Students of Ottawa Pole Fitness learn the ropes of pole dancing.
Six tall, shiny brass poles located throughout Ottawa Pole Fitness provide students an opportunity to spin, swing and hip-sway their way to mastering the art of pole dancing while also keeping fit.
And while some associate pole dancing with strip clubs, there’s more to the local pole dancing studio, says its owner, Li Hewitt.
Hewitt, who began the unique company over a year ago, says pole dancing fitness is pretty much for anyone.
“Most people quickly learn basic moves, and gradually build up strength to continue to learn new moves.”
Hewitt began modestly, offering lessons in her basement with a single pole. To her surprise, the lessons became so popular she moved to a larger studio with six poles on Somerset Street West.
It’s currently the only studio in the city to exclusively offer pole dancing fitness. It now has 75 registered students and offers eight different levels ranging from beginner to advanced.
Hewitt says the popularity of pole dancing fitness goes beyond the physical workout, offering a unique experience not found at the local gym.
“Most other fitness is repetitive and boring. You go to the gym and you’re bored after 10 minutes,” she says, while pole dancing fitness is just the opposite.
The sport is physically demanding, but students also get an extra motivational kick from swinging on a pole, she says.
“It’s more visual as you get to dance to your favourite music and show off your talent. It makes students feel sexy while they dance and do moves on the pole,” Hewitt says.
Still, not everyone is onboard with the business model.
The history of pole dancing is controversial with roots in stripping, says Pamela Paul, author of Pornified: how pornography is damaging our lives.
“For women to imitate women who commercialize sex in order to appeal to male tastes for money is not a healthy, sex-positive way of celebrating their womanhood and enhancing their physical health.”
Paul says there are many positive ways for women to exercise and feel good about their bodies without compromising themselves.
But Hewitt says there is no reason to compare pole dancing fitness to stripping.
“We’re not stripping and dancing for men and money – we’re dancing to have ourselves feel good and get exercise.”
Leora Tanenbaum, author of Slut! Growing Up Female with a Bad Reputation, and member of the editorial advisory board of the Feminist Press, agrees it’s positive for females to be motivated to do physical fitness in order to improve their health.
“If it makes her feel sexy and desirable at the same time she’s becoming physically fit, then what’s the harm?” she says. “She’s not being exploited and she’s doing it for herself.”
Tanenbaum is only concerned if a female’s sexuality becomes their only value. However, most females are just looking for ways to motivate themselves to get healthy and fit.
“There are girls that would come and be really shy in the beginning. They’d want to just stay with a small group of their friends, but after they take a few classes they are joining other groups no problem.”
“I was shy the first class and I never said anything, now I’m pole dancing on the stage at Sexapalooza (a consumer trade show for sex products),” student Maria Oikawa says.
If business continues to grow, Hewitt hopes to expand her current studio, and open up a new branch outside Ottawa West.
Hewitt says she is considering offering a male class.
She says it feels good to see her company helping woman love themselves.
“You don’t dance for men, you dance for yourself – and you have this self-enjoyment. You enjoy being a woman.”