I Tried A Pole Dancing Class, and This Happened...
How I Became Curious About Pole Dance
My first attempt at pole dancing happened at a Burner Party in New York City. A spinning pole was there, I twirled around it, and I was totally hooked. It was a rush! I felt awesome doing it, and the moment I got on there, it felt like I was the life of a party. That small intro happened around January of this year.
Shortly after that moment, I bought a collapsible pole for my apartment just so I could keep trying new poses. Even so, I couldn’t really do much aside from hang on for dear life while my spinning pole rotated. I wanted to learn more.
Shortly after, I heard some girls were talking about a pole dance class they recently attended. My ears perked up. A pole dance class? Up until then, I didn’t know they existed. So, I sought out a class around me to give it a spin…
Introducing Foxy Fitness
via Yelp
After a couple of days of research, I finally found a place near my home. It’s called Foxy Fitness, and they have locations in both NYC and Northern New Jersey. They’ve been in business since 2012, and opened the New Jersey location about five years ago.
After browsing their site, I was sold. They actually train pole dance champions, have instructors who worked with major A-list acts, and also had a pretty neat studio! I booked my first class, not knowing exactly what I should expect.
Before I went, I called them up. They welcomed me, and told me to wear a pair of shorts and a tank top. It was good I asked what to wear, since I normally work out in sweats. Had I gone in long pants, I would have been unable to grip the pole properly.
A Foxy Studio
The first thing that I noticed when I approached the building was the fact that it was pink. Like, hot pink. Inside, the dance studio had a leather couch, photos of their dancers at competitions, a nice dressing room, and of course, a pole studio that had poles with plenty of space between them.
The pole studio was very impressive, and surprisingly intimate. I later found out that they designed it that way. Each class has a maximum of six students, with instructors giving individual attention to every participant. By keeping classes small, they help keep people on point.
The Classes
Each class is what they call “open level,” which means that everyone from beginners to experts can participate. When I got on the floor, I was a bit nervous. I’m a bit on the heavy side, and everyone I saw in the studio had a lithe, muscular figure. I looked at myself and wondered, “Could I really do this?”
Newsflash: I could, and so can you!
I was a bit nervous about being a bit older than others in class, or just being the one who was out of shape. Ashley Fox, who runs the studio, explained to me that people of all walks of life come to their classes.
“One of my students started out when she was 40,” she said. “She’s now at a level four, and will most likely start winning tons of awards in competitions soon. Anyone can do it as long as you’re willing to learn.”
Rebecca, my instructor, was incredibly helpful when it came to teaching me the basics. After a pretty awesome stretch session, she taught me how to walk around the pole, how to do a couple of quick spins, and most impressively, how to go horizontal on a pole without falling.
To teach me, Rebecca demonstrated each move slowly, then would ask me to copy them. When I’d put my hand or leg in the wrong position, she’d gently correct me. To ensure we learned the tricks and spins well, we had to do each trick using both sides of our bodies multiple times. After about half an hour, I felt like a pro!
The hardest trick I learned was being able to suspend myself horizontally from a pole. Going horizontal without touching the ground is scary, and when I first was told that it’s a beginner’s trick, I was skeptical. It looks like you need a lot of strength to do, and let’s face it, being off the ground can be pretty intimidating.
At first, I really didn’t believe I could do it. Rebecca helped foist me up at first, then gently removed herself while I held myself up. I looked in the mirror in disbelief. Somehow, the girls at Foxy helped me prove myself wrong. It was empowering, and pretty shocking.
What was really interesting about the class was how much support you get from fellow participants. Instructors and students cheer you on. Even when I fell, I was able to laugh it off with everyone.
One of the ladies who ran the studio explained to me that pole dance was a passion of hers. She found it to be a kind of exercise that teaches women about themselves and helps them get in touch with their bodies in a way standard exercise doesn’t. I have to agree. It wasn’t just a learning experience involving poledance; it was an experience that taught me not to underestimate myself.
After my class, I was so stoked about learning new stances that I decided to show my husband how quickly I was able to pick things up.
Yes, I’m Going Back
Pole dance classes were every bit as intense, fun, and unique as I hoped they’d be. Even though I’m not a real “fitness” type of person, I really did enjoy my time there and found myself wanting to learn even more. Considering how much fun I had, it goes without saying that they have a new class member.