Adventures with Exotic Dancing

Whether on the pole or on the floor, you can’t deny how amazing some of the tricks are that women (and men!) can do while dancing….exotically….

I’ve always been fascinated by how graceful & skilled exotic dancers can be with their dance moves, be it vertically, or uh, horizontally. So a few weeks ago I decided to try the art of pole dancing while I was in Los Angeles, land of many pole dance studios! I took one-on-one lessons with Nicole Williams, the owner of Allure Pole Dance Studio in West LA. No, she’s not a stripper, she just dances like one! And man, she has skiiiiilllz.

So, needless to say, I spent one hour learning sexy dance moves and pole techniques that would make a sailor blush!! And you know what? In that one hour I experienced a whole set of contradicting feelings — empowered but disempowered, embarrassed but bold, tired but energized — it was wild. I felt empowered because I could really express my womanly self while on the pole and on the floor, but man was it hard to get over the feelings of inhibition.

Nicole helps people of all shapes and sizes to unleash their inner goddess. She has also been

on Playboy Radio to showcase her and her student’s skills! “Shake your a**!” she said to me during the lesson. And arch my whaa?? As she slithered across the floor, she did moves I had no idea was humanly possible!

And the session was so tiring because you’ve got to engage muscles in your upper body, core, legs, and your brain as well! I was sore in my arms and back for four days afterwards!

After class I bought a portable pole that you can put up anywhere (and use it safely), and I brought it to a friend’s house so that everyone could try out the new moves I learned (after the kids went to bed, of course). We had a blast with men and mommies spinning around the poles!! Even people over 200lbs can get on it safely =) Fun for everyone!

So, check out this YouTube video of Nicole showing off moves that you can learn.

And below is a list of places in the area where you can try out pole/exotic dancing. Consider booking for bachelorette, birthday parties, and girl’s night out get-togethers. I heard there’s another place or two somewhere out in Fairfax County that are specifically pole dance studios. Let me know when you find out their info!

Pros of pole dance fitness: Works your whole body!! Builds upper body strength. Helps you get comfortable with your body. Enhances life between the sheets (or wherever else you like to “live it” *wink*). Bond with your girlfriends as you giggle during class.

Cons: For those who get motion sickness easily, lay off on the spinning, and use the chair or floors as you can get dizzy really fast when sliding down that pole! Like me, you may feel embarrassed messing up the sexy dance moves while your instructor is looking at you, so maybe try an exotic dance DVD first to loosen up. Or go to happy hour first =)

Tips before your pole lesson: You’re going to get bruised and chafed during pole play! So wear long pants and sleeved shirts that’ll protect the skin on your back (literally) and other places that will come into contact with the pole! And bring out those clear platform heels from the closet — they’ll give you an advantage and help you get that centripetal force going when you go around that pole.

Born2Dance Studio
245 Maple Ave. West
Vienna, VA 22180
(703) 242-6090‎
www.born2dancestudio.com

Goddess Fitness
4931-B St Elmo Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 654-2007‎

Pole Divas Unlimited
5500 Rockfish Way
Clinton, MD 20735
(301) 675-4391
www.poledivasonline.com catch(err) {}