Welcome to summer! As the heat turns up, we are honoring our stripper roots for Bringing Sexy Back Month at CED. Beat the summer pole slide by heading to the floor for some slinky moves and cross-training to build balanced strength, or polish up your lap dance and heels skills. Check out all our upcoming classes!
While there’s always hotness walking around our studio, we’re going to turn it up a little more this month, and it won’t be just the summer weather! Every July, CED dedicatedly honors Bringing Sexy Back Month. Years ago, United Pole Artists ran this campaign to celebrate individual, unique expressions of sensual pole. They eventually pivoted to push pole as an Olympic fitness sport, but as Cleveland’s premier home for midnight ballerina dance styles and the like, we will never abandon our stripper roots.
Let’s also face reality, peak summer humidity turns metal apparatuses into slip-and-slides. We can’t realistically convert our showers into dry hands dispensers, so instead of wasting energy fighting the slickness, many classes shift focus to low-flow transitions, body waves, dancing with the pole more than on it, and slinky floor combos. The moves between the tricks are what make stripper style what it is.
Floorwork heavily relies on pushing mechanics, which serves as the ultimate cross-training complement to balance out all the heavy pulling we do on the pole. This balance is vital for leveling up your total body strength and protecting your shoulders and back from injury. Get ready to melt into your movement all month long.
In this edition:
Studio Announcements: Upcoming closures
Feature Classes: So many sexy styles to choose from.
Beyond the Movement: Sexual Wellness toys edition.
More Specialty Classes & Series: starting in June thru mid July.
Studio Announcements
Upcoming Studio Closure & Registration Policy Reminder
July 4th Closure: We are closed on Saturday, July 4th. Saturday July 4th feels like that awkward family birthday party that no one wants to attend, but the studio will be closed to give our staff the day off.
Holiday Weekend Registration Policy in Effect:
Classes run as normal on Friday July 3rd and Sunday July 5th, but registration strictly closes 6 hours before class.
If you need a last-minute morning spot, text the studio line immediately.
Summer Student Showcase: Take 2
As many of you know, summer storms rolled through in June and knocked out our power at the absolute last minute, forcing us to cancel the showcase. But the show must go on…2 months later!
After polling our performers and staff, we have selected Sunday, August 16th at 5:00 PM as our official new date.
Since this pushes the date out by nearly two months, we are treating this as a full do-over and opening sign-ups back up!
Want to Join the Lineup? Since you now have extra time to polish a routine, anyone is welcome to submit a number! We accept all acts, not just those from formal choreography series. Contact Lisa or Roxi for the sign up form.
Already Signed Up? You are still on the performance list! We will reach out 10 days before the event to confirm you’re still good to go.
(Note: our showcases are private events for students, staff, and their invited guests.)
Featured Classes for July
Dancing with the Pole
Wednesday, July 1st
8:00-9:00pm In Studio Only
In this beginner friendly pole class we’ll learn how to use the pole as a dance partner while keeping both feet on the ground. We’ll cover hip circles, figure 8’s, and body waves to begin with, then we’ll string them together into customizable flows.
This class is perfect for those that want a dance-based introduction to pole, and for existing pole students that want to add some stripper style flow to their freestyles.
Stripper Style Night: Lap Dance Edition
Friday, July 10th
7:00-8:30pm In Studio Only
You will be guided through a lap dance flow which is a base structure you can easily follow to tease your way closer to your target’s lap. Then move beyond their seat, navigating the space around your partner with optional transitions to the floor or a second chair. Bring a friend or be ready to pair up with a classmate.
Once the instruction is done, the vibe shifts. We keep the music loud and the lighting low to create a supportive, club like atmosphere. This is your time to take what you have learned and make it your own. Use the space to play, practice, and find your own flow.
Exotica Heels: A Sensual Movement Series
Tuesdays, July 14th – August 4th
5:30-6:30pm In Studio Only
Unleash your inner femme fatale in Exotica Heels — a 4-week journey into the art of sensual expression, exotic floorwork, and unapologetic confidence. This series blends the power of heel technique with slow, seductive movement rooted in stripper style dance.
Each week builds on the last, guiding you through fluid transitions, grounded floorwork, and captivating choreography designed to celebrate your body and elevate your presence. Expect toe-to-heel drills, hip isolations, hair flips, and empowering combos — all set to sultry beats that let you move with intention.
Intro to Stripper Style Dance
Wednesday, July 22nd
5:40-6:55pm In Studio & Online
This movement based class explores the foundations of stripper style dance through a short, beginner friendly routine, with an emphasis on sensual movement, curiosity, and self exploration.
Stripper style and sensual movement are treated here as a learnable skill. Structure and repetition become tools for choice, allowing you to decide how much you reveal, where you place emphasis, and how you carry erotic intention in your movement.
HIIT the Main Stage
Tuesday, July 28th
7:00-7:40pm In Studio & Online
This class will teach you a circuit workout using some of your stripper style dance moves as ways to build muscle while getting your heartrate up.
We will start with a gentle, mobility warmup, and then jump into three rounds of exercises, each with four exercises per round. You’ll work hard for 40 seconds with 20 seconds of rest between exercises, then repeat.
All moves can be modified to your fitness level, but be prepared to sweat and work hard.
Beyond the Movement: Sexual Wellness Classes
Our sensual, erotic, and sexual health directly impacts how we move in the world and how we take up space. These class offerings create a space to decenter the external gaze and the performative pressures that so often dictate how we show up. Additionally, we are creating a safe space for conversations about things we “aren’t supposed to” talk about. Sex Ed is severely lacking among all age groups. Pride & Pleasure is here to give you the resources you might be missing, the space to talk about it, and way to bring more joy and healing to your life.
Handle with Pleasure: A Hands-on Guide to Toys, Props, & Supports
Thursday, July 9th
7:00-8:15pm In Studio Only
This in-person, shame-free workshop is exactly what it sounds like — a hands-on exploration of the toys, props, and supports that can help bring pleasure back to your sex life.
Small group, real talk, zero judgment.
Because sexy doesn’t just come back on its own. Sometimes it needs a little help.
More Specialty Classes & Series
Belly Dance Olympics
Sunday, July 12th
4:00-5:30pm In Studio Only
Whether you’re a shimmy queen, a prop master, or the undisputed champion of dramatic hair flips, there’s a medal waiting for you! Events may include:
- Shimmy Relays
- Hip Drop Endurance
- Zill Speed Trials
- Improvisation Showdowns
- Prop Battles (veils, canes, fans — oh my!)
Perfect for belly dancers of all levels, this class is all about fun, flair, and community.
Belly Dance Props: Veils
Wednesdays, July 15th – August5th
7:00-8:00pm In Studio Only
Veil is a dynamic prop used in Belly Dance. From delicate spins to captivating sweeps and turns. In this 4 week series we will cover the basics and drill them to a few different stylized sequences.
Prior belly dance experience is recommended for this class, but is not required.
Chairlesque
Thursdays, July 30th – August 20th
6:00-7:00pm In Studio Only
This 4-week beginner-friendly chairlesque workshop will focus on the art of sensual, confident, and playful chair-based burlesque.
This class will feature skills for musicality, fluid movement, and commanding the stage.
Expect a mix of slow, slinky movements along with bold accents to create dynamic and engaging performance. Also some techniques for posture, posing, and stage presence.
Belly Dance 101
Mondays, August 3rd – September 14th
7:00-8:00pm In Studio & Online
Your starting point into the world of belly dance taught from a Fat Chance Fusion standpoint with some Cabaret style. During the 6 weeks you will learn all base belly dance movements, and finish the session with a mini dance!
Belly Dance 101 is created to give brand new students a solid foundation to continue on in our weekly belly dance class. Students wishing to review basics are also welcome. This is a 6 week semester course. Please contact us before you register if you can’t make it to all six weeks.
Lyra 101
Wednesdays, August 5th – September26th
6:00-7:00pm In Studio Only
Lyra 101 is a 4-week series designed for the aerial-curious! This class is all about moving with and on the lyra – an aerial hoop rigged from the ceiling – and how that may differ from other activities such as pole.
Great for total beginners to dance and fitness, as well as those looking for a thorough review of basic lyra techniques, this workshop will adapt to meet students at their individual level.
Expect to interact with the lyra through introductory conditioning exercises, gentle spins, climbs, static poses, and combos.
Rhythm in Motion: Cued Cohesion Belly Dance
Sunday, August 9th
1:15-2:45pm In Studio Only
In this introduction to April Rose’s Cued Cohesion belly dance format, students will explore how rhythm, movement, and group improvisation come together in a fun and supportive environment.
We’ll begin with an introduction to finger cymbals and learn the maqsum rhythm, two cued cohesion moves, and group connection without needing a large movement vocabulary.
This workshop is open to everyone — whether you’re an adventurous belly dance beginner, an experienced dancer curious about improvisational formats, or simply interested in rhythm and movement.
Intro to Fat Chance Belly Dance
Sunday, August 9th
3:00-5:00pm In Studio Only
Fat Chance Bellydance Style (previously known as ATS) is a style of Belly Dance that started in the 1980’s in San Francisco, California by Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman and is now danced all around the world.
Based on cues and gestures this is a fun improvisational dance that is done in a group of people. In this workshop we will be going over 4 basic slow and fast moves and drill them out and go into the basic formations.
Heel Dance 101
Thursdays, August 11th – September 15th
5:30-6:30pm In Studio Only
This beginner-friendly series is designed to teach the fundamentals of heels dance in a supportive and empowering environment.
Students will learn proper heel technique, balance, posture, walks, turns, body awareness, floorwork basics, all performance quality while building strength and confidence each week.
Butts & Guts
Tuesdays, August 11th & 18th
6:45-7:45pm In Studio Only
Spend time focusing on conditioning your core and butt in this two week fitness series, and be able to take away some exercises you can do outside the studio!
What more can we say? This is a super popular series. Sold out in March, so here we are again. Don’t miss it!.
Leg Hang Clinic: Inside, Outside, & Beyond
Wednesday, August 12th
7:00-8:00pm In Studio Only
Mastering Leg hangs is your ticket to feeling secure, confident, and creative while upside down. In this workshop, we are breaking down the essential mechanics and troubleshooting any plateaus you currently have in these shapes.
If you are newer to Leg hangs, we will focus on building a rock-solid foundation. If you already have your hooks down, we will dive into smoothing out transitions, like switching between inside and outside hangs, moving from Gemini to Swan, or exploring variations like Flatline Scorpio. Pike and Straddle Hip holds are on the menu, too!
