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January 28, 2010

New spin: Pole fitness catching on

By MARTA HEPLER DRAHOS

TRAVERSE CITY -- It used to get a bad rap from those concerned about the objectification of women. Now some of those same critics are lining up to discover pole dancing's rewards.

"It's associated with such horrible things but it's so much fun," said Roxa Delray, who started dancing professionally after seeing a Cirque du Soleil show showcasing pole work. Now she works with Traverse City's Lisa Balcer to teach pole dance classes to women eager to incorporate sensuality and fun into their workout routine.

"It's a whole progression of skills, starting with how to walk around the pole, getting in touch with your body," said Balcer, 28, a former dancer and owner of Pole Grrls, an exotic fitness business. "Not only are you getting exercise but you can take it back to your husband or boyfriend."

Pole dance is the hottest fitness craze, thanks in part to exposure on shows like "Oprah," "20/20," "48 Hours" and "Primetime Live." Celebrities like Teri Hatcher, who performed a pole dance routine on the popular ABC show, "Desperate Housewives," and Kate Hudson are among those who have confessed to using the activity for exercise.

Sherry White opened Studio S Fitness in Traverse City's Warehouse District Jan. 1 and said pole fitness is the most popular class she offers at the women-only center.

"It's a ton of fun," she said.

Balcer agreed.

"Aerobics, spinning and other fitness classes have lost their appeal for people. Now they're looking for something else," she said.

Niki Andrick and mom Lynn Shaw signed up for a Pole Grrls beginners class, along with Shaw's best friend, Betsy McKenney. The women-only class at the rented Fantasy's club includes four sessions and focuses on basic dance and pole maneuvers with an emphasis on cardio and core training.

"It sounds strange, but the hardest thing for a girl to do is walk around the pole. It's awkward," said Delray, 27. "Then you start building strength without even knowing it and one day you're going upside down."

A snowboarder and longtime snowboarding instructor at Boyne Mountain, Andrick, 28, said she was surprised after the first class.

"The next day I was so sore I could hardly move. That's the same thing my students used to say," she said.

"I felt like I had a workout, that's for sure," agreed Shaw, 49, of the Boyne City area. "The top of my foot was bruised. Isn't that crazy? You don't know you use those muscles until after."

Despite its underrated reputation, Shaw said pole dance is as beautiful as it is rigorous.

"You look at it in a different way after you've been through that," she said. "I look at it more as an art. It's very graceful."

White of Studio S has a background in classical ballet and likes to go out dancing. Several years ago, a friend sent her to a Web site about pole fitness. Intrigued, White learned more about it, including taking classes in Chicago and, finally, becoming certified.

Before she opened the studio, she taught out of her home. She wasn't even sure pole fitness would be popular enough to build a business around -- until she featured it at a booth at a women's expo.

"I geared it towards breast cancer and called it 'Spin for the Twins'," she said. "For every woman who tried, I'd donate a dollar for breast cancer (research). It was a huge hit."

She's offering beginning classes now, where she teaches "a couple spins, three or four combinations, then we put them into a routine." She also uses the pole for Pilates-style exercise and said it can be incorporated into pushups, curls and other exercises. Students work out barefoot and wear yoga pants and T-shirts or tank tops, she said.

"It's like a little kid on the playground. They always want to play on the fireman's pole," Delray said.

Betsy McKenney came to a Pole Grrls class hoping to get in shape for the coming boating season. Now she's considering installing a pole in her garage, where her husband, a drummer in a part-time band, often plays.

"I'm 49 now and getting out of shape," said McKenney, of the East Jordan-Boyne City area. "I've always been fascinated by this and my husband said, 'You have to exercise.'

As "Purple Rain" played over the sound system, McKenney executed a graceful "fireman spin," a basic pole trick.

"Who would want to use the treadmill or lift weights when you can do this?" she said.

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