The Push and Pull of Pole Dancing

Until I found my way to Seventh Dimension, my sole exposure to pole dancing was from police procedural shows, a titillating backdrop for the detectives pursuing leads among the unsavory characters hanging out in a strip club in the middle of the day.

Seventh Dimension does have a bit of a speakeasy feel. Tucked away in an Eastside neighborhood of older houses and humble businesses, the studio has no sign and is closed off from the sidewalk by a privacy fence, where, as I wedged myself through the narrow opening, I half-expected to be asked for a password.

A dance friend from years ago, Karen Lehman, had urged me to check out Seventh Dimension, where she teaches. When I attended a performance showcase at the studio, I marveled at the strength, flexibility, and charisma of the dancers. I harbored doubts, though, about an activity that involved wearing six-inch platform heels and showing so much skin — and would surely require a Brazilian wax.