In this age of fad diets and get-quick-thin schemes, women feel pressure to lose weight and stay in shape.  Most fitness centers offer a variety of cardio equipment, machines, weights, and classes, but women tire of them.  Exotic dance fitness centers, however, focus not just on fitness but also on helping women increase their confidence and love their bodies.

At typical fitness centers, women frequently scrutinize their bodies in the mirror and compare themselves to others.  The instructors at exotic dance studios teach their clients that they are beautiful just the way they are. The exercises tone the women’s bodies and help them feel sexy too.

I have been working at Tease Fitness and Apparel, an exotic dance studio in Bel Air, MD, for the past several months, and it has been a wonderful experience. All of the clients and instructors are friendly and excited to be there; every person who enters is happy to be working out.

At Tease Fitness and Apparel, I have been given the opportunity to pick my own music and design my own dance routine, and I have worked to cater my routines to the needs of the women who attend my classes. By observing some of the regular clients, I have seen women grow from varying states of timidity and shyness into women full of confidence and satisfaction with their bodies.

Exotic dance studios generally consist of Pole Dance and Floor and Chair Dance, also called Exotic Dance. In these all-women classes, instructors target areas that women generally like to focus on; floor and chair classes largely focus on toning abs, butt, and thighs, while pole class works on strengthening and defining the upper body and back. There are different levels of pole offered so that women can move through the classes as they are ready.

“I wanted a fun workout to embrace my femininity, de-stress, enjoy the company of my peers, and benefit from the great results the classes provide,” says Pamela Danlag, owner of Tease Fitness and Apparel and a wife and mother of four.

Danlag describes her instructors as patient, experienced, and passionate; they are women who are truly dedicated to seeing their clients achieve results. Although there are several different fitness centers in Maryland that offer exotic dance classes, Tease Fitness and Apparel stands out as the most appealing. Here, women may take classes in Pole Dancing, Exotic Dance, Pilates, Yoga, Yogalates, Hip Hop, Belly Dancing, Latin Aerobics, Dance Aerobics, and Kickboxing.

Pole dancing and striptease first became prevalent in the 1980’s and were initially seen only in strip clubs. Over the years, though, these forms of exercise came to be recognized for their athletic value. In the 1990’s, the first instructional pole dance exercise DVD was produced by Fawnia Mondey of Canada. Shortly thereafter, pole dance evolved into an acceptable form of exercise.

Dance studios began to offer classes in exotic and pole dance, and celebrities such as Carmen Electra popularized the sport. By the year 2006, pole dance was finally mainstreamed—individual owners such as Danlag began opening gyms offering solely exotic dance. According to the International Pole Federation, there are now over 100 different pole dance studios around the world.

Although fitness studio owners and dance instructors have made progress in helping exotic dance to be seen as an art form and as a way to exercise, arguments are still made against pole dancing. In spite of the positive results that numerous women have achieved, many still view pole dancing as a purely sexual activity.

Pole dancing studios have done as much as possible to dispel this view, from barring men from entering the studios to establishing pole dance competitions so that pole dancing will be viewed as athletic.  Danlag was able to combine the elements of exercise, fun, and confidence to establish a fitness center that appeals to women of all body types and levels of fitness.

“Many of us have busy lives and we forget to take care of ourselves,” says Danlag.  “Unlike the traditional ‘gym’ workout, at Tease Fitness and Apparel we interact, laugh and share an hour or two of healthy, sassy fun unlike anything you have ever experienced and you will want to come back. That is a promise.”

There are many forms of exercise available to women and exotic dance is one of the most fun and unique options. Women such as Danlag have managed to uphold pole dancing’s history as being fun and sexy, while at the same time turning it into an excellent workout and a way to de-stress.

Despite certain negative connotations that the phrase “exotic dance” evokes, women who try this exercise are constantly amazed by both how much fun and how challenging exotic dance can be. So next time you’re interested in a fun and exciting new workout, check out Tease Fitness and Apparel or another exotic dance studio—you may become addicted!