Go Pole Dancing For The Hottest Bod Ever!

I have recently discovered the exhilarating highs on pole dancing – all in just one hour’s crash course! Did I ever think that I would try it out? Me, the quintessential geek from school days who never went to a ‘function’ throughout JC days, and never had a date all three years in university in England? (Yes, I pour my heart out….It’s such a sad record…) No, never thought I would. But I was curious, and thought it would be fun story for Simply Fab. So not long ago, after some phone calls, I was invited to Bobbi’s Pole Studio as your intrepid journalist to find out more.

Run by Linna Tan, one of the directors, Bobbi’s Pole Studio is a franchise of one of Australia’s leading pole dancing establishments. It’s Queen Street premises (222 Queen Street #02-01) is spacious, comprising two ‘studios’ – essentially classrooms furnished not with desks but with brass poles which – surprise, surprise – revolve on their own axis. (So that’s one of the first secret discovered – the pole moves for you and that’s how they spin so smoothly.) Classes take place mostly in the evening to catch the after-work crowd, while the day time is left mainly for private or small classes. Linna herself, a bubbly, humorous and so refreshingly down-to-earth Singaporean, teaches the advance classes but she has about ten other instructors who teach pole dancing as well as other exotic routines like SLAP (an exotic dance routine that combines lap dancing and striptease), hip hop, lyrical jazz, etc.

See It As A  Fitness Regime
While its still not mainstream, pole dancing is becoming increasingly popular here in Singapore and all sorts walk through Bobbi’s Pole Studio daily – from executive and office girls, to moms who are taking time off from their broods, from 25-year-olds to 50-something-year-old babes. Linna tells me that most women take up pole dancing as an alternative fitness regime, which  combines dancing, and loads of fun. She herself started doing it because she didn’t enjoy going to a gym and doing reps. (Sounds familiar?) “At least with pole dancing, you learn something new while you’re getting a work out,” she says. Her toned figure is perfect testimony to why we women should just sign up right now. On top of that, how easily she hoisted herself up the pole, flipped upside down, did inverted splits and a whole lot of other acrobatic moves so effortlessly just showed that she’s strong as an ox, but so graceful too. Auntie here stood agog and transfixed. I am signing up now!

It’s clear that this activity is great for toning your body, and building up your arm and core muscles, and overall strength… You learn a new skill and if you are diligent with your dancing, you’ll get the hottest bod ever.

But honestly, folks, the moment I realised I really enjoyed it was when Linna started me on a teensy crash course to give me a taste of what it’s like. Despite the fact that I looked like am oversized sow trying to heave up the pole, I managed to do a few spins while hanging on with hands and ankles in a couple different configurations. And remember I said the pole spins on its axis? Much of it requires you to push off sideways and upwards, and the momentum gets the pole spinning while you hang on. When that happens, it feels a little like being on a playground swing again. Very fun! After much cajoling, I was persuaded to attempt a death defying invert. (Aaargh!) Linna takes me through the leg routine a few times first while lying on the ground, and once I am familiar with it, she gets me to try it for real – with her supporting of course. So I hook the legs one after the other up the pole, letting my back fall backwards, hold on for dear life with my head at the bottom, then straightening my torso so the legs ride higher up the pole. Then slowly slide down until my face hits the floor. Cool.

Pole Secrets
All this time, we are in these incredible six-inch heels, and shorts. In fact, the required attire for students are tank tops and ‘hot pants’. So is the skimpy attire part of the ‘strip joint’ look? I ask Linna. Well no, she explains. There are practical reasons behind them. Firstly, the more skin exposed helps you grip and hang on to the pole better. And to give that added boost, we smear shaving cream all over our legs to make the skin a little  more sticky, so your body grips the pole better, Linna explains. (Imagine pole dancing in diaphanous silk!  You’ll come crashing down in double-quick time!)  At the same time, the heels act as ‘weights’ – those platforms are heavy – which also help you shimmy up better, makes your legs look like a million bucks and gives you a better work out.

While many of us are curious about this new pastime, many may shrink away from it because it’s just so different from the usual routine. So we ask Linna….

What Happens In A Typical Beginner’s Class?
“Every class starts with a 10- to 15-minute warm-up that includes a bit of stretching and conditioning. In our Beginner’s Class, students are taught the basics of body movements and floorwork such as body waves and hip rolls. Simple pole tricks such as knee spins are also introduced. All this is combined in a dance routine to music over the duration of the 8-week course. Our Beginners’ Class focuses on getting students used to handling the pole and moving their bodies to music as they transition between moves, so no prior experience is necessary. Students should come attired in a tank top and shorts, and bring along a pair of heels to try out the height they are comfortable with.” If you want to just get a taste of what it’s like, they offer a mini term, essentialy a short trial course of four lessons ($130).

Give us five reasons to take up pole dancing
1. Pole dancing is a fun, new way to get fit. It is an all-rounded workout that combines cardio, flexibility and strength conditioning. You start toning your body from the very first class and exercise muscles that you never even knew existed.
2. Our students tell us that they feel more confident about themselves from taking classes because they become more comfortable with their bodies and more aware of how to move. Feeling sexy & toned is empowering!
3. You can literally see the changes in your body taking shape as you progress. Love handles start to disappear, limbs get toned (instead of becoming bulky), muscles get lengthened and you feel yourself getting stronger & leaner.
4. Your sense of rhythm improves too, as all our routines incorporate an element of styling and dancing. You don’t just learn tricks and repetitive combinations. Every class introduces a new dance routine that teaches you how to put all the moves together and transition gracefully between tricks.
5. Pole classes are a great place to meet like-minded women and make new friends in a safe, female-friendly environment. Getting fit is always more fun when you do it with friends.

If I had thought pole dancing was a tad seedy at first, that visit just blasted away the myth. Yes, its roots started off in strip joints, but its manifestation here in Singapore – where there are no strip clubs –  is good, clean, sexy fun in a primarily girls’ enclave. More and more women are doing this for fun, and as a gift, some learn a little sexy routine for their man too. (“It’s more personal and fun than getting him a pair of socks, right?” says Linna.) And what the heck? With 2012 round the corner, why not start the year on a bold note. Go out there, rediscover your mojo and get yourself a sizzling hot bod! 

 

JUST FOR SIMPLYFAB READERS!! 
Bobbi’s Pole Studio is offering SimplyFab readers a sizzling deal on their classes.
Sign up for a fabulicious 8-week Beginner’s Pole Dancing Course for S$260, and you’ll get a
 free 8-week *SLAP dancing course (a combination of striptease and lap dancing, worth $220) which will run concurrently.
This offer is valid for classes from now until 30 June 2012.
All you have to do is sign up by 15 January 2012.
Bring along a print out of this article or tell them you read about it on ‘Simply Fabulicious’.
Click on the top banner ad to your right to link up, or call them at tel:  6333-4308
222 Queen Street #02-01 Singapore 188550
*Rest assured, you don’t have to actually strip in the SLAP courses!