Haute Body: British Pole Dance Academy Part 2...

Hey guys!

Hoping you checked out Part 1 of my British Pole Dance Academy Review because this is Part 2 and you'll be all lost if you didn't... only joking :) I'll catch you up; 1) I'm starting a new feature called 'HauteBody' 2) I've started Pole Dancing Classes (!) 3) This is Part 2 of my review of said Pole Dancing Classes. Up to speed? Good.

So, lesson two was even more fab than lesson one! Thankfully I knew exactly where I was going this time and managed to make it about five minutes early. This allowed me to chat to some of the ladies before I threw myself (literally) into the warm up lead by a sexy brunette lady whose name escapes me... so rude :( I did feel slightly odd as fellow blogger Victoria's Vintage was there watching me shake my booty and strut my stuff, but I soon got into it and managed to build up a sweat before I even hit the pole! The warm up consisted of a variety of muscle stretches (mostly on the upper body as obviously it's all don't to your arms to carry your fat a*s up the pole later on...), there was also bouncing from side to side using the hips and then a couple of floor exercises.

Once this was over, I headed to Hollie who was the beginners instructor who I was taught by in my previous lesson and happily was approached by the lovely Deb... Despite this only being my second lesson, it seemed that Deb noticed I wasn't struggling too much with the moves and she asked if I was confident to move up a level! Whilst flattered I was a bit apprehensive and said to her, 'I'm not sure... I don't want to fail then be sent back...' Deb simply laughed and effectively told me to man up, but with much kinder words of course.

Turns out I needn't have worried, whilst the intermediate moves were more of a challenge, I seemed to cope quite well! My pole-partner insisted this must be because on my 'gymnastic-induced bendiness' as she waved her arms around in the air. Deb and I laughed so hard. Seriously, that's something you don't expect... the British Pole Academy is a fab workout for the abs, not only because of the core strength required to support your body weight, but also because of the laughing you do! When a girl gets a move right, everyone stops and claps, and when someone suffers a pole-injury everyone is either A) very sympathetic or B) wetting themselves laughing depending on which is the appropriate response of course. For example, when a certain lady managed to break the WHOLE NAIL off her baby toe we all applauded her as we looked at the injured toe... luckily she was fine so naturally we all rolled about laughing, shocked at her fantastic recovery!

Before I knew it, it was time for the cool down and my body was glad for it. My muscles had been shaking for the last five minutes of the class, so I was happy to sit on the floor and fold in half.

One thing that I love so much about The British Pole Academy is the fact that it all feels like one great big happy family, and why shouldn't it? These ladies (led by Deb) virtually built the studio and the business from scratch so it means a lot to them. If you don't believe me, check the scrapbook in the lounge area of the room and see the photographs showing the shell the studio started off as. The care for customers in terms of safety, fun, and even finance by offering such cheap classes, are just three examples where this care is shown. The British Pole Academy is personal and professional all at once, and this is why I love it so much.

Just a couple of tips for anyone wishing to try pole-dancing for fitness...

1) Wear something inconspicuous. If you show up wearing jogging bottoms, you'll be noticed more than if you have tiny shorts on baring the thighs you've grown to hate. Trust me!

2) Make sure you complete both the warm-up and cool-down to the best of your ability. Your body will thank you because if you don't you're likely to injure yourself during the class and be aching for much longer for the next couple of days.

3) Make sure you hunt around for the best dance school. Most of the best ones will allow you a free trial, and don't pay in a block before knowing that you definitely want to attend lessons on a regular basis.

4) Don't take yourself too seriously. If you want to strut around the pole super-slutty or do huge outrageous over-exaggerated moves just because you saw them on Burlesque then go for it! Pole is very personal to everyone, with each student being there for a different reason... you're paying for it, so make sure you get what you want out of the class.

5) Find your style. Everyone has one. My style is more ballet than anything else although I do have a burlesque-esque vision in my head of how I'd like to look. Others wish to have a more athletic stance whilst some girls clearly want to bring out their inner-ho and you know what, that's all fine!  

To conclude, the class was absolutely awesome and I will be going back later on this week. My first two lessons were gifted by Deb, however, from now onwards I will be attempting to attend The British Pole Academy at least once a week at a detriment to my own wallet which proves I find this to be a perfectly worth-while spend... At just £6 an hour how could it not be? To book with the BPA call Deb on 07884423234.

Have you ever tried pole dancing classes? What do you think about exploring sexuality whilst getting in a good exercise? Have you heard of any other fun ways of getting a good work-out?


Thanks for reading guys :) Stay tuned for more HauteBody posts, one of which I'm planning right now...
On that mystery, I'll leave you :P
Love
gabriellasofia
 x

Haute Body: British Pole Dance Academy Part 1...

This post marks the first in a new blog series which I hope to keep up from now on... The series is called Haute Body and it's all about getting the hottest body possible, whilst having fun, trying new activities and most importantly, living a healthy lifestyle. The feature will encompass everything from diet and body inspiration right the way through to exercise and health trends. I decided that I would start this series back in December, but obviously that's a terrible time to begin a diet and exercise regime (what with the Christmas pud and sherry...) Then I was going to start it at the beginning of January as a 'fresh start' to a healthy lifestyle, but we all know how depressing January is and the only thing that offered any kind of comfort to me was all the remaining selection boxes lying around my house... This is why I resolved to properly launch this feature now, just in time for February when I hope to inspire everyone out there to enjoy diet and exercise for a change!

The fact that the beautiful Deb from British Pole Dance Academy (based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent) invited me to review her Pole Classes was a clear-cut sign in my opinion that this was a feature worth pursuing.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm no prude by any stretch of the imagination and I've actually dabbled in the past in a couple of Birmingham-based pole lessons. As an ex-gymnast and ballerina, pole dancing always seemed like the 'grown-up version' which allowed me to work out my body, improve flexibility and explore my sexuality all at the same time. However, driving to a new pole-school in an area you've never been to before wearing a tiny pair of purple booty shorts and your Kiss band t-shirt is enough to make anyone's originally steely nerves quake in their boots... I'm pleased to say that my unreasonable nervousness was completely unfounded!

I arrived twenty minutes late (which is embarrassing enough as I'm usually super-punctual but got lost on the way), and yet Deb was very understanding and paired me with another girl in the beginners group before I could even take in the amazing studio. I was welcomed by all of the girls and the lovely instructor Hollie and now I had my chance to really take a look around the gorgeous surroundings.

Deb's studio is breath-taking. No exaggeration. It kind of reminds me of a girly boudoir, decorated with hanging curtains of pink and purple. Having been to classes with another company in the past, I was pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness of the floor, the sultriness of the lighting and the glamour of the stage. This place is sexy not seedy and trust me, there is a big difference where dance lessons are concerned!

Next, I had a closer look at the ladies around me. Packed full of about twenty lush ladies of varying ages, shapes and sizes, the studio was large enough, and so well-equipped that almost every girl had their own pole, a benefit which not many pole classes can boast. Perhaps the most obvious thing that stood out to me was that every woman there had a huge smile on her face. Right, I thought, I was after a fun new exercise to try... this seems about right!

Before I knew it, it was my turn to have a go at the 'Fireman' a simple spin with legs bent. AOK! I even got a couple of compliments from the other girls for my 'gentle' landing, pointed toes and all (that's the ballet in me I guess...)

As we were taught a couple more of the basics, I couldn't help but notice that almost every ten minutes Deb herself made a quick 'visit' to each of the girls, providing tips, mini-demonstrations and words of congratulations. I loved this hands-on approach and found that she possesses the perfect balance of friendliness and professionalism, not letting anyone give up, but gently encouraging us to try until we got each move right.

Before I knew it, it was time for the cool-down which Deb clearly considered of very high importance. The cool-down lasted for about five minutes and involved a variety of stretches. Apparently the warm up is quite extensive too, but we know I missed that, so I had that to look forward to next lesson. This reassured me that each of the instructors at British Pole Dance Academy and Deb herself truly care about the well-being of their students.

In conclusion, my first lesson (though short lived...) was absolutely fab. British Pole Dance Academy is a great place for women of all ages, abilities, shapes and sizes to learn a couple of death-defying tricks, get in a fun work-out and gain some extra self-confidence. I would recommend the classes to everyone out there, and for just £6 per lesson, you've got nothing to lose! Even after just forty minutes, my body was aching like I'd worked hard, and I'm almost positive I'll be going back after my PR lessons are over. To book, call Deb on 07884423234.

In Part 2 I will be posting about my second lesson at BPA, a bit of history on the company and some of my own tips in terms of showing up as a Pole-Newbie.

Have you ever tried pole dancing classes? What do you think about exploring sexuality whilst getting in a good exercise? Have you heard of any other fun ways of getting a good work-out?

Until next time ladies!
Love
GabriellaSofia