Pick a Pole – Sheila Kelley S Factor Review

KINKY. RAUNCHY. DIRTY. FREAKY.

Those are the first four words that came to mind when I signed up for a Pole Dancing class with Sheila Kelley S Factor via a Groupon deal.

While I was excited about it, I was also hush hush. We either associate poles with firemen or strippers. I doubt any one would think I was putting a fire out in my class. I was starting one up!

Before heading out to my class, I spoke with a friend about it. I had no idea what to expect. “I’ve never been to a class like this,” I told my friend. “Is the class just full of poles? Do I walk in and the teacher says, ‘Pick a Pole. Everybody pick a pole.’?” At this I giggle and snort. “PICK A POLE? How funny is that?” I tell my friend before snorting again.

The room wasn’t full of one thousand poles. The room looked more like this.

I bet you weren’t expecting that, were you? Yes, the room was lit by candle light. There were yoga mats spread in a circle. The lights were very dim. Dispersed throughout the studio were only five poles.

We spent a great deal of time warming up. It was a sensual yoga warmup. If it doesn’t already exist, someone needs to work on that. A karma sutra sensual yoga school of training. Yum! Before we warmed up the teacher laid down some ground rules. Things like the importance of privacy, the banning of nudity and mirrors and the encouragement to let go and release any inhibitions. She took the time to learn all of our names and then class begin.

From the very beginning of our warm up, I knew I was going to have a great time. Every few minutes our instructor would call us each out by name and say things like, “Your ass looks great Sheena.” “You’re so beautiful Sheena.” “That’s perfect Sheena.” How nice is that? Imagine being told for two hours straight just how beautiful your body is. How sensual you move. How great the curve of your ass is. It’s just a natural high!

During many moments in class, especially during the warm ups and non pole choreography she encouraged us to close our eyes. She encouraged us to touch our skin. Play in our hair….and again, not in a raunchy way. Not in a video vixen way. It’s like taking a long bubble bath and slowly running the loofah over you. It was just so intimate and beautiful.

By the time we began work on the pole all of our confidence levels were at an all time high. We each were the goddess of sensuality, sexuality and all things beautiful. We were encouraged to not just walk to the pole…but to S walk to the pole. Which is a slow, intentional, sensual walk. We were taught a few tricks and then taught a dance that could be done with a pole or against the wall.

Again, I must emphasis this wasn’t a stripper’s dance. There was no booty clapping, snatch popping, breast banging whatever going on. (I have no clue what snatch popping is. I just made that up. Hope I didn’t gross you out.)

The dance we were taught was…I don’t know how to explain it. It was so personal, so self loving, so giving towards whomever you might dance this for. And so sensual and beautiful. Also so very easy that any women could do it, no matter who she was. There were women in this class who were short, tall, petite, curvy and everything else.

Towards the end of the class, our teacher decided to show us a routine she had been working on. OH MY GOODNESS. Imagine your favorite contemporary routine on So You Think You Can Dance. Really imagine it. The most beautiful one that was so intimate, breath taking, and personal. There are so many of those on SYTYCD that I love. That is what our teacher did. Yes, it was on a pole. But I forgot about the pole. I was watching her. Well, I forgot about the pole until she did a few tricks that seem to defy gravity. But even still…it was so graceful. I felt like I was watching her write in her journal. That’s how beautiful and personal this dance was. There were sensual sexy moments but then there were quiet still moments. Self reflective moments. I wish you could have seen it.

Watch this routine below from So You Think You Can Dance. Imagine this kind of dance. Her dance was more like this.

After watching her, I knew I had found my new worktout. She told us how she started as a pre-beginner, clumsiness and all, four years ago. After taking their various levels, which each one last 8 weeks, four years later she looked like the most beautiful goddess I’ve ever encountered.

On my way home, I felt so beautiful. The same emotions and senses were heightened similar to cuddling with Mr. Officer. Every sensual moment we share or intimate one reminded me of moments in this class. When he plays in my hair. When he whispers that I’m beautiful. When he just holds me.

But the class didn’t just remind me of my relationship with him. It reminded me of my relationship with myself. At times I just thought about me. There were no mirrors. The lights were too low for anyone to watch and therefore I got to just let loose and be my sensual self. Even if my choreography was off, even if I didn’t twirl just so…I knew I was still amazing and beautiful and sensual. My skin is soft. My hair is fun. And my body is amazing.

So instead of thinking KINKY. RAUNCHY. DIRTY. FREAKY. think SENSUAL. SEXY. BEAUTIFUL. INTIMATE.

(although there is a time and place for both sets of words. Sometimes it all happens in one night. One long wonderful exhausting night. Ok, I’m quiet now!)

Later that night I called Mr. Officer and left a voicemail,  “…so maybe you should get a pole in your basement.”

On a side note, I love Conan and I now love the S Factor’s pole dancing class. I love moreso the both of them meshed together. (I must also say that I don’t know if every company that offers pole dancing is as intimate and encouraging and powerful as the S Factor, so do your research if you aren’t going to use their classes)

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