Ten billion years ago (or in 2004), I caught Teri Hatcher doing this on Oprah:
Apparently, so did one of my girlfriends and, when we did her routine in front of other friends, this sparked interest in strip classes.
We made some calls and, before long, we were organizing strip classes in Manila. We'd scout around for an available dance studio, and then contact one of the three instructors that we managed to find and arrange a class with whomever was available. Then we'd send out emails to girlfriends who, in turn, would send them out to their girlfriends. We'd divide the cost of the studio rental and the instructor's fee between the attendees.
Although the classes were popular (some of the husbands were very thankful, and the ladies always looked forward to our sessions; to this day, I still get requests to revive the strip classes), we couldn't organize very many of them because we were constantly traveling and it was difficult for us to synchronize our schedules. We also ran into some controversy with one studio when the owners got wind of what we were up to and weren't very happy about it. And then I lost all my mobile phone contacts and that was the end of that.
Years later, I ran into our only male strip instructor, the legendary, Ed Aniel, and he told me that he had started his own pole dancing school (Pole Academy). I congratulated him and told him I'd try it out, but his classes were always in the evening and were in locations that were inconvenient for me.
Fast forward to today. Ed and I have reconnected on Facebook and it's always a pleasure bumping into him at clubs and parties. We have fun times, dancing together. But I still haven't made it to any of his classes. Which is a shame because, out of our three strip instructors back then, I enjoyed Ed's style and routine the most. He was definitely more sensual than the female instructors. It would have been such an honor and a privilege to have had him as an instructor again.
But I've finally acknowledged that that might never happen. So when Polecats came out with a promotion recently that would allow me to try Pole Dancing, as well as two of their other workouts, I thought, "Why the hell not?"
Polecats is located at Ortigas Center which, on a good day, is only about ten minutes away from my house. And the good days are only ever on weekends. Polecats' promotion was for two sessions of Pole Dancing, two sessions of Aerial Hoop, and two sessions of Aerial Silk. And, on Saturdays, they have a 10 AM Pole Dancing class, a 12 PM Hoop class and a 1 PM Silk class. Perfect!
I went to all three classes two Saturdays ago. And then my friend's father died and his funeral was last week, so I only finished my last three sessions today.
Hanging out on the hoop today.
The Polecats instructors are, without a doubt, competent dancers. And they would probably be competent teachers if their classes weren't overcrowded. The studio is tiny, yet they accept as many as two students to a pole. (They have around 12 poles and even less hoops and silks.)
Which wouldn't be so bad, if the classes didn't feature mixed levels. For instance, this afternoon, during the Silk class, the instructor got tied up with the advanced students, so she asked another instructor - who was taking a break, after having just conducted two consecutive classes - to show the rest of us the basics. The basics which I had already learned two Saturdays ago. Which I, normally, wouldn't mind, if I hadn't signed up for only two Silk classes.
Stretching the silk a second time around.
But even with two instructors on the floor, they still couldn't monitor all of us effectively. And for classes like these, which require a certain amount of flexibility, strength and coordination, and which feature novel props like poles, hoops and silks, I'd expect close instructor supervision to be paramount. During the Silk class two weeks ago, the new students started copying tricks that were being done by the advanced students, much to the dismay of the overwhelmed instructor.
Contributing to the chaos at Polecats is the back-to-back scheduling of classes. The lessons feel hurried. For instance, this morning, towards the end of the Pole Dancing class, the instructor showed us a short dance routine which she seemed to expect us to get right away. Of course, we failed miserably and there was no time for us to do it again because she still had to go through a slightly more difficult routine with the advanced students. Of course, they failed miserably as well, but the 11 AM instructor was getting ready to start her class, so our instructor herded us all to the back of the room for a quick cool down.
It's a bit of a mess and, after my two Saturdays at Polecats, I feel dazed and bewildered. Especially since the advanced students display such remarkable skill that I can't help but think that maybe it is possible to learn something amidst all that confusion. (Of course, the advanced students are probably professional dancers.)
I harbor no illusion of ever becoming a performer, except maybe as a freak at the local ferya, but after these sessions with the Polecats, I am determined to work on my flexibility and strength when I exile myself to Siargao for a few months next week. (Then again, you are familiar with the flexibility of my determination...)
***
Strip Class Checklist:
- Layers of clothing, ending with a bikini or the minimum of clothing that you are comfortable with
- High heels
- Filled-up water bottle
Pole Dancing Checklist:
- Sports bra
- Fitted top
- Short yoga shorts or a bikini bottom
- Filled-up water bottle
- TAKE OFF ALL JEWELRY. DO NOT PUT ON LOTIONS OR CREAMS OF ANY KIND.
Aerial Hoop:
- Sports bra
- Fitted top
- Leggings
- Gloves, optional
- Filled-up water bottle
- TAKE OFF ALL JEWELRY.
Aerial Silk:
- Sports bra
- T-shirt
- Leggings
- Filled-up water bottle
- TAKE OFF ALL JEWELRY.