Size up your pole.

Many of you may have noticed that we have a large variety of poles at the studio's.  Some are thicker than others, some are made of different metals, and some are painted.  There are reasons for their differences.

At the Ogden studio, we have 45mm chrome poles, 40mm chrome poles, 50mm chrome poles, and 50mm brass poles.  The mm has to do with the diameter of the pole.  Different diameters are good for different sizes of hands.

40mm - skinniest pole available for shorter girls or girls who are pole masters.  The skinnier poles allow for harder tricks that are easier to execute on a skinnier pole.

45mm - This pole has become the standard in the pole competition circuit.  They are slightly skinnier than the 50mm pole (which used to be the standard).  A 45 mm pole will work for just about any dancer.

50mm - A 50 mm pole is exactly 2 inches in diameter.  This pole used to be the most popular pole, but has been replaced by the 45mm pole.  50 mm poles are still great for the taller students and are wonderful for tricks that involve a lot of gripping with the legs.  It's much easier to grip a large pole with your legs than it is to grip a skinny pole.  We have the 50mm pole in chrome and brass finishes.  Brass is said to be easier to stick to than chrome, but this varies student to student.

At the Syracuse studio, all of the poles are 50mm.  They are this size because of the extremely tall ceilings at this studio.  A skinny pole over 12 feet tall will bend too much and eventually snap.  50mm poles are much safer at these heights.  At Syracuse, we offer a chrome finish and a purple powder coat finish.

Powder Coat Finish - This finish is a painted finish that is very very sticky.  It's great for students who have clammy hands or students who sweat during class.

How I met my husband

Before Justin and I were married, he was a teacher at the studio.  He taught adult and kids break dancing and hip hop classes.  We had a horrible boss/employee working relationship.  I thought he was cockey and irresponsible and he basically thought I was a bi**h with no soul :)  After about a year, he quit and made a dramatic exit.  I like to say that I fired him, but it's very debatable...

Two years later, we both found ourselves single and looking for true love.  Once enemies, now soul mates.  I'm still trying to figure out how that works.  He asked me to marry him at Keys on Main in SLC in front of our friends.  We've been married almost two years now and I don't know how I ever lived this life of chaos without him.

Anyway, I was searching the internet today and I found a video of a news story that the Standard Examiner did on Justin's break dancing class when he used to work for me.  Enjoy!



I love you Justin Goodson!!!

Love,
Meagan

Tonight's the night!

French Kiss Fitness has been nominated in the "best dance studio" category at the Indie Ogden awards.  The awards show is tonight at Ogden's Union Station.  I really really hope we win!  Thank you Indie Ogden for loving our city and allowing small businesses to showcase their products and talents with your help.

For more information on Indie Ogden, go to their website www.indieogdenutah.com 

Tour of Ogden!

Here's a ghetto video tour of our Ogden studio during business hours.  I love this space!!!!

What to wear to pole class

"What should I wear to a pole dancing class?"

This is the most common question I get, so lets dive into it.

1.  Stay away from lotion and oils the day of class!  Especially on your hands and legs.
2.  Wear shorts if you're comfortable with it.  Wearing pants will only make you slide more.  The goal is to STICK.
3.  Shoes are optional.  If you plan on dancing in shoes forever and ever, you'd better start learning with your shoes.  They are much harder to dance in if you try to add them into your workout months later.  Most students go barefoot.
4.  Take off jewelry.  Rings tend to scratch our poles.
5.  A good sports bra goes a long way.  Imagine that you are a mom of three kids and the "girls" aren't what they used to be.  Now imagine yourself going upside down in an unsupportive bra.  If you can't see the vision , it ends with your boobs on top of your chin :)
6.  If you're self conscious of your stomach, wear a form fitting tank top so that your shirt doesn't rise above your head when you go upside down.

This outfit is a NO NO!

These outfits are perfect for your first pole dancing class.

And this outfit is WAY TOO MUCH for your first time :)

New dance merchandise coming this week!

Revolver Platform Shoes

A show stopper!  Great for sexy photo shoots too.

Price:  $99.00

Print off this blog post and save $5 off any pair of shoes!

Bondage Top

Price:  $39

Print off this blog post and save $3 off the bondage top!

Harem Pants

Perfect for hip hop or warm ups for aerial class

Price $29.99

Print off this blog post and save 10% off any clothing item.  

PINK Fold over Shorts!

Our favorite pole short now comes in pink.

Price:  $28

All Star dancers

Over the past  years, there have been so many students who have walked through the door, 5788 to be exact!  There have been a few who have really stuck out for very different reasons.  I thought it might be fun to tell a bit about a few of my favorite students from years past.

Dlynn.
Dlynn joined the studio back when we were on Harrison Blvd in Ogden.  She wasn't particularly shy.  Her personality was very vibrant and the students and teachers were very drawn to her.  She was naturally a skinny gal, but I do remember looking at her in her booty shorts and sports bra one day.  She was starting to become very defined.  Her abs were killer!  She could do every trick the teachers showed her.  Dlynn was one of my best students.  About a year ago, she left the studio to pursue a new hobby.  Hunting!  You will find hot body Dlynn in the rugged mountains of Utah with her husband looking for elk.  Where ever your path may lead you, Dlynn, I wish you the very best and I hope that we get to see you again very soon.

Megan P.
I found Megan at an amateur pole fitness contest at Rumors night club.  She got up on the pole when her name was called.  In her jeans, she worked that pole, took 1st place and won a free 1 month membership to the studio.  Megan has been one of my best friends ever since.  She was a teacher at the studio for 2 years.  She is now engaged and has a brand new baby.  We are so happy for Megan and I can't wait for to start teaching again in 2013.

Davina
I'm not exactly sure how Davina found the studio, but I do remember noticing her in our Aerial Silk class.  She was AMAZE-BALL's!  Davina was such a natural.  I remember one day in the studio, she brought in a big bag that held a turquoise silk inside.  Her boyfriend had bought Davina her very own silk so she could practice at home.  I was very jealous :)  With the extra practice, Davina quickly mastered the Silk beyond most people in the studio.  It was only natural that her next step was to become an instructor.  Davina is in the military and I believe she still practices the art of Aerial Silk.  We miss her very much.

Graham
Graham was our very first male pole students.  He was outrageous and very funny!  He didn't mind wearing the booty shorts like the girls and twirling his hips along to the music.  Anybody who was around during my first year of business can't help but remember Graham.  To this day, I still love Graham for his bravery and his ability to open up to a room full of women on stripper poles.

Amy and Tara
Amy and Tara came as a pair.  They both worked at a local credit union and they didn't mind telling everyone in the office about their fitness fetish.  Amy was very sultry and sexy and Tara was incredibly flexible.  Long before we had flexibility classes, Tara was by far the most flexible student in class.  I can't remember what happened to them, but I am sure that where ever they are in this world, they will be the feisty diva's that I remember.

Meagan, owner

Get out and vote....for French Kiss Fitness!

French Kiss Fitness has been nominated by Indie Ogden for the best dance studio in Ogden.  If you think French Kiss Fitness is Ogden's best, please go vote for us.  Here is the direct link:  http://bestof.indieogdenutah.com/vote/

Pole Aria

We are so excited to announce so many new dance programs this month including Hot Hula, Ballet Cardio Barre, Fly Gym, Meditation, Goddess Gathering, and now POLE ARIA!

Pole Aria is the fusion of pole and aerial silk.  The silk is attached to the upper portion of the pole with a very safe device that also allows your silk to spin around the pole.  Each student must complete Pole 1 and Aerial Silk 1 before taking pole aria.

Pole Aria Schedule:
Monday's 6:40pm (Ogden)
Tuesday's 5:30pm Ogden)

Check out some photo's from our first class!

The remodel from hell.

After a week of pure torture, the Ogden studio is back in action!  In less than a week, we were able to make a transformation of epic proportions.  Here's a list of key improvements made to the space:

- Larger main dance floor
- New flooring
- Drinking fountain
- Winches in aerial program to make for easy change of apparatus
- More aerial silks and hammocks added to accomodate larger clas ssizes
- Fly gym room added upstairs with 9 rigs
- 14 poles including 50mm, 45mm, and the new ultra skinny 40mm
- An incredibly unique bathroom you have to see to believe
- Retail store stocked with everything a dancer needs

We aren't finished yet!  We have more retail coming, flat screen televisions in lobby, and just a few more surprises.

New shoes in stock!

At both locations, we have a ton of new retail for our students including Pleaser Shoes.  These platform shoes are very popular among our Exotic Dance students.  They glow in the darkness of class and everytime you smack your legs together, they click!  Platform shoes make class much more fun.

$49.95

Sizes 7, 8, 9

Purple, pink, and white available

Does not come in half sizes

Premium Classes

We have 8 new classes being added to the schedule in the coming weeks.  Five of them will be categorized as "Premium" classes.  These classes will only be offered to students who purchase the premium package at the studio.  All pre-existing memberships are considered to be premium.  Any memberships sold after October 22nd will be either a basic membership or a premium membership.

Effective October 23rd:

Basic Membership - Price TBD

Unlilmited access to:  Acro Yoga, Aerial Silk, Aerial Hammock, Kickin' Cardio, Ass Class, Tummy Tuck, Pole Fitness, Exotic Dance, Jazz, Hip Hop, Kettle Ball Fitness, Hot Hula, Zumba, Pilates, and Be Bendy.

Premium Membership - Price TBD (only available at Ogden)

Unlimited access to:  Basic Membership Classes, Ballet Cardio Barre, Fly Gym Fitness, Pole Aria, Meditation, and Goddess Gathering.

We are so excited to be able to offer these luxury classes.  We will be the only studio in the state to offer the above classes! (with the exception of Ballet Cardio Barre).  

Read on to learn more about the premium classes:

Fly Gym

Take flight in our specialized workout hammock designed for extreme comfort while you stretch and pose your way to fitness.

Ballet Cardio Barre

  In this class, you will use traditional ballet barre's in a very non-traditional way.  The barre will become your support beam that will help you jump, kick, and flex your way to long and lean muscles.

Pole Aria

Do you love the pole? Do you love aerial silks? This apparatus has both! You will get into the most challenging pole poses with such ease. With the use of fabric suspended from the pole, you are able to have extra support to help ease you into each pose with little to no help from the instructor.

Meditation

This isn't your regular meditation experience. Your senses will be pleased with projected images, and headphones with sounds to please your ears. You will be pampered with pillows, oven roasted blankets, and fresh water. If you want to open up in a way you've never experienced before, you have to try our one of a kind Meditation class!

Goddess Gathering

This class is a bonding class. Your instructor will lead the conversation as each student shares life experiences that may be useful to others in class. Everyone gets the chance to talk, and everybody learns! Together we become closer and open our minds to possibilities and change.

New studio

Hello friends!

As many of you know, we are going to begin a major remodel of the Ogden studio in about a week!  This is very very exciting because it includes so many amenities that the students are going to love.  Here is a list of the plans:

Expanding main dance floor
Adding drinking fountains
New wood flooring in front of building
Plasma screen schedule
Fly Gym to be added to second floor (www.flygym.com)
New SKINNIER poles!  40mm and 45mm poles for better grip
New paint
More mirrors
And a ton of new retail including dance clothes, aerial rigs, and shoes

If you have any time to spare and you would like to help with painting, construction, or decorating, please e-mail meagan at danceogden@gmail.com

Construction is scheduled for Oct 21-27th, 2012

New Classes!

We have added some great new classes to the schedule.  Morning classes have also been added to both studio's!

Ogden:
Monday's 9:00-1:00am - Pole Boot Camp
Monday's 10:00am-11:00am - Aerial Silk 1

Syracuse:
Monday's 7:00-8:00pm - Hot Hula®
Thursday's 9:00am-10:00am - Pilates
Thursday's 10:00am-11:00am - Zumba

We are so excited to add Hot Hula® to the schedule!  Watch the promo video below to learn about how adding Hot Hula® can get you in shape while having a blast.

Before I danced, I wanted to save dogs.

Before I opened this dance studio, I was a bank teller.  I wore slacks, black loafer shoes, long sleeved shirts, and I had really horrible hair :)  You would never recognize me.

The only highlight of my week back then was the Saturday that I spent volunteering for an animal rescue.  I used to volunteer every week at the pet adoptions and they even talked me into taking home a litter of kittens that I fostered until they all found homes (which took about two years).  One day, I was asked to go to a city shelter to pick up a pit bull that was going to be euthanized unless a volunteer from my shelter could pick it up.

I arrived in my two door honda civic and out walked a 120 lb chocolate pit bull named Sassy.   She looked like a male, but I would later find out that she was all girl.  I sat with her at the pet adoption event that day, and not one person even considered taking her home.  She approached each prospective family with such energy and genuine love.

I asked the shelter volunteer if I could be her foster Mom.  That night, she slept at the foot of my bed and snored so loud, I couldn't get an ounce of sleep.  She was fat, lazy, and she looked like she could eat a human in one bite.  She was perfect!  The very next day, I officially adopted her.  Today, she is 10 years old.  She has a gray snout, she let's my baby crawl ALL over her, and she eats everything in sight.  She walks right by my side without pulling on the leash, and she doesn't have any confidence that she can jump into my SUV by herself.  I lift all 120 lbs every time we go for a car ride...even though I know she can do it!

We have a Halloween recital coming up on October 22nd and I think it would be so awesome if we could put on a show for all the pit bulls waiting to be adopted.  This year, any donations we collect at our recital will be donated to the Weber County Animal Shelter.  Please come support our dancers and the dogs.

If you're looking to add a four legged family member to the mix, please consider a shelter animal.

A look in the past

It's so crazy for me to walk into the studio every day and see all that we have accomplished.  French Kiss Fitness started her life in an awkward space on Harrison Blvd in Ogden.

Then:  1 pole room with concrete floors and 6 poles.  We used to use hair dressers mats to cushion our feet.
Now:  2 pole rooms.  Wood flooring and professional grade crash mats.

Then:  Aerial room with 1 rig.  The old studio had a dropped ceiling.  The aerial silk rigs would come through a cut out hole in the ceiling.  We used to use a bean bag to cushion our falls :)
Now:  Tall ceilings, 3 rigs, crash mats.

Then:  The hardest move you could learn was a shoulder mount....maybe a gemeni if you were lucky.
Now:  Handsprings, pole drops, spatch cock...and other unbelievable tricks

Then:  No online reservation system.  We had a sign up board behind the front desk.  You could only take one class each week and it was a 4 week series.  If you wanted to take an additional class, you had to pay extra.
Now:  Really convenient online reservation system that allows you to bounce around the schedule freely.

Then:  Classes were $100/month.  It included one class each week.
Now:  Packages starting at $25/month!

It is truly amazing how far the studio has come.  We were one of the first pole studio's to open in the country 6 years ago.  Now, pole studio's are scattered all across the world.  It's such a great community to be a part of.  Cheers to another 6 years!

Enjoy some pictures of the olden days :)

^ That is Becca without dreads ^

She has been with me since the beginning of time :)

Lock In Party!

Our first ever lock in party happens tomorrow, August 31st!  

$20 when you buy in advance

$30 at the door

7:00pm - Brazillian Lap Dancing Workshop

8:00pm - Dinner

9:00pm - Movie on JUMBO SCREEN!

Bring your own liquor/beer/drinks :)

This is a sleepover.  If you plan on staying the night, plan on bringing an air mattress, or lots of blankets.  Our floors are hard wood.  

To reserve your space in advance, click here.

1st place student!

We are so very proud this week to have two champions in the studio from this weekends competitions.

On Friday night, Charlee Wagner took 1st place in the Elite Division at the Great Midwest Pole Dancing Competition in Chicago, IL.  The competition was fierce!  Charlee came to the table with several new moves the pole world has never seen before.  I was there to witness it first hand and I can't describe how amazing it is to see someone's hard work pay off.  Love you Charlee!

VIDEO COMING SOON!

On Saturday night, student Kara Lee Clark won 1st place in the beginning aerial silk category at Utah's biggest aerial competition held by Onyx Aerial Fitness.  She didn't tell anyone that she was competing...not even her teachers so we were not there to support her, but thankfully she got the whole thing on video.  Kara has only been doing aerial silk for a few months and is already winning competitions.  Wow!  Kara also has an extensive background in dance including teaching and coaching drill team.  She was actually my high school drill team coach at Roy High :)  Go COACH  KARA!



The studio is full of incredible talent.  Kara and Charlee join an elite group of French Kiss Fitness talent such as Becca Butcher (EMW Polarity Trixpert Winner, 2nd place winner Pole Fetish 2010 ), Tiffany Tremaine (Utah NGA Bikini Bodybuilding 1st place Champion, 1st place winner pro category Femme Fatale 2012), Caroline Dow (2nd place winner pro category Femme Fatale 2012), Michelle Sorenseon (1st place Ultimate Belly Dancer), and Chantel Fain (1st place winner advanced category Femme Fatale 2012) and many others who have mastered their dance craft.  Great job French Kiss Fitness!!!

Birthday Celebration - French Kiss Style!

This last week, it was Charlee's birthday.  Charlee is a teacher here at French Kiss Fitness :)  Her Mom, Robin Kemp (also a teacher), thought it would be a good idea to have a mini birthday party at the studio.  She surprised Charlee and her students with a pinata.  Charlee was up first and broke it in one strike!

Happy Birthday Charlee!!!

Femme Fatale

If you missed this weekends big performance, here's some video.  Enjoy!!!

Advanced Division
1st place - Chantel Fain
2nd place - Carmen Tomshack
3rd place - Summer Pettit

Pro Division
1st place - Tiffany Tremaine
2nd place - Caroline Dow (People's Choice Winner)
3rd place - Melissa Kearns

Justin Goodson's Break Dancing Performance

Ravan Artist - Judges Showcase Performance

Tiffany Tremaine's Pro Division Performance

Caroline Dow's Pro Division Performance

Charlee Wagner - Judges Showcase Performance

Charlee's performance (FB link)

Carmen Tomshack's Advanced Division Performance

Holly Jarvis - Aerial Hammock Performance

Michelle Sorensen - Belly Dancing Performance

I am still missing video's from Chantel Fain, Summer Pettit, Kara Lamarr, and Melissa Kearns.  If you have them, will you please e-mail them to me at danceogden@gmail.com?  If you have any great pictures you would like to share, send them over as well :)

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported!  Our sponsors were Dew Point, XPole, Bad Kitty Pole Fit, Pole Dance International Magazine, Voila Boutique, Club 366.  We can't do it without our sponsors so make sure you stop by their web sites and give them some French Kiss love!