|
Exotic Dance Instruction & Pole Dancing for Women in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2000 |
|||
Exotic Dance Workshops Private Lessons Pole Dancing Classes Tours of Strip Clubs Lapdance Classes Bachelor Parties |
|
Where do the classes & workshops take place? Slinky Productions @ San
Francisco: The Center for Sex & Culture Slinky Productions uses other studios to teach classes in San Francisco and often by BART. Exact address given upon registration. Private Residence at the Cotton Mill Studio in Central Oakland Jingletown just off 23rd St HWY 880 Who takes exotic and pole dance classes? Any woman who wants to feel more sexy, feminine
and alive in her body. Any woman like you. We offer public group classes, individual/private instruction, and custom private group parties (bachelorette/hen parties) in exotic (sensual) dance, pole dance, lap dance, floor work, and stage dancing. Three times a year, we offer a Couples Tour of North Beach Gentlemen's Clubs. List of current classes: We offer public group classes, individual/private instruction, and custom private group parties (bachelorette/hen parties) in exotic (sensual) dance, pole dance, lap dance, floor work, and stage dancing. Three times a year, we offer a Couples Tour of North Beach Gentlemen's Clubs. List of current classes: Intro to Pole-Lap-Floor and more Exotic Dance Smorgasbord: a 6hr experiential workshop: for novices and those who have dabbled or do other forms of dance. This class is ideal for anyone wanted to check it al out in just 1 day. More Info? Schedule? How to Gove a Mind Blowing Lap Dance:
a 3 hr class for novices and those who have dabbled or do other
forms of dance: More Info? Schedule? Beginner Pole 101 Weekend Intensive: a 4 hour weekend course for novices and those who have dabbled or do other forms of dance: More Info? Schedule? 4-Week Climbing Inversions a 6 hour weeknight course for pole dancers learning inversions and climbing: More Info? Schedule? 4-Week Pole Dance Supreme: an 8 hour weeknight course, routine based for novices and those who have dabbled or do other forms of dance: More Info? Schedule? 5-Week Pole Dance Passion: a weeknight course, routine based for those who have taken Pole Dance Passion or the equivalent.
How Many Poles are in the studios? We currently use 3 poles in both our East Bay and the San Francisco studios. People often ask why just 3 poles? We get asked this question a lot. Why just 3 poles. Many of the pole moves we teach are technique-based and require one on one attention from a professional instructor to ensure safe execution. Taking mini-breaks in between moves helps avoid muscle fatigue and injury on the poles. We have found that by having 3 x 11' poles, students can take the necessary time to regenerate muscles while they are still learning as they watch (and cheer) friends on the poles. This allows us to really offer quality attention and ensure safety to all students. You will never share your pole with more than 2 others and in many classes, with just 1. Class size is limited to 5-9 students.
Why don't you have a pole for each student? In an ideal business model, I'd have a huge mirrored studio, with a pole and several watchful Teachers' Assistants for each student. (Oh, and free parking, organic coffee/tea a retail shop etc...) However, besides the massive costs of operating at such a scale, it is extremely unlikely that anyone could physically do all the material we teach in a 2 hour class straight. Your muscles simply would not take it. The class would need to be shortened to 1 hour. Pole dancing is an aerial dance form and you need to take muscle and energy breaks in between. Some schools (outside the central SF area) provide more poles but the material is scaled down to account for muscle overwork. There is actually a tremendous amount of value in watching others do the move before you and make the mistakes that you can then avoid. (if you were watching a class video, you'd witness this.) Much like a private lesson, we take each person through each move, correcting for each misplacement, before letting them practice the move on their own. We could not do this if we were watching everyone in a mirror yards away. On the other hand, if you prefer to learn 1
on 1, please do not hesitate to schedule a private lesson. There
are 2 poles for private lessons, one for you and one for instructor. Class size is between 4 and 9 for pole, and up to 10 for the Smorgasbord class. We sometimes have up to 20 in the lapdance classes where you work in pairs with one another or with your partner that you came with. Do I need to be skinny, athletic or experienced to take your classes? Exotic Dance is for women of all ages and body
types. Pole dancing is the most strenuous of all our classes, but the beginning courses are designed for all curious women. All our classes are a phenomenal workout, but they are not aerobic. You will get in touch with muscles you did’t know you have. If you are in one of our more intense pole dancing classes, you may build up a sweat. Pole dancing does require some upper body strength
for the intermediate/advanced work. The beginner class is geared
towards everybody. There is a weight limit of approximately
195 lbs in our pole dancing classes. This is not a physical
requirement of pole dancing, but an equipment limitation because
of the specific removable poles I use here Except for the Couples Lapdance Class which is offered from time to time, all classes are women-only. In August we often open up some of our classes to men in the spirit of Burning Man. NEWS: we are planning a male pole class! Should I take a private lesson or group class? That is up to you. Private lessons take place
in my Oakland home studio where there is a brass pole without
a weight limit. We work with your skill level and pace. Do you sell Holiday or Birthday Gift Certificates? Yes! Go to our Registration Page. Once we receive payment, a pdf or jpeg of the certificate will be emailed to you. Be sure to include the name of the recipient and if this is for a specific class. Do you rent out poles, or pole dance studios with poles available? No. We do not have poles to rent. I’m sorry, we are not able to rent out studio space for private use. Poles can be bought and delivered within 1-3 business days. Contact office. I have taken pole classes at other studios. Will your classes teach me something new? How do I know which level I am at? Yes! You will always learn something new at Slinky Productions. Our curriculums are uniquely designed from Catherine's personal experience as a dancer, and not from a manual or DVD from another teacher. We are constantly revising and improving our fast paced curriculums based on the feedback we receive from our students and from our own personal development as dancers/performers. If you are not sure what level class (this is only relevant to pole dance) please contact Catherine at the office during work hours. She can ask you questions that will let you know where you will be most comfortable as well as challenged.
BACHELORETTE PARTIES / PRIVATE PARTIES Bachelorette Party/Private Group Class Questions
To book a bachelorette party or private group class, be sure to:
Visit RATES page for different packages offered. We charge flat rates (not per person but per
group) unless your party is 16 or more in which case we charge an
additional $10 per additional person. $60/hr travel fee for locations other than our
studio or Downtown SF/Oakland Note: I sell removable poles with fast delivery. How far will you travel? Do you teach off-site? If you party is at any location other than our studios or Downtown San Francisco/Union Square, there will be an additional travel fee of at least $30.($60/hr). We will travel up to 60 miles outside of Downtown San Francisco/Downtown Oakland. Most clients want a pole focused party. We can either teach you pole dancing for the whole duration, or offer a Combo Class, our most popular choice. A Combo Class includes basic free-standing exotic dance moves (booty shows, hip gyrations) and some pole moves. Many pole moves do not require any strength and we can create an easy curriculum or a more challenging pole tricks oriented class. It is entirely up to you and the interest of your group. We can also include lap dancing. Be sure all your class participants know what this entails! We sometimes book up to 12 weeks in advance so plan ahead! Contact us as soon as you are even thinking about planning an event. You can always cancel up to 7 days ahead. Our cancellation policy is 7 days. If you cancel within 7 days of your event, you will forfeit your deposit. Do you teach pole or exotic dance, or do we just watch? You will be actively learning exotic and or pole dance. What should we wear? Do we need shoes? What heel height? POLICIES & PROCEDURES: ANSWERS How do I pay for a class, bachelorette party, private lesson or tour? Send a check/money order, pay through this website, or call the office and make a credit card payment over the phone. 510-465-7607 10AM-7PM PST If you are using a gift certificate to pay for class, please call the office ahead of time to reserve your space, and bring in your certificate to the class. We do not allow unregistered drop-ins in any of our classes. For bachelorette parties, a deposit of 50% is required to hold your spot. Please read our private group policies before booking a party. All classes are to be paid in full ahead of time. Send checks to: We accept all major credit cards over the phone.
Can I Book a Party Last Minute? (2-6 days) We generally book bachelorette parties 2-16 weeks out. For a booking 1-5 days ahead,
there may be a last minute booking fee of $75 (if space and instructor are available). Do I need to be pre-registered or can I just show up at a class? I’m sorry, we do not allow any spectators
in our classes. This helps create a safe environment where participants
do not have to worry about being on display. We have found that
this encourages women to feel less self-conscious and more willing
to take risks. Can I sit in on a class and watch it before I register? Can my boyfriend, girlfriend, out-of town friend come sit in and watch me? To protect the privacy of our students, we have a NO SPECTATOR POLICY and do not allow visitors in the class. You must be enrolled in a class to attend. How much in advance do I need to sign up for a class? It is best to register as far in advance as possible, to ensure that you have a spot in the class. Many of our classes sell out weeks ahead of time. Our weekend pole class often sells out over a month in advance. On the other hand, we occasionally have a few last minute cancellations. So it’s always good to inquire via email, if a class is listed as sold-out. Emails will be returned in the same business day, if not immediately. What is the cancellation/refund policy? How do I cancel? Full refund will be made if cancellation is received at least 3 days prior to the class. There is no class credit given if you do not show up. There is no make up class in any weekly series(unless otherwise specified). Please email us if you need to cancel. One week cancellation required for all weekend bookings of private parties/lessons. 24 hours notice for cancellation of private lessons. $19 admin. fee for all party cancellaions. Please email us if you need to cancel. If I miss a class one week, can I make it up later? It is not in our policy to offer make-up classes. The 4 Week Pole classes include a free optional 15 minute 1 on 1 private lesson with Catherine. You can use this as a make-up lesson. If you know you are going to miss a class, and we have the same class scheduled, you may be able to take it at the other date. Except for the Couples Lapdance Class which is offered from time to time, all classes are Women-only. August we sometimes offer COED pole dance. All our classes are open to women of all ages 18+ and body types, however, there is a weight limit of 195lbs because of the poles that we use. Our tours are 21+. I have registered for a class but didn't receive class Info, help? Sometimes our email confirmations get lost in spam filters on the server or through the email client. Contact the office ASAP. Can my boyfriend/ girlfriend/best friend come watch the class? To protect the privacy of our students, we have a NO SPECTATOR POLICY and we do not allow visitors in the class. You must be enrolled in a class to attend. If you forget something at the studio, let us know right away. We can put is aside for you to pick up at another time in Oakland or SF. Slinky Productions is NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST ARTICLES and does not ship items back to individuals except in cases where personal ID's or other small important items are left behind from out of town parties. We will not ship shoes, towels, clothes and other nonessential items. In SF, at the Center for Sex & Culture, you can park on the street. metered daytime and free after 6PM & all day Sundays. In Oakland, free parking is on the street, un metered and fairly easy. In Oakland, at Catherine’s Home Studio, there is metered daytime parking, a parking lot across the street. WHAT ARE THE CLASSES LIKE? Is the space private? Will I have privacy? Yes. If you arrive at the Oakland studio early, you will not be able to come in. Please wait in your car or go to a nearby cafe. Please arrive 5 minutes before your lesson
Do I need to bring anything with me? For all classes, bring bottled water (we want you to stay hydrated). What clothing do I need to wear? For the Exotic Dance Workshops, Lapdance or Floorshow Classes: Please remove all bracelets, watches and rings before pole classes and the all day workshops. When we use the wall and poles for moves, we want to avoid scratching them up. Please bring water to all classes–you can refill at the studio. Generally speaking, most classes do not involve nudity unless there is a request for a striptease demonstration in the Intro to Erotic Dance Workshop. From time to time there will be a class specifically on the art of striptease, but otherwise, there is no nudity required from the participants. Can I get fit doing this
type of dance? Classes are a great workout for lower body muscular strength and toning. Pole classes are particularly good for building upper body/abdominal/core strength, and encourages more energy exertion than the other classes. Lap dance classes will give you killer glutes and thigh/quadriceps definition, when done regularly. Floor work (moving on the floor) will increase flexibility, stretch out hamstrings, and is really good for increasing abdominal strength. Classes are non-aerobic. Depending on your current physiology and fitness, you may build up a sweat. For bachelorette parties, if you are concerned
about being too sweaty for post-class engagements, let the instructor
know, and she will make sure your class is a less physically demanding class that
is still really fun and rewarding. Generally speaking, the classes are non-aerobic. coming soon...
For most classes, it is most important that you wear clothes you are comfortable in. Yoga clothes, gym clothes, clothing you can move in. We strongly encourage you to bring playful, sexy, fun clothing and costumes or outfits that you can change into when you feel comfortable doing so. If there’s even a slight and remote chance that think you just might want it, then bring it! For the Intro to Exotic Dance Workshop Please remove all bracelets, watches and rings
before the workshop. We use the walls for some moves and want to
avoid scratching them up. POLE DANCE REQUIRES BARE SKIN TO POLE CONTACT. This means that we want your legs free to grip the pole, so please
bring tight fitting and very short shorts, boy shorts, skimpy outfits,
mini-skirts with ruffled panties, outrageous stripper outfits, whatever
is in your comfort zone. No long baggy boy short Please bring your own shoes. It
is fine to be barefoot. If I take the weekend pole intensive, will the 4 week Level 1 course teach me anything new? Yes. More coming soon...
Catherine Rose has been teaching women (and a few men) exotic dance since 2000. She worked as a professional Exotic Dancer for over 8 years in San Francisco, New York and Canada. She studied modern, belly dancing, aerial dance (low flying trapeze), AcroYoga, and yoga. See Bio Catherine has also taken extensive workshops on sexuality. See Instructor page for more detailed information. Sara North worked as a dancer for just under a year and has been teaching and performing fire dancing for a long time. She has been teaching with Slinky Productions since 2004. See Instructors page for info on other Slinky Instructors I'm generally shy and scared to dance in front of others. How can I feel safe? Coming soon.. Will I have privacy in the class? Coming soon.. Most of the classes are standalone one time events. I do offer a Pole Dance Series (eg: 2 hours for 3-4 weeks) and those are clearly indicated as weekly classes with the exact dates listed. Between 5-10 women usually participate in a class so everyone gets lots of individual attention. Is there Nudity/Clothing Removal? Generally speaking, most classes do not involve nudity unless there is a request for a striptease demonstration in the Intro to Erotic Dance Workshop. From time to time there will be a class specifically on the art of striptease, but otherwise, there is no nudity required from the participants. Do I need to bring anything with me? For all classes, bring bottled water (we want you to stay hydrated). Do I need to bring shoes? What heel height? Coming soon.. Yes! More coming soon How does the exercise compare to other forms of fitness? Coming soon.. Is it aerobic? Will it build strength or flexibility? Coming soon.. What will I learn in the class? Coming soon..
Are there pre-requisites to study Pole Dancing? No-just a willingness to learn and get a little banged up. Do not wear any oils, lotions or moisturizers on your legs or arms, as this impedes pole gripping and can make it dangerous. If you use hair product, please be sure to scrub your hands right after to wash off all product. Please remove all rings and bracelets/watches before going on to the pole. Do I need to own a pole to take a pole class? You are not required to own a pole to take any of the pole classes. If you are serious about learning the art of pole dancing and do not have access to a pole, you may want to eventually purchase your own. We sell poles! Read the Slinky Guide to Buying a Pole. How long will it take for me to get good? It depends on what you want to learn and how good you want to get. Some women find that 1 or 2 classes is all they really want to feel inspired, while others study with us for up to 3 years! After taking our 4.5 hour workshops, you will have all the tools you need to create a sexy dance; it is up to you to practice until it feels natural. When learning pole dancing, please give yourself at least 3 classes or more to feel comfortable as a beginner. The more you practice, the higher your learning curve will be. Remember to be kind and patient with yourself while you are learning a new skill and we promise it will pay off. Everyone is different and needs a different amount of time to assimilate new information and body awareness. Some factors include: prior dance experience, being comfortable in your body and physical strength (for pole work). It doesn't t take a lot of time to learn how
to give a lapdance, but it can take months to perfect the perfect
slinky walk, slithery hip gyrations and seamless floorshow. And
pole dancing, as fun as it is, is really an aerial dance form and
takes time to get really good. Coming soon.. Can I get really fit with pole dancing? Coming soon.. Will it build my confidence or self-esteem? YES! More Coming soon.. We currently have 3 poles in both our East Bay and the San Francisco studios. Class size being 4-10, we have found that this is a pretty good number. It is just as important to watch otter students learn and succeed at the moves as it is to be on the pole yourself. The way our classes generally work is that you will go through each move one on one, with the instructor giving you very personalized attention, until you succeed as best as you can, then you "graduate" to the other poles to practice. It is also imperative to rest in between moves, especially the more physically challenging climbs and inversions. Are there moves to practice without a pole? YES! More Coming soon..! Where can I practice Exotic and Pole Dancing after I take a class? You can practice exotic dance in the privacy of your home. Close the blinds (or keep them open if you are an exhibitionist ; >) pour yourself a favorite elixir of wine or tea or bubbly water, dim the lights, put on a slinky outfit, your favorite sexy CD and turn of your brain. If you want to practice pole dancing and you
can buy a removable pole designed for renters and home owners who
do not want to make holes in the floor. If buying a pole is not
an option at this time, there are a growing number of establishments
that have pole up for people to play on. I have created a list of
these places and if you know of one that is not here, please let
me know. A Slinky Guide to Places that have Dancer Poles. Where can I purchase a Removable Dancer Pole? I distribute excellent and professional quality removable dancer poles for homes and apartments. They come in stainless steel and steel coated colors red, black, pink and white. Check out our Guide to Buying a Dancer Pole or contact me.
Where can I buy sexy clothing and shoes? We have put together a fabulous page of resources for buying sexy clothing in San Francisco as well as some online stores. Please visit our Slinky Shop. There are currently no Instructional DVDs taught by Catherine Rose. I want to teach! Is there a training program? Before you can teach classes at Slinky Productions, you must take classes for at least 4-6 months (depending on frequency) before you can be considered for extra teacher training. From time to time we invite guest teachers who already come with their own curriculums to teach thru Slinky Productions, providing the venue and the marketing necessary, and and we offer a fair commission on net profit. Do you sell Instructional DVDs and Videos? Slinky Productions is a reseller of many wonderful Instructional DVD's and Videos. Please check out our products in the Slinky Shop. I do not live locally, do you know of other exotic dance teachers in the country? We are working on a list for you!
|
|
| | Schedule
| FAQ | Instructor
| Testimonials|
Rates | Resources
|Slinky Shop
| Link Exchange |
Contact | | Workshops | Private Lessons | Bachelorette Parties | Pole Dancing | Lapdance/Floorshow | Tours | Gift Certificates | |
|||
|
Exotic and Pole Dance Classes & Pole Dancing in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2000.
|
|||
Got
More Questions? Contact us