So you do pole fitness....are you like a stripper?

When I heard that pole dancing had become a West coast exercise fad, I laughed. Of course rich, snobby, shallow west coast women would relish the chance to rub their body on a pole while thinking they were exercising. Additionally, as a private exercise class, they couldn't be accused of being strippers or promiscuous. I judged women I didn't know for trying something new. I thought pole dancing was for naked women in strip clubs who didn't really know how to dance. 

 I had spent every day of my life since I was 5 training as a dancer, eventually attending Sara Lawrence College for modern dance. Repeated leg injuries led to me transferring to Southern and studying my second love, history. Outside of work and school I spent some time dancing in New York and at local studios. Still I felt old and discouraged being in classes with girls younger and better than I was as an out of shape former dance major. I knew I had to find a way to support myself and accept that dance was just a nice "hobby."

In 2012, my best friend was getting married and we decided to book a private bachelorette party at the Girl Spot in Trumbull- an alternative fitness studio known for its pole fitness classes. I was beginning to get excited about trying something I knew I'd probably be good at, but in reality I barely knew anything about the sport. 

We began the party with a warm up and then the instructor taught us a few spins. I could not have been more wrong about the amount of strength it takes to spin around a pole. I was shocked. The brass hurt my feet when I did my "fireman"- a very elementary pole spin. My arms felt too weak to hold me up. I was sore and bruised the next day. It was learning this move that changed my mind. It was in this moment that I realized that pole fitness was the most intense work out I was probably ever going to get. I also realized that I needed to take my dance training and learn to master the aerial art of pole dancing.

18 months later I am at my pole studio every day, addicted to perfecting my moves, learning new positions and building strength and flexibility.  I am also teaching classes to new students.  Pole fitness is not only a form of exercise, but a beautiful aerial art form. I can combine my ballet, modern and jazz skills as I climb, invert and spin on the pole. For me, it's getting to dance with an amazing prop. Even Cirque du Soleil has their performers climb and spin on poles. Yet people think nothing of it because it is a circus and they aren't called "pole dancers."

 Pole has changed my life. I have more confidence in myself  every time I nail a new move. I have made beautiful friends- something that I think gets harder to do as a women get older. The studio has created a safe, loving and warm environment for me to be a strong (and sometimes a totally emotional) woman.  I am encouraged daily to push myself. I am inspired. 

If you are like me, the gym is a total bore. Pole fitness is just as physically as mentally stimulating. We work all our muscles groups, accomplish amazing physical activities  and then pick a song to dance our hearts out to at the end of class. Some days we feel sexy, other days we have the blues; sometimes our dances are soft and quiet and other times they are silly and entertaining (our instructor has even asked us to pretend to be cats on the pole before!) Pole dancing isn't just about being sexy. It can be sad, tender, balletic, emotional, jazzy, scary, silly or fierce. 

Do yourself a favor and check out some pole competition videos online and see what is really going on in this new and upcoming dance genre. Then get yourself into a pole intro class at the Girl Spot in Trumbull and do something for you! It doesn't matter how old you are. It does not matter what your body type is, or if you haven't worked out in 10 years. The Girl Spot welcomes any woman or man looking for a fun, creative and exciting new activity, not too mention the wonderful friendships you will create!