Pole Dancing Classes! For fun and exercise... (with pics)

[0]

Dirty dancing
By Jacqui Head

Pole dancing is now promoted as a legitimate form of exercise, and dance, but is it really just about keeping fit?

When I first told my friends I had taken up pole-dancing classes - all in the name of fitness - I expected, apart from a few raised eyebrows, general cheers of encouragement.

Instead I was given a three-hour lecture on why I was "perpetuating the culture of pornography that we live in". Perhaps it was optimistic of me - most of my friends are feminists.

Despite my protestations that this was purely about toning up and doing a bit of acrobatics in a fun, supportive environment, it did start me thinking.

Are classes like these - now booming in popularity - really breaking ties with their historical stereotype, or are they only serving to further the image of women as sex objects?

Degrading

For me, it was the lure of doing something acrobatic and a bit different that drew me in to the classes. And when I joined I found a group of like-minded girls.

Annis Kooshesh, a 27-year-old HR coordinator, and Brigitta Busak, a 31-year-old graphic designer, both say they take the classes to get fit.

"I took the class mainly for a fun way to build up my upper body strength, boost my confidence levels and also to make myself feel sexier," says Brigitta.

And although many may not believe it, the classes are tough. They're more awkward than sexy, requiring solid concentration and a lot of strength.

Text

 

[alien42]

"By Jacqui Head"

hehehehehe

 

[rudder]

Dancing pole

1. take classes
2. win above auction
3. ....
4. profit.

 

[ValkyrieofHouston]

Yea, and if you get really good at it you can be just like this chic! LOL

Chic pole dancing at club... drunk

 

[Lola]

i want to try this so badly, but hardly any place by my house gives "lessons".
(although for those ladies wanting to try something else, the Carmen Electra Strip Tease workout videos are killer!)

 

[ValkyrieofHouston]

All kidding aside, here are my thoughts on this subject. Women are sexy, erotic, exotic and beautiful. They should feel free to express themselves as such.. and not feel ashamed to do so. Strip teasing is a real art and pole dancing is not as easy as most think. It does take real skill and effort to look sultry, sexy and graceful while pole dancing. Not everyone can just get up there and do it and look good at it.
If strip teasing, or even pole dancing or any type of sexy seductive dancing is considered pornographic in nature, then I guess we better get those steamy sexy dancers in all those broadway musicals off those stages who wear hardly anything on stage and prance around on stage in erotic seductive ways! Or how about those football cheerleaders bumping and grinding all over the place! I mean geesh these people need to get a grip. These women are not degrading themselves, they are empowering themselves. It is Societies Social prejudices and stigmas that I find degrading and harmful to women who wish to express themselves sexually and freely.

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i want to try this so badly, but hardly any place by my house gives "lessons".
(although for those ladies wanting to try something else, the Carmen Electra Strip Tease workout videos are killer!)

pics of you "working out"?

 

[ValkyrieofHouston]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i want to try this so badly, but hardly any place by my house gives "lessons".
(although for those ladies wanting to try something else, the Carmen Electra Strip Tease workout videos are killer!)

Lola, believe it or not there are some strip clubs that allow certain dancers to hold classes in the mornings on their stages here in Houston. Usually between 9am and 11am. In the past I have seen advertisements in Houston publications in resturants around town.

I think it is a really cool idea, and it is alot of fun!

 

[Lola]

Originally posted by: ValkyrieofHouston

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i want to try this so badly, but hardly any place by my house gives "lessons".
(although for those ladies wanting to try something else, the Carmen Electra Strip Tease workout videos are killer!)

Lola, believe it or not there are some strip clubs that allow certain dancers to hold classes in the mornings on their stages here in Houston. Usually between 9am and 11am. In the past I have seen advertisements in Houston publications in resturants around town.

I think it is a really cool idea, and it is alot of fun!

that would be great, except that most strip clubs in my area, are not very... how shall we say... not that high of quality?!
As a matter of fact, i cannot think of any really "great" strip clubs in the area outside of windsor.
It would have to be in the evening anyways as i work during the day... oh well, i can keep looking.

To be frank, this is the only thing to me that seems like it could keep me interested...forget working out at a gym or anything.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: 0
or are they only serving to further the image of women as sex objects?

But... women are sex objects. That's not a bad thing!

 

[ValkyrieofHouston]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

Originally posted by: ValkyrieofHouston

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i want to try this so badly, but hardly any place by my house gives "lessons".
(although for those ladies wanting to try something else, the Carmen Electra Strip Tease workout videos are killer!)

Lola, believe it or not there are some strip clubs that allow certain dancers to hold classes in the mornings on their stages here in Houston. Usually between 9am and 11am. In the past I have seen advertisements in Houston publications in resturants around town.

I think it is a really cool idea, and it is alot of fun!

that would be great, except that most strip clubs in my area, are not very... how shall we say... not that high of quality?!
As a matter of fact, i cannot think of any really "great" strip clubs in the area outside of windsor.
It would have to be in the evening anyways as i work during the day... oh well, i can keep looking.

To be frank, this is the only thing to me that seems like it could keep me interested...forget working out at a gym or anything.

Well, belly dancing is just as much fun, and a real work out too! You will find they do alot of really sexy dancing besides the hip and belly action. You might want to look into that. Just a thought...

 

[chuckywang]

What kind of pole? :shocked:

 

[ValkyrieofHouston]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: 0
or are they only serving to further the image of women as sex objects?

But... women are sex objects. That's not a bad thing!

Personally I think men and women are sex objects...! LOL

I think that when someone comes up to me and says "didn't you feel like a sex object"? when it came to my previous profession I just laugh... because no, I never did feel that way. Even when I was in the topless industry 20 years back. I never felt degraded in any way, nor did I feel the profession degrading. But I will tell you this I felt more degraded and used as an object in an office job, and I was treated poorly in alot of civilian jobs, thus felt more demeaned and degraded then, as opposed to the topless profession or escort profession. I felt more empowered, more in control and was actually treated more respectfully believe it or not by those who patronized the services of the topless bars and escort services. It is the civilians and society as whole that tends to treat the women in the sexual trade with disdain and disrespect. Not the people who patronize their services.

 

[ValkyrieofHouston]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

Originally posted by: ValkyrieofHouston

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i want to try this so badly, but hardly any place by my house gives "lessons".
(although for those ladies wanting to try something else, the Carmen Electra Strip Tease workout videos are killer!)

Lola, believe it or not there are some strip clubs that allow certain dancers to hold classes in the mornings on their stages here in Houston. Usually between 9am and 11am. In the past I have seen advertisements in Houston publications in resturants around town.

I think it is a really cool idea, and it is alot of fun!

that would be great, except that most strip clubs in my area, are not very... how shall we say... not that high of quality?!
As a matter of fact, i cannot think of any really "great" strip clubs in the area outside of windsor.
It would have to be in the evening anyways as i work during the day... oh well, i can keep looking.

To be frank, this is the only thing to me that seems like it could keep me interested...forget working out at a gym or anything.

These are pics of a gal who demonstrates some of the basic pole techniques
Pole Techniques

 

[Jzero]

A friend of mine from high school goes to a health club in Maryland called "Xpose" where they specialize in chair dance, pole dance and other "strip club" type exercises. She goes with her girl friends and they have a grand old time.

For me, a key to working out regularly is that I need to fool myself into not thinking I'm working out. I think this is a great way for women to do that. Even if you consider adult entertainment to be demeaning to women, I can't figure out how a woman voluntarily taking these classes for both physical fitness and to improve her own sex life is demeaning to anyone.

 

[Tobolo]

Yeah I need to get my girlfriend into this. Im sure she would love it. And if it makes her happy. . . good!

 

[ValkyrieofHouston]

Originally posted by: Jzero
A friend of mine from high school goes to a health club in Maryland called "Xpose" where they specialize in chair dance, pole dance and other "strip club" type exercises. She goes with her girl friends and they have a grand old time.

For me, a key to working out regularly is that I need to fool myself into not thinking I'm working out. I think this is a great way for women to do that. Even if you consider adult entertainment to be demeaning to women, I can't figure out how a woman voluntarily taking these classes for both physical fitness and to improve her own sex life is demeaning to anyone.

Oh gawd yea, chair dancing is really fun, and you can do alot more with a chair than a pole... Trust me! :thumbsup:

 

[j00fek]