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Past the Pole: The New Movement of Art and Dance at Movement Studio LA
Can you do this? (Photo courtesy Lisa Leone)
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By Micha Thomas/Special to LAistAngelenos know this well: The staying power of any well honed exercise trend is varied. Some are fleeting fads while others modernize age-old fundamentals. The latter arguably stick around and evolve--pilates, modern yoga classes, anything barre related--while others go the way of the gym class leotard (Jazzercise, anyone?). Grace, camaraderie and pure celebration of the body are timeless and fundamentals of Movement Studio LA, which features exceptional pole classes--a trend that has lasted--on some of the most majestic silver cylinders LA has seen.
Opened just under a year ago, Movement Studio LA is the vision of A-list pilates trainer, Elizabeth Ordway - a place for the woman that wants to reconnect with the little girl inside her that revered the site of a ballet barre and a demi-plie and who celebrates her own feminine power. Walk into the three-story West Hollywood studio, featuring floor to wall ceilings and a loft-like openness, and the friendly staff is there to greet and share a healthy treat from the snack jar before class.
The studio, which holds ongoing classes, special weekend workshops and “After 8” series - evening burlesque, hula hoop and pole workouts just for the gals - is now offering an aptly themed Valentine’s Day “Sweetheart Bootcamp,” coming up Saturday, February 12.
The studio menu features bespoke classes: Elizabeth’s own concoction of mat pilates followed by body-shaping barre work; burlesque taught by world-renowned performer and music video star, Carolina Cerisola; pole panache, a wholly original take on the pole by celebrity trainer, Rie Katagiri; hoop*a*boomboom by Kelleia Sheerin, an ultra sassy, burlesque-like fitness class using hula hoops; kundalini yoga, hatha yoga and more. Each class is intentionally small, usually under 10 students, and provides enough variety for a woman to never tire of her workout, all set to music that seems culled from the extensive KCRW library.
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Lest we forget that men do exist (and they do occasionally drop into the yoga classes), the one-of-a-kind space is available for private parties - curated, intimate get-togethers and imaginative celebrations - either in the studio or on the enviable rooftop. Men allowed.
The studio is also currently offering a new member special: $100 for one month of unlimited classes. Single classes are $25, and series prices vary - from $180 for ten classes for the non-member and $180 per month for unlimited classes for Movement Studio members. Joining is simple, and with a growing list of classes and unique workshops, Movement Studio LA might become your gym replacement. When’s the last time your gym served a glass of champagne following a workout?
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