SASS

Medalist proud of up and coming sport

Posted by MrsNaughtywed on Oct 17, 2012 in Health & Fitness, My Progress, News, Pictures | 0 comments

Amanda Moore
October 16, 2012

Sheena is fit, strong and the proud recipient of a bronze medal all due to an up and coming sport — pole dancing.

While most picture a scantily clad woman working the pole in a dimly lit night club when they envision pole dancing, that is no longer the case. A large population of women are turning to the new sport of pole dancing as a way to meet their fitness needs. Winger is one of those women who feels the most fit she ever has thanks to pole dancing.

“I didn’t see it as something sexy,” said Sheena, who won a bronze medal in the professional division at the Canadian Pole Fitness Championships. “I saw it as acrobatic and fitness.”

And it certainly takes a lot of physical ability to perform some of the moves that helped Winger garner the bronze at the competition held Sept. 29 in Ottawa.

Her instructor, Grimsby resident Shanyn Pollard, who owns Sass Pole Fitness in Stoney Creek, was crowned Miss Pole Dance Canada in 2011, after taking a gold at the provincial level and going on to take gold again at the national level.

Pollard opted out of competing this year to focus on teaching. She was also able to cheer Winger on from the crowd, as she danced her way to bronze.

Sheena is Pollard’s second student to compete in pole dancing and the first to compete in the professional division.

The studio has grown in the three years since it opened, first in Fort Erie and then to Stoney Creek. Sass not only offers pole dancing lessons, but pole parties, which are popular for bachelorettes, as well as cardio classes, yoga and aerial fitness classes. The studio will be offering a new suspension yoga program beginning next month.

The public, said Pollard, is beginning to understand that pole dancing isn’t just for night clubs, but a great way to tone the body. She has women of all ages and abilities signing up for classes at the Barton Street studio.

“It doesn’t feel like work,” Pollard said of the sport. “You can have fun and be goofy, just don’t be afraid of a little sweat.”

Sheena agrees.

“It’s addicting,” said Sheena. “I was a runner and a gym goer before. All I did was cardio. I was obsessed with losing weight and looking skinny. Now, I don’t worry about my weight anymore. I am stronger and healthier than ever before. And I get to have fun doing it.”

Sass Pole Fitness is located at 687 Barton St., Stoney Creek. For information and a class schedule, visit www.polefit.ca or call 905-643-0013.

Banana Splits

Posted by MrsNaughtywed on Nov 27, 2011 in Blog, My Progress, Pictures, Workouts | 2 comments

Tada!!!!!!!! I thought this was a cool new move I accidentally figured out today!!! My front splits are almost there so once I get that, the banana splits would look a lot nicer. I present to you.. The Banana Splits!

This weekend I went to a ‘pole party’. A pole athlete social!!! We got together at the studio to play on the silks, poles and hoop. Things got a little hot when we practised yoga acro for couples.. if you know what I mean. Everyone brought a health conscious snack. I brought this vegan gluten free black bean pizza with zucchini, garlic, onions, chickpeas and eggplant. And omg the other food people brought was AMAZING!!! I’m talking, dairy free gluten free mac and cheese!!!!! DelisHHHhhhh! And the best part was that I stuffed myself and I don’t even feel guilty because it was all healthy food. *burp* Oops excuse me! Us pole dancers.. we’re a different breed I tell ya!

Saturday Solo Practice

Posted by MrsNaughtywed on May 15, 2011 in Blog, My Progress, Video, Workouts | 0 comments

Once I was done teaching for the morning, I cranked my vocal trance tunes and jammed in my own little world.

P.S Can you guys leave comments telling me to point my damn toes and keep my legs straight on inverts please??? Hahahah! I’ve been focusing on cleaning up my skillz the last couple days.

Performing In Public

Posted by MrsNaughtywed on Apr 16, 2011 in Blog, My Progress, Video | 1 comment

My biggest weakness… performing in public. It’s like once I’m in front of a crowed, I suddenly forget everything I know in pole. My mind goes blank not sure what to do. Does it get better in time? I’m hoping.

But last Thursday night I didn’t do too bad. The music was loud so I could easily tune out everyone around me and just pole.

Celiac Disease Fundraiser Pole Jam At SASS

Posted by MrsNaughtywed on Apr 11, 2011 in Pictures, Pole Dancer Of The Day, Pole Jams, Video | 0 comments

It was a fantastic day on Sunday April 10, 2011. There was pole dancing, silks, hoop, good food, good tunes and great people! All proceeds went to the Celiac Disease Foundation.

Gary and Shanyn wowed all of us with their duo pole dance. It was sensual, beautiful and moving! This is the best guy girl pole dancing duo I had ever seen online and live!

[View with PicLens]

My Mother In Law Can Invert, Hands Free!

Posted by MrsNaughtywed on Apr 3, 2011 in Blog | 1 comment

For those of you who think you are either too old or out of shape to try pole fitness, consider this…

My totally cool awesome mother in law recently started taking pole fitness classes at SASS. Now… my mother in law is not like other mother in laws out there. She’s the type of woman who has no fear and isn’t afraid to try new things. She is very open minded, liberated and full of awesomeness!

She started pole fitness with not much upper body strength (just like me when I started). I believe it’s only been her 7th-ish lesson at SASS and last week she surprised me with an invert!!!! *gasp* WITH HANDS FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Her spins and transitions are coming along beautifully too.

This is just another example that anyone can learn pole fitness. You don’t need to be young and already in shape. At SASS, we’ll get your body young again and it will get stronger than a 20 year old!

SASS performs at Ladies Night Out Welland

Posted by MrsNaughtywed on Mar 26, 2011 in Pole Dancer Of The Day, Video | 0 comments

The SASS team made an appearance at Ladies Night Out Welland on Thursday March 24, 2011. Here is a beautiful artistic pole fitness demonstration from Shanyn Pollard, best pole tricks of MissPoleDanceCanada 2010.

Freestyle Trio at SASS

Posted by MrsNaughtywed on Mar 4, 2011 in My Progress, Pole Dancer Of The Day, Video | 0 comments

I hope you enjoy this beautiful, passionate trio from SASS. It’s been an amazing experience to be poleling with some amazing people! You can learn the art of pole too! Never say you can’t. A couple years ago I had this expectation of myself as what level of pole I would be able to achieve. I have surpassed that goal several pole tricks ago. Thanks to Shanyn and SASS. I don’t know where I’d be without you guys.

SASS Open House!

Posted by MrsNaughtywed on Feb 8, 2011 in Blog, Pole Jams | 0 comments

What is SASS all about? SASS stands for Shanyn’s Artistic Strength Studio located inside the Zacada Circus School in Stoney Creek, Ontario.

” SASS is about expression of strength, beauty and art through the movement of your body. – Shanyn (2nd place MissPoleDanceCanada 2010) ”

Ever wanted to get into the best shape of your life and have the best time doing it? SASS features twelve 20 feet high poles, 2 silks and 1 lyra hoop in a newly renovated  studio.

This Saturday SASS is having an open house. It’s free. Everyone is welcome to check out what Aerial fitness is all about! I’ll be there!

” I’d like to welcome you all to join us at SASS located at 687 Barton Street, Unit 101, inside of Zacada Circus School this Saturday February 12 from 1:30-5:30 for our Open House.

We’ll be featuring promotions for our upcoming classes, performances by SASS students and prizes!

Please follow this link to see the new SASS schedule featuring lots of new classes for all levels: www.facebook.com/sassartist and please suggest this page to your friends. At SASS your first class is always free and you’ll be rewarded for every referral you make!

Our brand new website will be launched within the next week at www.polefit.ca so stay tuned

I hope to see you at SASS! ” – Shanyn

[UPDATE]

SASS’s open house was a success!  Assist teaching newbs are so much fun. I still remember the first time I touched a dance pole. I can sense the energy from the new guests that they were feeling what I did when I was first introduced to pole.

The sign up shocker of the day goes to… my mother in law!!! My MIL signed up for pole lessons!!!! I’m so excited!!! My mother in law is not like other mother in laws out there.. My MIL is actually really cool and acts like a 30 year old.  She’s not afraid to try things and she cares about taking care of herself and being fit. She even has belly dancing expertise which I can see it being an excellent addition to the pole.

Melody, Casey, Lisa.. your burlesque performance was  amazing. Now I feel like I want to take a workshop in burlesque to learn some new sexy dance moves.

Thank you Melody for recording my performance! WHAT? LOL yes.. I was asked last minute if I wanted to do a free style demo for guests. I did. I had no routine in mind so I just threw a few things together. I could barely make it through the whole song. I was SOOO nervous but I sucked it up and did it anyways. hahah! I need this experience. I need to get used to performing in front of a live audience.  Watching my video that was posted on FaceBook, I thought I did better then I originally thought I did. It was a learning experience though. I need to learn to slow things down! Slllloowwww… If you are a FB friend of mine, you can see my performance on my page.

[/ENDUPDATE]