A funeral in Amsterdam has attracted worldwide attention after a surprise pole dance performance honouring the late owners of a red-light nightclub went viral online.
A video of the ceremony, viewed more than five million times since it was shared this week, shows a pole dancer performing to Queen’s ‘The Show Must Go On’ beside the coffins and photographs of the husband-and-wife nightclub owners.
The performance reportedly took place last year but only gained widespread attention after funeral director Lede Hoorn posted footage online.
Family chose a tribute reflecting the couple’s lives
According to Hoorn, the couple’s children wanted the funeral to reflect their parents’ lifelong work in the nightlife industry.
The husband had died in 1993, while his wife passed away recently. The family decided to hold a joint memorial service for both of them.
Hoorn said he initially asked whether the couple’s life story could be incorporated into the ceremony.
“They hesitated,” he told RTL. “But a few days later, I received a call saying they had decided to hire a pole dancer.”
He said he always tries to include a personal element that makes every funeral meaningful and memorable, adding that he could hardly imagine another request surpassing this one.
Mourners caught by surprise
The pole dancer performed spins and acrobatic routines during the ceremony, leaving many attendees surprised by the unexpected tribute.
Hoorn said, however, that those present understood why the family had chosen the performance.
“The visitors were surprised, but it didn’t surprise them,” he said. “Everyone in the auditorium knew the couple’s story.”
He added that the performance was a fitting farewell that reflected the personalities and lives of the deceased.
Video sparks reactions online
After the video was posted online, social media users shared a wide range of reactions.
Some referenced Queen’s ‘The Show Must Go On’, while others joked that they hoped for similarly memorable farewells.
One user wrote, “Show must go on.”
Another commented, “If you can’t have a funeral like this for me, then don’t have one at all.”
A third added, “My friends, if you are reading this, know that is my last wish.”
