Couple hires dancers for their son's graduation, gets slammed; internet calls it 'ridiculous'

A couple in Taiwan stirred public outrage by organising a pole dance performance outside their son’s junior high school to mark his graduation.

The South China Morning Post reported that the incident took place in mid-June at Taichung Municipal Wanhe Junior High School, drawing a crowd of students and parents who watched in shock as the performance unfolded.

Footage shows the dancers performing not only on the ground but also atop SUVs fitted with poles, while the graduating boy, invited to stand between them, appeared uncomfortable and embarrassed. His mother later admitted she choreographed and sponsored the event herself, hoping to make the occasion “unforgettable” by outshining other parents’ celebrations.

“Other parents organised various programmes… I wanted ours to be more creative,” she told local media.

Despite her intentions, the spectacle drew sharp criticism from parents and school officials. One parent described it as “not appropriate” for a school setting, and the school clarified that it did not endorse the performance, urging parents to choose more “rational” ways to mark milestones.

The unusual event escalated to the point where police were called in to disperse the gathering on the grounds of public disturbance.

The incident has sparked widespread debate across Asia via social media, with many questioning the parents’ decision. Several users called the act“ridiculous”.

Meanwhile, in a significant milestone for its defence modernisation efforts, Taiwan on Tuesday completed the first sea trial of its domestically built submarine, according to a Reuters report. The trial marks a major advancement in Taiwan’s push to enhance its naval deterrence capabilities and secure critical maritime routes in the event of conflict.

The indigenous submarine program is a cornerstone of Taiwan’s broader military upgrade, launched in response to China’s near-daily military drills asserting its territorial claims over the island.