You have to be willing to feel awkward
Once upon a time, quite some time ago and WELL before pole dancing was the competitive sport that it is now in New Zealand, I went along to a girls afternoon of pole dancing at a friends house.
An instructor had set up a singular metal pole in the lounge and showed us all how to walk sexily and swing seductively around this metal object and we all took turns trying to imitate her. I’m not really the walk sexily around a pole kind of girl .. and to cut a long story short – I hated it. These days however pole has grown into much more than walking around pole whilst pouting and as such, it’s returned to my “must try” list along with silks, rope, slack lining and aerial hoop.
Although pole was something that I was interested in re-visiting, I hadn’t even looked into where I could go for classes so it was quite by chance that yesterday I ended up at the $10.00 intro class Altitude Pole holds on the last Sunday of each month.
Altitude is tucked down a long driveway on Barrys Point Road and although it wasn’t the easiest place to find on a dark and wet Auckland night as I neared the end of the driveway the disco lights projecting through the studio window assured me that I was in the correct place.
Pole dancing is still “pole dancing” so to be able to link the “tricks” (which is what got me to go to pole in the first place) you have to walk around the pole, which for me is actually the hardest part for me since I can’t tip toe on my left side and honestly who knew there were so many ways to walk in a circle. 😉
Thankfully this time around I didn’t hate it – it probably helps that as we each had our own pole I didn’t have to “perform” in front of other people and honestly if I was too busy concentrating on working out which foot went where to notice anyone else, I doubt they had time to notice me f**k it up.
Like everything else I do, I was much better doing any move that was upper body dominant, I mean if you have big lats you might as well put them to good use – right?
It was fun and a good little workout so I’m definitely going to go back again and since Altitude also holds aerial yoga classes in the studio next door to the pole room it made purchasing an introductory concession card a no brainer especially as you have an entire year before the card expires and can use it for any of the classes on offer including yoga and hoop – even I can get to 10 classes in a year.
“Never be afraid to try something new, because life gets boring when you stay within the limits of what you already know”.
Till next time
