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Q. Do I have to be 18 to take pole dance classes?
A. Yes. Since pole dancing BEGAN as stripper dancing, it is adult in nature and I feel that it is irresponsible to teach girls under 18 to dance in an overtly sexual way. Our young women are inundated with sex and the WRONG messages about sex in school, by the magazines they read, peers, music videos and reality TV and I don't think arming them with erotic dance moves at such a young age is going to help them establish healthy boundaries around sex and sexuality. I recommend Belly Dance for our students under 18 You can have a parent or legal guardian sign our consent form for underage girls. |
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Q. What if I miss a class in my 6 week session?
A. The session runs for 7 weeks and you may attend any 6 classes of the 7 offered. You are allowed to make up 1 missed class for free by attending the extra 7th class, other missed classes you must make up by taking a private session. (Private sessions are $100 for 90 min) If you did not miss any of the 6 classes and would like to attend the OPTIONAL 7th class, you may do so by paying $25-$35 for the additional class. The 7th class will offer you a chance to catch up on any material you missed and will include cleaning up the material you learned, and a choreography of the material you learned in each level. |
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Q. What do I wear?
A. POLE DANCE -Any workout clothing that is form fitting and that YOU feel comfortable in works well for Pole Basix and Level 1. As you progress higher in the levels, shorts are necessary for more advanced pole tricks like climbs and inverts. We do floorwork in many of the classes so if your knees are really tender you may want to bring a soft knee pad for comfort and to prevent bruising the knees. Eventually you will not be able to use your knee pads and your knees will acclimate to the sensation of kneeling on the hard floor. We begin Level 1 barefoot and as you progress, we will introduce the "stripper shoes." Your instructor will give you instructions for purchasing the correct shoes for class as well as discount cards. You are always encouraged to wear sexy workout gear or even sexy dance attire to help you "feel" the part. If you are shy or do not want to have your body exposed, please choose clothing that will make you feel comfortable. Everyone is always allowed to be herself. You may want to bring an extra tank top, t-shirt or extra pair of shorts so you have options.
ITEMS NOT RECOMMENED: No skirts, wide-legged yoga pants, no metal hand/wrist jewelry (rings, bracelets, watches). They can scratch the poles, inhibit your grip and can become damaged. Please leave these items and other valuables at home or in a safe place, PUSSYCATS® is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items.
NO LOTIONS OR OILS!!!! I know you don't want to be ashy but you also don't want to slide off the pole. Any lotions (especially those with mineral oil) will stay absorbed in your skin and when you sweat it will make you and the pole slippery - "practiceg safe pole!" |
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Q. Can I pole dance pregnant?
A. No. We do not recommend pole dancing while you are pregnant. There are many other classes available to you if you are expecting that provide excellent exercise for pregnant women. Myryka teaches pre-natal belly dance for expectant mothers. We also advise you to get a doctor’s clearance to participate in any class if you have given birth within the last three months. |
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Q. Do I have to start at Level 1?
A. Yes. This is to ensure you have the proper technique and that you have built the necessary strength to execute the material you will be learning. If you have previous pole dance experience you can set up a private session with me and I can determine whether or not you can begin at a different level. I have found that most of my transfer students from other studios lack the technique and skill needed to progress. They know this too, which is why they are looking for a new studio to learn from. You can schedule a private with Nyla to see about being placed in a higher level if you feel you are "too advanced" for Level 1. |
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Q. Do I get my own pole in class?
A. We believe pole dance is an activity that must be learned consistenly and through a progression. It is very difficult to give you the individualized attention you deserve if the class is over-crowded. The ORIGINAL POLE CATS© workshop limited to 6 women so that is one person per pole. But we are not on the pole the entire class. For the POLE KITTENS© class- No, you do not have the pole to yourself. Here's why - when you start hanging your body weight from a pole for an hour, you open yourself up to injury. Over-use injuries to be exact. The shoulder joint is kept stable by a group of muscles called the rotator cuff as well as the bicipital tendon (the tendon that keeps the upper arm bone within the shoulder socket). When the rotator cuff tendon or the bicipital tendon becomes inflamed and irritated it is called rotator cuff tendonitis or bicipital tendonitis.
An area called the subacromial bursa lies in the space between the shoulder tendons. The bursa is what protects these tendons. Subacromial bursitis occurs when the bursa becomes inflamed. When YOU or your shoulder becomes fatigued from over-use in a single session, the tendons weaken and are susceptible to injuries like tendonitis, bursitis, shoulder dislocation, microscopic tears in the ligament and so on. Repetitive over-head use without intervals of rest and recuperation between sets (or tricks) can cause inflammation and can lead to serious shoulder injuries. These are the most common injuries I see in dancers due to improper technique, poor instruction and an overall lack of knowledge about exercise physiology as it pertains to pole dancing. For those of you who have been injured from bad pole dancing practices, we do offer rehabilitation for the shoulders. We have 6 poles in our main room, 2 in our Champagne Room and we limit 2 women to each pole so that your glenohumoral (shoulder) joints receive intervals of rest while the other students take their turns. Trust me....after 10 minutes by yourself on the pole, you'll NATURALLY want a break anyway. Even strippers don't spend an hour on the pole. The average song in a strip club is only 3 minutes and then she is on the next stage. |
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Q. Is the class offensive?
A. I don't know what your definition of "offensive" is. There is NO NUDITY in class, there is NO GIRL-ON-GIRL action going on, we don't have porno flicks on the big screen, and we do not shame you for expressing or being yourself - so in that regard NO. However, we do listen to some naughty music sometimes and the classes are meant to be a place where women can let go and just be expressive. You can be an exotic dancer, a sex kitten, a vixen, a goddess, an ordinary woman or a tramp. We don't care - it's your class and you have the freedom to express without the risk of being judged. We make jokes, laugh out loud, curse if we feel like it and really push the envelope when it comes to being a "good girl." C'mon...none of us are above being what society considers "bad girls." Besides, I don't tolerate judgments like that in my studio. I have personally found that the most conservative women want to just let loose and be as SLEAZY or as CHEESY as they wanna be once in a while because it's fun and they are tired of holding in that VAMP that wants to slinky down a pole and slap her own ass and this is the safest environment to do it in. The point is to do something outside your comfort zone. So dance like no one is watching and pretend you are that hot, naughty girl on stage - we might even tip ya! ;-) |
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Q. Will I be the oldest one in the class?
A. I don't know. You might be....depends on how old you are. I have students in my higher levels (Levels 4-6) who are 51 and 57 years old. My girls range from 18-76 (yes, 76!) You are never too old to learn something new and being sexy doesn't come with an expiration date. Because our method is so comprehensive, I am able to teach the most skeptical ladies to do things they swear they are too old to do. |
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Q. Will I be the only "non-stripper" in the class?
A. No. Most of my girls are career women, soccer-moms, and students. My "working girls" usually train with me privately. |
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Q. Can I observe a class before I sign up or can my husband/friends watch me?
No. We do not allow spectators in the studio at any time. We respect the confidentiality and privacy of the women taking our classes and we do not want anyone feeling like they are in a "FISHBOWL." It is important that all of the womed feel safe while they are learning to express themselves. If you would like to dance for your husband or boyfriend you may book private studio time for showing off what you have learned or you can take part in the "patner workshops" that are offered such as the B.Y.O.L. LapDance workhops. If you are wanting to "try" a class before you commit to 6 weeks, we recommend the POLE BASIX. |
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Q. How long will it take before I can "flip upside down" or do advanced tricks? Can I start in a higher level if I just want to learn Pole Acrobatics and not spins or sensual movement?
A. SIGH! Not at PUSSYCATS®. Everyone is different and some people come in already very strong and some people don't. Everyone learns at a different pace so it is hard to determine how long it may take YOU. Pole acrobatics is very challenging and one that does NOT lend itself to being a drop-in activity. It is important to build your strength & conditioning gradually to avoid serious injury. Trying to do too much too soon can be devastating to your progress and to the health of your shoulders. We DO NOT recommend that you learn via "YOUTUBE" and the purpose of the beginner level spins and transitions are to develop the proper muscle conditioning and flexibility that the more advanced tricks require. Not everyone's body type is cut out for the super acrobatic tricks. Think about it, really, only 5-10% of the population can actually do many of the advanced tricks that you see in the "pole fitness" competitions. These acrobatic poses require a certain spine flexibility and weight ratios that are not common among the average woman and especially a beginner. Remember, pole dancing is about understanding PHYSICS and how to use PHYSICS to create movement. You can argue with the laws of physicis if you like, but you will lose. We advise against inversions without adequate instruction or proper spotting! Our Levels are 7 weeks long, if you feel you are not progressing as fast as you would like then you can schedule a private session or take other classes to help speed your strength-building. While we offer pole acrobatics for advanced students, we focus more on learning how to POLE DANCE and move sensually around the pole using a PROGRESSION of moves and tricks so that you can "practice safe pole" and develop your pastiche of pole tricks with a more responsible approach. Our instructors are trained in knowing what certain body types need to begin with in order to eventually do more advanced moves. Pole dancing for "fitness" is a nice way of saying "I'm too good to be a 'stripper'!" The nature of moving around a vertical steel pole requires physical exertion...."fitness" is an ineveitable consequence of any kind of pole dancing.
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Q. What if I am out of shape or over-weight?
A. Perfect! Let's get you IN shape and lose some weight. It doesn't matter what condition you start in. We will help you keep focused on the condition you WANT to get in! "The journey of a million miles starts with a single step." Come as you are. We will take care of the rest. |
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Q. I heard that bruises are part of pole dancing. Is this true?
A. Yes. We call it "pole burn" and it is part of the sport. Like calluses on the hands of baseball players, tennis elbow, or blisters on runner's feet. It comes from pressing a body part against the pole when you lean into the pole for leverage or from your skin sticking to the pole during a trick. This is what makes the dancer "stick" to the pole - literally your skin is sticking to the pole. We also teach authentic pole dancing and that includes floor work like crawling so you may notice bruises on the knees at first. You should never bruise from banging into the pole as this can be controlled with proper technique. One should NEVER jump on the pole, run at the pole, or slam into the pole during a trick. |
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Q. Do I need experience?
A. No. We will teach you everything you need to know and in the safest and most entertaining way possible. All you need is some ambition and the drive to challenge yourself and we'll help you every step of the way. |
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Q. Am I too heavy or out of shape to pole dance?
A. No. While pole dancing does require serious athleticism, it is really about sensuality. Because our method is so comprehensive, I am able to teach the most skeptical ladies to do things they swear they are too heavy, too out of shape or too uncoordinated to do. We teach you technique first while learning simple pole tricks and this strengthens your body gradually so you do not risk injury attempting things beyond your current capabilities. As you get stronger, you learn more advanced tricks and progress safely. |
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Q. Is pole dancing hard to do?
A. Um...yeah! You are learning to do gymnastics on a vertical steel pole! It is going to require some commitment and hard work to build up the strength you need to get to the really amazing tricks I know you want to do "right away." This does not mean you cannot do it. It's like anything else in the world. It requires practice. You don't start piano lessons on Thursday and play Carnegie Hall on Tuesday. You practice and practice and eventually you get there. You'll be surprised how quickly you will progress. We climb the last day of level 1 and I give you homework to help your strength improve faster so you can achieve your goals in a reasonable amount of time.
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