Billy Ray Cyrus Defends Miley’s “Pole Dance”

It was the dance heard round the world, when Miley Cyrus, 16, stepped on an ice cream cart with a pole and started shimmying. And now her dad has something to say about it.

“You know what? I just think that Miley loves entertaining people,” Billy Ray said to Access Hollywood. “She loves singing [and] songwriting.” He also said that he wants his kids to do what they think is right, and doesn’t want other to stifle their opinions. “I always tell her to love what you’re doing and stay focused for the love of the art and not worry so much about opinion,” he added.

The dance, which took place during Miley’s performance at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards, was criticized as being too risque.

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