I took my first spin around a pole in 2006 and couldn’t wait to do it again—and again. I soon discovered that, contrary to popular opinion, pole dancing wasn't just for "dancers" in the Badda Bing and other strip clubs. It's an artistic workout that appealed to all my kinesthetic sensibilities. Graceful, gymnastic pole dancing takes strength, the ability to analyze motion and relax into centrifugal force. But unless you know what you’re doing, you can get hurt and you’re bound to earn a few bruises along the way. (We call them our badges of honor.) Accomplished dancers who spin, climb, invert and make it look easy, have my utter respect. Because I took to the pole like a monkey to a tree, I’ve been voraciously studying and now teach pole dance—and women of all ages are showing up to learn. Thanks to a growing interest in Erotic Dance and the media attention of celebrities enrolled in Sheila Kelly’s S-Factor and other pole dance studios, it’s earning its reputation as a fun & sexy workout. No surprise, there are now pole dance competitions, teacher training programs, federations and “pole dance wear” cropping up everywhere. Every few weeks at our studio with two pole dance teachers, we initiate new batches of women, teens and men into the lure of the pole. (Men bring a different gymnastic and very masculine dimension with their upper body strength!) As each student works the pole, we get to witness their particular personality and beauty emerge. The pole seems to add sparkle to anyone who just stands beside it. What I love most about the pole, is how we all use it in different ways: some buy poles for home use only, some want to become professionals, and some use it for workouts only. When I first started, I never thought I'd buy 6 inch platforms to dance in--I can't even walk in them. But they help me climb the pole. But the beauty is, you don’t need platforms or any shoes to have a great time or enjoy the show. A human body spinning around a pole is artistry in motion.