'Pole dancing is a great workout’
In the past, pole dancing was commonly associated with strippers and dimly lit nightclubs, but pole-dancing lovers have in recent years dragged it out of the dark and promoted pole dancing as a legitimate form of sport and exercise for fitness purposes. Entrepreneur and pole dance instructor Alyona Smal is out to prove to Sint Maarten and the rest of the world that pole dancing is fun and exciting, helps burn a great deal of calories and offers many other unexpected benefits along the way. It is no wonder that Alyona’s classes have become so popular that she is about to open a second studio to meet demand.
How did you become a pole dance teacher?
I was always passionate about dancing. Since I was six, dancing was my hobby, and I started dancing and performing professionally at 15. After university, I dabbled in different sports until I came across pole-dancing classes one day. It was something new; it was dance; it was sexy; and above all, you needed to be in great shape to excel at it. It was a lot more difficult than I thought.
I had never been flexible before, and I noticed how important that became with pole dancing. It took me about two years of practice before I could actually do a split! When I did my first competition, I was very surprised to win second- and third-place in different categories. I had never created my own dances before, and it was good motivation for me to continue.
When I felt like I had learnt all I could at my current school, I began to look for other options. Around the same time, I had noticed how bored I had become at my job of eight years as a human resource manager. However, I did look forward to my pole dancing classes. So when I found the study to become a pole-dance instructor, it just clicked that this was what I wanted to do!
That course was possibly the hardest thing I had ever done. At times just one lesson would consist of hundreds of push-ups, sit-ups, handstands and pole-related acrobatics. They pushed me to what I thought was my breaking point – and then beyond that. I was so surprised by what my body could do, and I am so thankful for the experience.
Why did you decide to teach pole dancing on Sint Maarten?
It had been a long-time dream of mine, and there was also no pole dance school open on Sint Maarten as yet. Besides wanting to share my love of the sport, another reason is that I want to educate others about pole dancing. Pole dancing is not just what you see in Red Diamond or Platinum Room – that is striptease.
Of course pole-dance is sexy and can be used to spice up your relationship, but it is so much more! It requires focus, determination, meditation, dance and is a great work-out. It is also great to build self-confidence and it teaches you to enjoy yourself and your body! I dare you to try one of my classes and you will see how extreme of a workout it is.
Where can we take your classes?
My first studio is located at Port De Plaisance Country Club, where I teach pole dance, exotic dance and fitness stretching. In September, I will be starting classes at a second location in Hope Estate, where I will teach pole dance, pole acrobatic, aerial hoop, aerial hammock and fitness stretching. I am partnering with the in-house gymnastics club “Gym Enfants” and will be using part of their 400m2 studio! There I will give aerial circus classes and will work together with the club to give gymnastic rhythmic and circus classes on Fridays for both adults and kids.
Aerial circus and pole dance movements are really similar. If you know how to pole-dance, your muscles are already prepared for aerial hoop and hammock, and vice versa. This class is another way to show persons that pole dancing is not dirty; it is an actual sport which can benefit your work-out routine and life in many ways. Margaux my new partner will work with me so I can keep up with the new additions; she is French, lovely and has vast experience in aerial sport!
When are your classes?
The schedule at my new location in Hope Estate is in the works, but the classes will likely be in the morning and in the evening from Monday to Thursday and on Saturday afternoon. Pole dance classes at the Country Club are at 6:00pm on Mondays and Thursdays, 7:30pm on Tuesday; 6:30pm on Wednesdays and more classes will be added in October.
Why is pole dancing such a good work-out?
The core purposes of pole dancing consist of two major goals: strength building and flexibility improvement. Each lesson starts with strength building activities, including warm-up exercises for about 30 minutes. It includes cardio, push-ups, sit-ups, and more! You can build some muscles, lose some undesirable fat around your abs, and strengthen up different parts of your body by choosing to focus on specific sets of exercises. It is essential to be in shape to be able to do certain moves on the pole, and it is also important for your body to be warm. Because you need to be in shape to do moves properly on the pole, you also are forced to change your eating habits. It is a lot harder to pole-dance if you are overweight or are low on energy. That being said, it is still possible for ANYONE to learn!
The next part of the lesson is obviously learning to dance around a pole with basic dance moves, spinning, bending, tweaking and even climbing the pole. Although it might look simple, these moves engage a lot of muscles and employ many parts of your body, helping it to become much stronger and more flexible. You will be sweaty and red-faced all the time, and even the most simple-looking move will make you feel painful. However, the end result is totally worth it. If you work hard enough, it is estimated that pole dancing can help you burn 800 calories an hour.
We end the class by expressing ourselves though dance. Besides my classes being good for your body and confidence, it is just A LOT of fun! WE laugh a lot and together we can feel free, strong and happy!
Contact info: Alyona’s facebook page “pole dance school SXM”; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; +590 690 43 57 77 or +1 721 580 4679.
