Dressed in a low-cut pink shirt, tight black booty pants, and thick, plastic platform stilettos, Stephanie Babines doesn’t look the part of a political rabble-rouser. Yet an activist is exactly what Babines became when her efforts to help women shape up through fully clothed, decidedly G-rated stripper-inspired aerobics ran afoul of overzealous officials in the small western Pennsylvania town of Mars. This unyieldingly perky 31-year-old entrepreneur, standing in the small forest of steel poles that shoot up from the floor of her mirrored dance and fitness studio, has taught dance-phobic authorities an expensive lesson in federal court. “It’s pretty surreal to get calls from the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, never mind Dr. Phil, Jerry Springer, and America’s Got Talent,” Babines laughs, leaning back beneath a bookshelf filled with such revolutionary tomes as The World According to Mr. Rogers and The Housewife’s Guide to the Practical Striptease. “It’s not attention I went looking for.” A few years ago Babines was a senior executive at a financial services company, nary a feather boa dancing in her head, struggling with an 80-hour workweek that severely depleted her enthusiasm for the gymnasium. One night over dinner a friend mentioned that pole dancing had become the hot new fitness pole trend. (more…)

Your core has to be incredibly strong to pull off these jaw-dropping moves and to do it in 6″ lucite heels is no small feat! The winner, Jenyne Butterfly, obviously practices yoga, because I spot at least 3 poses in her routine, including Bow and One-Legged Wheel. My friend and I whooped and hollered through the whole thing and now we’re both thinking of trying out a pole dance class at Flirty Girl Fitness or S-Factor Chicago.

Now I see the difference between modern pole dancing and dirty stripper routines, although I’m still not sure these dancers should be performing for high school students.

KENDRA Wilkinson has made no secret of her plan to trim down further before her wedding, and she’s taken her fans behind the scenes of her pole dancing exercise regime.

In Wilkinson’s official blog, the former Playboy hottie posted a photo of herself at home with her built-in

removable pole for her exercise regime, and told of how she is being professional trained.

She also teased fans with an upcoming video of her pole dancing in full flight with tips.

She wrote: “ive definitely hit the pole a time or two just for fun but wanted to learn the best ways to use it to get my body in smokin shape and look hottttt while doing it. i decided to take a professional lesson and had fitness instructor Estee Zakar come to my house to show me how to swing like a pro! its one of those things that people think they could never do but its a LOT easier than it looks…TRUST ME!!!!”

Source: The Daily Telegraph

The high heel shoe on the sign at Stiletto’s isn’t just part of the fitness pole center’s logo.

At Stiletto’s, women learn “pole fitness,” using a stripper’s pole as the basis for a workout. And yes, all members are required to wear stiletto heels during each workout.

Nicole Moak, 30, opened the aerobics center last year in Port Neches because she said she felt women needed a new way to work out.

Beginners start by wearing 4½-inch stiletto heels, Moak said, and when they feel comfortable enough they move to 6 inches.

All of Moak’s classes are one-on-one by appointment only, and twice a month she said she hosts parties where all members can come together and show off their moves.

Women work out in a room painted deep red, on a stage in front of a mirror. Two exercise poles are on the stage.

A one-hour session can burn up to 350 calories, she said, and women do all of the exercise moves on their tiptoes which helps build core muscles.

When she first opened in April 2008, Moak said some members of the community expressed their discontent with her business – which is located next door to the Port Neches Chamber of Commerce. The opposition since has died down, she said.

Tom Ivicevic, spokesman for the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, said fitness pole is a popular workout and is an excellent exercise to strengthen arm and core muscles.

Ivicevic said Crunch – a gym in Los Angeles that many celebrities go to – teaches pole fitness classes.

Moak said she first discovered pole fitness in Dallas, where she took a day-long class with a large group of women. The group broke for lunch and she said many of the women did not return, possibly because they did not feel comfortable exercising in a large group.

That’s why she said her classes are one-on-one.

Moak said her students are women of all shapes and sizes, and even of all ages. She’s taught girls as young as 17 and as old as 67, she said.

“It’s not raunchy,” she said. “It’s a great pole dance fitness program and it makes you feel good about yourself.”

Pole Dancing – You definitive guide

Pole dancing burns calories, tones body muscles, increases flexibility, improves fitness and can help tone your whole body. If you want to take up pole dancing then head to a class or keep training at home with a portable pole dancing kit and the pole aerobics workout DVD included for the basic moves:

The Walk Around: Stand tall with your shoulders back. Hook your arm around the pole and tip toe slowly and sexily around the pole.

The Body Ripple: Holding the pole with one hand, move your shoulders into it. Stick your bum out and ripple inwards until your stomach is on the pole. Then pull out your shoulders, bringing your pelvis towards pole. Repeat several times so the movement flows. (more…)

The Pole Professionals will be appearing at Lifestyle Expo ’09 on Friday and Saturday from 17:00, providing thirty minutes of inspiring Pole Dancing routines on each day.

The display will be served as a joint collaboration between Qualified Instructor, Maria Fallas of Pole Professionals, who will be responsible for the Choreography and technique, and Anna Ratcliffe of Costa Adventures, who will adopt a more Managerial role.

Each performance will be divided into three sections, one of which requiring the participation of three (a total of six) adventurous readers. The Pole Professionals are searching for a group of fun-loving, thrill-seeking volunteers to join them for a complete ‘movement makeover’.

Participants will spend time familiarizing with the music and learning the routines under the guidance of Maria and Anna, and receive a stunning Cinderella makeover, before performing alongside of the group during the Expo.

Maria is keen to promote pole dancing not as an erotic, racy form of entertainment, but rather the most fashionable and fun way to get in shape, build confidence and promote self-belief. Her philosophy is that all women are simply amazing and that anyone has the ability to go from ‘beginner to bombshell’ in just a couple of hours. She stressed that the ladies involved will need no prior dance or exercise experience and can be of any age, fitness level or background, with the only prerequisites being the ability to be themselves and not afraid to let their hair down and go for it. Maria highlighted that “These performances are about empowerment and shirking an old fashioned, stereotypical image. Pole Dancing is the hottest new fitness trend around, and the expo is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate to all women how easy it is to be spectacular!”

Anyone who is interested in taking part must agree to undergo a simple health screening in advance of the day, in order to reveal any specific needs and requirements. This may be achieved by contacting Maria on 695 303 685

POLE-DANCING is casting off its sleazy sex-club image as more women than ever give it a whirl as a great way to keep fit.

The gymnastic workout involves a series of moves carried out to music which strengthens and tones most of the muscle groups.

Mum-of-three Tracey Huckfield, 29, has introduced around 200 women to the sport since starting her business Pagan’s Pole three years ago.

Tracey works from home in Valley, Anglesey, where a pole takes centre-stage in the living room and a full-sized mirror helps students to monitor their movements.

Tracey first took to the pole when she was studying for her psychology degree at Bangor University and liked it so much she decided to turn it into a career.

“I’ve got the perfect job really because I’m doing something I love and the vast majority of my clients have become friends,” said Tracey, who is also qualified to teach aerobics.

“The initial thing I do is teach a routine that allows a student to become familiar with the grips of the pole and builds confidence into their upper body strength.

“The girls bring a me a song of their choice and I choreograph a routine to that song.

“I’m more of a trickster than a dancer and will put up to ten tricks into a routine but that is pushing yourself to the limit and it’s more gymnastics and aerial skills.

“We’re trying to change the name to pole-fitness to try and get away from the stereotypical image of the sex industry and there’s a petition going round to try and get it into the 2012 olympics as a sport,” she said.

Nadine Challinor, 24, from Amlwch, started pole-dancing with Tracey four months ago and thinks it’s a lot more fun than going to a gym.

Naomi Harries, 31, is also from Valley and said she couldn’t believe how toned she felt after her first pole-dancing lesson.

“I’ve had three lessons now and I love it, it’s fantastic and a great way to keep fit and so much fun,” said Naomi.

“The work-out is unbelievable and I will get my own pole eventually
when I can afford it.

“I would encourage people to try it because it’s a great confidence booster and it’s a full-body work out,” she said.

Free pole Fitness class are being offered by LLc a long with Gorham Fitness Studio. The free class started on March the 16, 2009 and will last for 6 weeks. Initially the classes will start off doing basic fitness moves with the pole. Portable dance pole