If You Build It...: S Factor

These days, my life feels a lot like Field of Dreams, and the mantra, "If you build it, he will come," feels particularly relevant. And SO, inexplicably (okay, not really, I was an active participant in the whole registration process), I found myself at an Introductory S Factor class earlier this week.

For those who aren't yet familiar, S Factor is...wait for it...a pole-dancing fitness routine that incorporates elements of ballet, pilates and yoga, with a heavy dose of sexual empowerment. Founded by actress Sheila Kelley (who fell in love with exotic dancing after a lead role in Dancing at the Blue Iguana), S Factor studios (there are three in Manhattan, as well as locations in six other cities) are safe zones - hyper positive, and exclusively for women.

Two-hour long S Factor sessions, in six escalating levels of difficulty, are conducted in dimly lit and immaculate classrooms with anywhere from 3-5 poles each.  While my Intro class had just two other students (yes, we each had our own pole!), most classes max out at 3 girls per.  My instructor, Meg, was positive, inspiring and hands on.

So, what can you expect from an S Factor class?  Well, sessions begin with a warm up of hyper-sensualized yoga and Pilates-style postures - think modifed cat, cow and bridge positions. After the extended warm up (don't be fooled - it's deceptively challenging and works muscle groups you likely haven't paid attention to in YEARS), students learn the signature "S Walk," a slow, exaggerated burlesque-style walk that I was admittedly terrible at.

Next up was the moment we were all waiting for...our first pole trick, a momentum-driven spin dubbed the Firefly. And while I harbor no dreams of doing so professionally, it was insanely fun to "work the pole" -  twirling, jumping and spinning (bruised shins - ouch! - be damned.)

The class closed with our intimate group learning a super-sexy and insanely fun wall dance routine that we polished to perfection through three rounds of practice.

If you're interested in a challenging but unique workout, S Factor may be for you. Sessions are two hours long, and an Intro class is $40.  For more information or to book, visit www.sfactor.com.