The Soul in the Pole

It might have been a little scandalous when Miley “Jailbait” Cyrus did her infamous pole slide atop an ice-cream cart at the last Teen Choice Awards show. But for those of us old enough to try it, there’s a certain monkey-bars feeling of fun in pole dancing, a fitness regimen growing fast in popularity. Try it yourself this Wednesday (and every day except Sundays) at Pole Dance Miami, a new women-only studio.

“A lot of people think that we’re a stripper school, but we’re not,” says Yusi Gonzalez, who founded the studio with longtime friend Gwendy Andrade. Both are classically trained dancers, and Gonzalez came to the pole only after years of dancing professionally. “I couldn’t see myself dancing again next to 19- or 20-year-olds, and I was looking for another form of fitness,” she says. “An hour goes by so fast, and you work your whole body at once. It’s not like when you’re at the gym and you have to do just your legs one day.”

Wednesday’s offerings run from morning to night and include specialty sessions such as “Pole Burn” — a calisthenics class done, yes, in heels — and “Bootylicious,” which features a number of tricks for the posterior. (The key to the booty clap: Relax and click your heels, Dorothy-style.) Pick your vibe, but all of them promise improved flexibility, toned muscles, and an up-tempo soundtrack of guilty-pleasure pop music. Oh, and a happier relationship too — but hey, that’s just our educated guess.
Wednesdays, 10 a.m., 2009