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By Vixen, Sex and Sensibilities.com Guest Contributor

“Polecats are not in the business of limits—we believe in pushing it. We are not in the business of boundaries—we find ways to go beyond it. We are not in the business of stereotypes—everyday we break it.”

Thus begins the Polecats Manila manifesto, a manifesto which, without a doubt, hits the nail on the head. In the two Polecats classes I have attended, my own limits have been pushed, my boundaries tested, and my stereotypes broken.

I recently wrote another article for Sex and Sensibilities reviewing one of Polecats’ pole dancing classes. I found it to be, overall, fun, challenging, and worthwhile, but I left wondering whether it’s such a good idea to embrace an art traditionally meant for an audience of male voyeurs. Though that question remains, as I walked to my Polecats’ striptease class I made a decision then and there to check all doubt at the door. I was dressed as a schoolgirl, for God’s sake.

The class, like the others offered at Polecats, started off with a thorough warm-up led by Mara, one of their many spunky, gorgeous, and internationally-certified instructors. From there we began the actual lesson. I had no idea what to expect—what exactly was going to be taken off? Should I have shaved? Worn different underwear?

Before the panic fully set in, I realized a few things:

1.      This “striptease” lesson was not going to teach me how to strip like a movie actress. It was actually a lesson on a dance routine to Christina Milian’s “Dip it Low” which, though admittedly sexy, included very little stripping (only cardigans/button-up shirts and knee socks were removed in this routine, for which all participants were asked to wear schoolgirl costumes).

2.      Polecats’ striptease lessons, like their pole dancing lessons, build upon each other. The class I attended was the second in the series, and we therefore learned the second part of the routine. It was still quite easy to catch on, and I was by no means the only first-timer, so don’t worry if you too show up in the middle of things. Further, because we were all still learning the routine, emphasis on the actual striptease was low. (If you sign up for a lesson, you can contact the instructor and ask what exactly you should prepare for.)

3.      As I also realized at my first class, insecure worries and questions just don’t have a place at Polecats. Many women attend the classes to lose weight or, if they are unconfident, to increase their self-esteem by doing something that makes them feel sexy. The range of talent is wide and the atmosphere entirely supportive and non-judgmental. In short, I had no reason to worry.

As we worked through the choreography, however, I certainly developed renewed respect for people who dance regularly. Like pole dancing, the dance was a huge workout—both physically and mentally—and I struggled to remember the exact sequence of moves as much as to keep up with the swiftly changing positions. Speaking of the positions, they were often (as is to be expected) ostentatiously sexual and thus required great confidence from the dancer.  It was especially in this that my own personal limits, boundaries, and stereotypes (“I don’t dance like this; I can’t dance like this”) were pushed to their extremes.

By the end of the class, my routine was far from perfection, but I definitely felt that some ice was melting—I had challenged myself in more than one way, fought against my (slightly) puritanical mindset, and was definitely well exercised, happy, and keen to have another go.

This is the magic of Polecats. Founded in 2009 by visual artist Christina Dy and some fellow pole dancing friends, the primary objective of the team—and what ends up making the classes so much fun—is to encourage their students, “no matter size, height, or history”, to “bloom into their own brand of beauty” and acknowledge that “our femininity is one of the best weapons we own”.

They have a point. If being sexy makes us feel good about ourselves, and gives us a break from the monotony and restrictiveness of day-to-day life, why not give it a shot?

If you’re interested in changing how you view your body,  promoting a healthy, fit, and active lifestyle, challenging yourself, and—why not—feeling sexy all at the same time, contact Polecats at 0917-700-POLE (0917-701-7653) or send an email to classes@polecatsmanila.com to reserve a spot in the next class.

Don’t forget to ask about the current costume requirements!

Polecats is located at General Studios, 3F Pearl Plaza, Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center.

Striptease classes are now offered from 12:30-1:30 on Saturday afternoons. Other dance classes are offered throughout the week.

For more information, check out Polecats Manila’s Facebook page and website.

Photos from Polecat Manila’s Facebook.

        

By Vixen, Sex and Sensibilities.com Guest Contributor

I was a little dubious when I learned about Polecats Manila. Embracing an art which is traditionally composed of nearly naked women wrapping their legs around a—let’s face it—undeniably symbolic pole for a male audience seems, if anything, backward to me. I therefore walked into my beginners’ pole dancing lesson this past week prepared to criticize. Before I had time to think a single critical thought, however, I was greeted by a room of smiling women, ushered to a pole on the floor, and thrown into the most physically demanding dance class I have ever attended. And though my criticism of the origins of pole dancing remain, I can only praise the classes at Polecats Manila.

Polecats was founded in 2009 by visual artist Christina Dy and some fellow pole dancing friends. Dy, who began pole dancing as a remedy for a broken heart, eventually expanded the company from a school to a performance group, taking on corporate events, live music gigs, and even a show at the CCP. Since then, the group has continued developing the art form by collaborating with musicians, photographers, and filmmakers for various projects, and last year they were joined by their first male “tomcat”, Job Bautista.

Despite their performance projects, however, Polecats is first and foremost a school. As described on their website, the primary objective of the team—and what ends up making the classes so much fun—is to encourage their students, “no matter size, height, or history”, to “bloom into their own brand of beauty”. Indeed, this was the first dance class I have ever been to where I haven’t felt constantly judged for my missteps or moments of awkwardness. The atmosphere of the room was entirely positive, and the teacher and other “kittens” (Polecat slang for students) friendly and supportive.

And believe me, at times I needed their support. Before the class, I never appreciated the enormous physical strength of pole dancers, but it is now obvious to me why pole dancing, reported to improve core and upper body strength, flexibility, and balance, is such a praised method of physical exercise. All of the women I spoke to at the class were there for personal fitness, many to lose weight. Furthermore, I felt safe as I did the workout—Polecats uses professional grade poles, the stability of which we checked carefully at the beginning of the class, and is the only such program in the country with internationally certified instructors.

By the time that I finally, after fifty minutes of struggle, completed a spin and felt proud of it, I began to see another positive of the class: I felt…hot. As Christina Dy said in a recent interview, “Being sexy can be very empowering, especially in our society where there are so many rules. This can be the one time in a woman’s week where she is allowed to feel sexy.”

Though I can’t help but question the belief that this version of sexy is something to strive for, I also can’t help but wonder if, now that this sexiness is a definite part of our culture, perhaps instead of continuing to struggle against it, the best thing an empowered woman can do is embrace it and use it, as Dy says, as her own best weapon.

Maybe.

In the mean time, give Polecats Manila a try. At best, it’s a great workout and a great environment, and at worst, it will certainly inspire some interesting and difficult questions.

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If you’re interested in changing how you view your body,  promoting a healthy, fit, and active lifestyle, challenging yourself, and—why not—feeling sexy all at the same time, contact Polecats at 0917-700-POLE (0917-701-7653) or send an email to classes@polecatsmanila.com to reserve a spot in the next class.

Polecats is located at General Studios, 3F Pearl Plaza, Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center.

Striptease classes are now offered from 12:30-1:30 on Saturday afternoons. Other dance classes are offered throughout the week.

For more information, check out Polecats Manila’s Facebook page and website.

Photos taken from Polecats Manila’s Facebook and website.