Pole dancing is best known as an erotic act in the eighties in Canadian strip clubs. Discos took the idea. And nowadays there is a fitness variant called fitness pole or pole sport.
As a highly acrobatic sport and competition were the first world championship in 2005 in Amsterdam.

In the dance form different dance techniques are performed around a vertical pole. The dancers are dressed still quite scarce. Spacious clothing is annoying when performing the exercises.

Historically existed already earlier 'Chinese pole" and Mallakhamb as sport where gymnastic moves were done on and around a pole.
Chinese pole has evolved into a theatrical circus that is also very spectacular and can be found in Cirque du Soleil.
Mallakhamb is still practiced in India as a popular competitive sport with movements that can still be seen in the modern pole dancing.

For a western variant is thought to women during festivals and markets in the Middle Ages in tents dancing to entertain the men. For lack of space, they also used the poles that were in the tent.
Other stories make the connection, for example to ritual maypole dancing.
If it is not historically correct, it is nevertheless well thought out.