AS YEARS COME TO THEIR END, I always like to take some time to reflect on the year past.
One thing I choose to focus on is considering what aspects I’d like to make a conscious effort to take with me into the upcoming 365-day cycle of my life. This is me striving to quell the negative and maintain a positive growth mindset. This list is a broad spectrum. It may include: people, habits, frames of mind, activities, practices, etc.
As I begin to engage in this reflection at the close of 2023, one thing undoubtedly comes to mind that I plan to continue into the new year.
This past year, I tried something new, something I thought I never would. I enrolled in pole dancing classes at the new Bremerton studio, Studio K Pole. Have you been there? Have you heard about it? Does the thought of pole dancing induce excitement? Embarrassment? Stigma? Curiosity?
Or, maybe, an overwhelming internal sentiment of ‘well, that might be cool, but I certainly couldn’t do that… that’s for other people’? If that is you, well let me tell you, that was me too. But I’ve noticed that as I get older, I get bolder. So, I said, “what the hell!” and took a plunge into pole dance.
Studio K Pole was built by Kim Holmgren and Ryleigh Hazen from a shared passion for this form of fitness, combined with the desire to fill a need in this community. After being exposed to and building their own practices at other studios in different parts of the country, Kim and Ryleigh met in Kitsap and brainstormed the baby that has become Studio K Pole.
They opened the studio early last year. “We wanted to give other people the chance to also have this really awesome form of connection and fitness,” Ryleigh shared.
There are several ways to get started at Studio K if you’re into it. They offer a variety of classes that support both pole dance fitness and strength training. If you have had previous experience and are looking for a place to practice, you can peruse their class options and choose a level or class that suits your strengths and needs. However, if you are new and maybe a bit unsure like I was,
I’d recommend the three-session intro series. I chose this route, and I’m glad I did. It helped me build a foundational understanding of what pole dance fitness is and eased me out of feeling uncomfortable into a more relaxed state where I was able to engage, be present and have fun with it.
Rooted in the core values that Kim and Ryleigh have thoughtfully constructed, and make explicitly clear at each session, Studio K is a safe space. It’s a place where you can not only explore this form of dance fitness but also your relationship with yourself.
This was key for me.
An intentional moment of community building is built in at the beginning of every class in the form of a sharing circle. Each participant has an opportunity to share their name, pronouns, and anything going on with their body on that particular day. In this circle, a question is posed as an icebreaker. The energy of the room tends to shift in this brief time as participants shed their nerves and begin to connect and relate to one another. This sets the stage for an environment where people are friendly with one another.
I still enter every class with nerves and a bit of uncertainty but soon after walking through the door at Studio K, those feelings are eased with a sense of safety in vulnerability, knowing that kindness, support, and encouragement reside in that space.
Through participating in classes at the studio, I quickly realized that I am doing the work to change my self-narrative around my body and my capabilities. That can look different on different days. Pole is not easy.
At any given moment, you will be trying to remember and coordinate many different things about how you are holding and moving your body.
Sometimes, I don’t have the capacity for that. And, on some days (well, most days really) I feel more like a wacky, waiving, inflatable, arm-flailing tube man than a sexy, strong, smooth move maker. But, that’s ok. In this space, it’s pretty easy to remind myself of that, to enjoy and simply be grateful for the process.
If you’re the type of person that thinks about trying new things in the new year, then maybe consider Studio K Pole. It may just be the fitness class that you didn’t know you needed with the added bonus of a rad, diverse community of people.
When Ryleigh and Kim share sentiments of their personal journeys within the pole fitness community, a recurring and common theme is the connection, support, and camaraderie they have experienced at the various studios they’ve been a part of.
This shines through as an integral piece of the studio they have built in Bremerton. // RAZOR
FIND CLASSES & MORE on Studio K Pole at studiokpole.com
