Angela Houck, owner of The Pole Power Studio in West Ocean City, teaches a class. / ERIC DOERZBACH/THE DAILY TIMES
OCEAN CITY -- Angela Houck will get you to climb 12 feet on a shiny silver pole, high enough to slap the roof of her studio, in eight weeks or less.
In the four or so years since she's been teaching pole dancing for fitness, every single one of her students has gotten to the top of her Pole Power studios, where they snag one of the silver markers -- affixed to the ceiling -- and sign the black surface.
Houck's flawless success rate is part of the reason she's been named the East Coast's best pole dancing instructor for this year. Her two locations in West Ocean City and Salisbury were named the best studios, as well, by Pole Dance International Magazine, a trade publication for the tight-knit pole dancing subculture. The magazine makes its judgments based on nominations and votes from students who have taken to the poles. Houck says most of her pupils are 30 to 50 years old, but she's had students who are 18 and 80.
Some of Houck's students say they come to the hardwood-floored building in West OC with mirrored walls and poles raised all around the room to gain, or regain, some self-confidence. Others enjoy the camaraderie that comes with the all-female workout, and a few are looking for a new and challenging exercise method to break up the monotony that sometimes comes with more traditional fitness measures. For some, it's all three.
Houck was a critical care nurse who gravitated toward pole dancing when she was trying to get back in shape after having two children. She gave up nursing to open her first studio in 2007, in hopes she could help other women feel the mental and physical transformation she found in dancing.
"We have a lot of girls who come in here who are in 'Mommy Mode,' and I think seeing their faces when they begin to rediscover and get in touch again with who they really are is what made me fall in love with teaching," Houck said.
During Houck's hour-long classes, in dim lighting with high-paced music, the women sweat and share laughs while they watch themselves work in the floor-to-ceiling mirrors.
"It's really just hanging out with the girls and having fun," said Coleen Catrino, who has been taking classes for about three years.
"This is much more personable than a gym," added Terri Street after she'd just completed her first session. And the ladies applauded wildly when Nina Wheeler climbed to the roof after completing only two sessions.
"This is just something new and something fun," Wheeler said.
Houck says many are hesitant to come in the door due to a stigma that equates pole dancing with stripping, she says. Once they're in the studio, they're often self-conscious about pole climbing, but the feeling usually dissipates after a session or two, when they really start to get into it.
"I think everyone who comes in here is a little intimidated at first, but after a while they all leave with more confidence," says Sandra Kerstetter, one of Houck's co-instructors.
It's addicting, Houck says, because there are so many facets and moves that can be learned, and once a woman masters one she often wants to advance to the next.
Houck says she's optimistic about the elimination of the stripper stigma. It is nearly non-existent in many other countries, and in some more urban parts of the United States, she said, to where it isn't uncommon for men and children to get pole-centric workouts. A recent issue of Pole Dance International even featured an article on the future of pole dancing fitness for children.
"I think the goal is to get people out of that typical mindset (regarding pole dancing)," Houck said.
"It's not like the gym. It's a challenging and rewarding type of exercise, and we'd like to push thought it in that direction."
Houck doesn't offer under-18 or co-ed classes, but said she'd consider involving men if interest was shown. On occasion, usually around Valentine's Day, she'll convince some guys to give climbing a shot. They usually leave admitting it's a more difficult and physically demanding practice than they'd thought, she said.
Houck is holding an open house Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 at the Salisbury and West Ocean City studios, respectively, and new eight-week sessions begin Oct. 17.
In the four or so years since she's been teaching pole dancing for fitness, every single one of her students has gotten to the top of her Pole Power studios, where they snag one of the silver markers -- affixed to the ceiling -- and sign the black surface.
Houck's flawless success rate is part of the reason she's been named the East Coast's best pole dancing instructor for this year. Her two locations in West Ocean City and Salisbury were named the best studios, as well, by Pole Dance International Magazine, a trade publication for the tight-knit pole dancing subculture. The magazine makes its judgments based on nominations and votes from students who have taken to the poles. Houck says most of her pupils are 30 to 50 years old, but she's had students who are 18 and 80.
Some of Houck's students say they come to the hardwood-floored building in West OC with mirrored walls and poles raised all around the room to gain, or regain, some self-confidence. Others enjoy the camaraderie that comes with the all-female workout, and a few are looking for a new and challenging exercise method to break up the monotony that sometimes comes with more traditional fitness measures. For some, it's all three.
Houck was a critical care nurse who gravitated toward pole dancing when she was trying to get back in shape after having two children. She gave up nursing to open her first studio in 2007, in hopes she could help other women feel the mental and physical transformation she found in dancing.
"We have a lot of girls who come in here who are in 'Mommy Mode,' and I think seeing their faces when they begin to rediscover and get in touch again with who they really are is what made me fall in love with teaching," Houck said.
During Houck's hour-long classes, in dim lighting with high-paced music, the women sweat and share laughs while they watch themselves work in the floor-to-ceiling mirrors.
"It's really just hanging out with the girls and having fun," said Coleen Catrino, who has been taking classes for about three years.
"This is much more personable than a gym," added Terri Street after she'd just completed her first session. And the ladies applauded wildly when Nina Wheeler climbed to the roof after completing only two sessions.
"This is just something new and something fun," Wheeler said.
Houck says many are hesitant to come in the door due to a stigma that equates pole dancing with stripping, she says. Once they're in the studio, they're often self-conscious about pole climbing, but the feeling usually dissipates after a session or two, when they really start to get into it.
"I think everyone who comes in here is a little intimidated at first, but after a while they all leave with more confidence," says Sandra Kerstetter, one of Houck's co-instructors.
It's addicting, Houck says, because there are so many facets and moves that can be learned, and once a woman masters one she often wants to advance to the next.
Houck says she's optimistic about the elimination of the stripper stigma. It is nearly non-existent in many other countries, and in some more urban parts of the United States, she said, to where it isn't uncommon for men and children to get pole-centric workouts. A recent issue of Pole Dance International even featured an article on the future of pole dancing fitness for children.
"I think the goal is to get people out of that typical mindset (regarding pole dancing)," Houck said.
"It's not like the gym. It's a challenging and rewarding type of exercise, and we'd like to push thought it in that direction."
Houck doesn't offer under-18 or co-ed classes, but said she'd consider involving men if interest was shown. On occasion, usually around Valentine's Day, she'll convince some guys to give climbing a shot. They usually leave admitting it's a more difficult and physically demanding practice than they'd thought, she said.
Houck is holding an open house Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 at the Salisbury and West Ocean City studios, respectively, and new eight-week sessions begin Oct. 17.
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