BEIJING Treadmills are run-of-the-mill — Luo Lan wants the Chinese masses to pole dance instead.

As manager of Beijing’s first pole dancing school, Luo says she is trying to make exercise fun — and not morally corrupt anyone in a country where this kind of dancing is associated with seedy bars and sex is still a taboo topic.

But she admits she has had a tough time convincing people that pole dancing, which has a celebrity following said to include pop star Britney Spears and heiress Paris Hilton, is great for your health. (more…)