emotions and reactions. There may be performances that contain sensitive content or themes. The performances presented on stage do not represent the views of the PSO Team. We only ban specific, limited content and expect competitors to approach every performance with responsible artistry.

Competitors are optionally invited to add a content warning at the beginning of their music track if they feel that it is appropriate for their routine.

We are in the process of recording several short content warnings that competitors may download for free and then splice into their music files.

Competitors are also welcome to record their own content warnings and use those.