Hudson Valley Continuing Ed: “Always Clap it Out”

  |  January 21, 2015
CE3

Entrepreneur and Xpert-certified trainer Nicole Duquette was looking for a space with drama and character to transform into a venue for her classes. It’s no surprise, then, that her studio wound up in The Shirt Factory, an agglomeration of residential and commercial apartments inhabited by artists, dancers, photographers, and all sorts of creative types who have made midtown Kingston their home. What is quite astonishing, however, is how quickly the students under Nicole’s watchful eye get comfortable with the idea of hovering upside down…

Hudson Valley Pole Arts, a member of the Shirt Factory community as of October 2014, is not exactly your mama’s step class, but we’re positive that your mama would be welcome amongst the variety of women and men (yes, men) of all ages who spend hours using every muscle imaginable to achieve the fluid, ethereal Cirque du Soleil-meets-Flashdance moves taught in class.

As any of HV Pole Art’s current students will tell you, it takes a combination of self-discipline and sheer grit to get to the point where even the simplest of these moves feels natural. Of course, Nicole has anticipated that most of her new students will probably not have much in the way of pole dance experience, and has constructed her class offerings accordingly. Several sessions for “Pole Newbies” are offered at her studio on a weekly basis, and the Saturday morning conditioning and flexibility sessions are a great way to build the necessary muscle before spending time on the pole. Students who already have their sea legs, so to speak, can learn more complicated moves in separate classes or get to know the newcomers at the weekly Open Level Pole session.

CE31

We were intrigued by the amazing photos and videos that emerge from class and populate HV Pole Art’s Facebook page on a daily basis, so we stopped by their open house at the beginning of January. Not surprisingly, we were blown away by the flips, spins, and turns that students demonstrated with what looked like zero physical effort. More importantly, we felt like we could show up to a class with nothing but the recommended workout gear and a dream, and we would be welcomed and supported through every tumble. We did witness a tumble or two at their event, and the general response from both the fallen and anyone who happened to be watching was a good-for-you-for-trying round of applause, which seems to reflect the general attitude in the studio towards anyone brave enough to take on the mid-air moves to begin with. As Nicole put it, “always clap it out.”

And what of the leap of faith involved in opening a pole dance studio in midtown? Looking back, Nicole says:

“Establishing my business in the Shirt Factory was one of the smarter business moves I’ve made. I initially fell in love with the studio space itself, but then the community was so welcoming that I knew it was the right decision immediately upon moving in. The first few weeks I was open, I had several new students who work or live in the building and had seen my fliers. Being that a lot of the businesses in the Shirt Factory are movement-based studios, it is easier to network and reach people who wouldn’t necessarily seek out pole dancing but are intrigued by the fitness aspect of it.”

And of her experience in Kingston:

“I’m constantly surprised by how much Kingston has to offer, despite being such a small city in terms of population. There are so many small businesses that take advantage of our proximity to NYC, or local farms, or the gorgeous architecture of the city and rural landscapes of surrounding areas. There are many small businesses and artists who work together to help Kingston flourish, and I don’t see that as much in other small cities.”

About Elizabeth Wilson

Elizabeth Wilson is an Upstater born and bred with a generalist’s education and a specialist’s passion for the Hudson Valley. Ask nicely and she’ll make you a bagel sandwich. Ask really nicely and she’ll accompany that bagel sandwich with a Bob Dylan impersonation.

Read more from Elizabeth Wilson

Read On, Reader...