"Soiree Stories" Raw Behind the Scenes

Soon you'll see tid bits from our Soiree Allstars with "Soiree Stories", showcasing student spotlights, inspiring stories, behind the scenes and getting down and dirty with the instructors.

Stay tuned........

We Are Back & Still Love You

I know, I know it's been a while since we've posted. Seems like we lost our way from the bread trail, like Hansel & Gretal. Don't worry it was just a slight detour because the studio has been jumpin' !! Sudents, classes, national seminars, certifications, TWO NEW STUDIO OPENINGS, judging and international invitations. Whewwww!


We still love you and can't wait to tell you all about some upcoming events!

We had such a great time at the New York show, and our bright and shining star, and SOIREE owner, Lizz Schofield, had a presention that was a big hit, along with selling out on our hot tank tops and original flashcards.

SOIREE just completed our bi-annual Miss Pole Fitness Competition and crowned the beautiful Alexa as our winner. Judging included the amount of tips, crowd noise and support, technique, style, and our owner and instructor judging. Congrats Alexa!

The beautiful lady above is none other than the "vertical gymnast & glorified monkey" of pole, PANTERA BLACKSMITH. (you can follow her more at http://panterab.blogspot.com/ )

She will be at the Salt Lake Studio Soiree next week. Aug 5th with intermediate and core classes, and Aug. 6th with the UBER advanced class. Plus she is staying on for an evening of meet and greet, drinks, fun, mingling, photo autographs and just plain fun. Sign up at:

https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/asp/home.asp?studioid=4359

August is a hot month for us. Two of our top ladies will be performing at the EAST MEETS WEST competition, and they have been working on a really dynamic routine that is going to kick a@*! Good luck to Sarah McGinnis & Somer Ahonen.

If you're attending EAST MEETS WEST on August 13-15 in Hollywood you will be blown out of the water. Our first lady, Lizz Schofield will also be there with the PFA and representing Soiree. Show your support: http://www.emwpoleevents.com/

Of course later in the year Studio Soiree has it's famous Masquerade Party, and our Christmas Recital, among other events and happenings.

We have a lot of plans for the future of STUDIO SOIREE, http://www.studiosoiree.com/ so keep updated with posts, our newsletters, and of course, I'm sure you'll run into to us somewhere in that social network!

(Want to become a Pole Fitness Instructor? Get certififed at Soiree within 3 months!)

How I Decided to Become a Trainer

I am currently undergoing certification to be a trainer of Pole Fitness for Level 1, 2, 3 and 4.  The certification is intense – shadowing at least 16 classes a month, soaking up as much Pole Knowledge as possible, a Practical exam with fellow participants, all this while also being a mom, wife and undergoing summer vacation.  How will I ever get this all done?  And, WHY ON EARTH DID I SIGN UP FOR THIS????

If you haven’t read the very first blog on this, um, blog, then you may not know that I just turned 40.  Yep.  The big 4-0.  I am really happy to be 40, especially since I look terrific and I still act like a 21 year old (when I can!).  However, you may not know that I was not the fitness junkie that I am now until six months prior to my big birthday.  You may not know that I have two teenage daughters (16 and 14 – Zoe and Phoebe), you may not know that I am also a Sunday School Teacher to Senior High aged kids (and have been for years!), you may not know that I have been married for 18 years and have known my husband for more than half my life.  And, you may not know that I used to work for Foreign Economic Development Agencies helping countries attract US businesses to their areas.  Fitness stuff was definitely not my forte!

So, why did I sign up to punish my body and wreak havoc on my family and schedule?  Simple.  I was in Love…..Not like the way I heart Pantera, but in love with the way my old body was really coming into its own.  My waist was so much trimmer than before.  My thighs are so strong and non-jiggly.  And, I think my face even looks more Glowy (if that is even a word).  And, besides all that, I had something I had been lacking for a while – Girlfriends!  Not the type who talk bitchily behind your back, or try to steal your boyfriend (had a couple of those!).  Not the type who constantly think they can do anything that you do better.  But the type that encourages you.  The type that helps you figure out how to do the next tough move.  The type that is so excited when you succeed.  Real Girlfriends.  Not just the Instructors, but each student that walks through the doors.  Encouraging, supportive, fabulous, girlfriends! 

I wanted to be part of the Studio and the Sport that encouraged women to like each other.  I wanted to be intimately involved in the process of taking a new woman into the studio and showing her that she is terrific, she is beautiful and that she CAN do it!

How could I say no to an opportunity like that!?

Busy Weekend at the Studio

You know how sometimes you putter along in your week....rather boring, nothing special happening, then ALL OF A SUDDEN, someone tells you about an event or party or something really fun to do over the weekend and then your week changes?  Like, it gets more anticipatory?  Like, you are 12 again and you KNOW you get to go to Disneyland on Saturday?  

Well, I am here to make a difference in your weekend.  What are Blogging Friends for?  Here are two events both this weekend, sure to make your week more exciting as you count down the days!

FRIDAY, JUNE 5 at Studio Soiree

SHOW THE LOVE PARTY!

Be there at 9:00pm for a fun fun fun party that doubles as a benefit for our Sara's daughter, Kia, and a welcome home party for Sara's Soldier husband, Page.  He just got back from Afghanistan where he spent time sleeping through sand storms, avoiding gun fire, dodging those nasty camel spiders we've all seen on YouTube, and NOW, you have a chance to say "THANKS"!

This party is also the last chance for all of us to help Sara and Page send Kia to Europe with the People to People program.  Sara has been doing all sorts of fun fundraisers over the past few months and this is the next to last chance you will get to be part of the group that will get to say "I was a part of this!" So, bring your checkbook or some cash and give as freely as you can.  EVERY donation is accepted!  

While there will be some alcohol at the studio, we encourage you to bring your own and share with friends.  

See you at the Studio at 9:00pm on June 5th.  Bring your friends!

BIKINI CAR WASH!

Is your car dirty from the blasted rain we have been experiencing? Don't Fear!  We are having a Car Wash!  And, OUR car wash involves beautiful ladies wearing Bikinis!  What's not to love!  This is THE VERY LAST fundraiser to help our own Sara's daughter Kia get to Europe.  Bring all your dirty cars and let Sara and her bevy of beautiful friends wash them clean!

SATURDAY, JUNE 6 starting at 10:00am At the Lone Star Steak House Parking Lot

Lone Star Steak House Parking Lot

2100 South 1250 East

Car Wash, and a lemonade stand run by Kia!  

Pole Fetish 2009

Check out the awesome photos from That Guy Gil!  We love him because he makes us all look soooooo good!

check it out: www.thatguygil.com

We have also posted these pictures AND MORE on our Facebook page (Just become a Fan of Studio Soiree) and on our MySpace Page http://www.myspace.com/studiosoiree 

Thanks again, Gil!

To Lotion of Not to Lotion..........

I have a confession to make.  My legs are dry and scaly.  They are not pleasant to touch, and there is dry skin flaking off.  Ick.  Why have I let my best asset get to such a horrible state?  Simple – my love of the pole. 

You may be at this point in your Pole training too….the point at which you have discovered that lotion slathered on your legs negatively effects your ability to grip the pole with your thighs and leaves a slippery film that makes it impossible for you to grip the pole with your hands.  Hence, you stop using the deliciously scented Clementine Body Butter your family bought you for your birthday, and your legs begin to resemble the remnants of a shed snakeskin.  And then something happens…..

You realize that even without using lotion, you are having a hell of a time trying to stick to your favorite exercise prop.  You get frustrated and more than a little testy as you try to hold that Jasmine and end up sliding right to the floor.  You have sacrificed hot looking legs in order to stick, and now, despite your best efforts you cannot hold a Crucifix to save your life!

What is a Pole Obsessed Girl to do?

Luckily, Studio Soiree is home to some pretty innovative people.  One of our ladies was bemoaning the fact that she had lost her sticky to one of her friends.  This friend happens to be a creator of handmade soaps and lotions.  She looked at our Pole Obsessed Lady and said, “I can fix that!”

And fix it she did.  She created one of the hottest products (besides Mighty Grip and Dry Grip) for Pole Dancers EVER!   It is called Dew Point.  It comes in Light, Medium, and Heavy formulas.  You spray a couple of pumps onto your legs, let it soak in for a little bit, and Voila!  You stick again, and your legs loose that itchy, scaly look.

For those of us that live in Utah, where being dry is a way of life, Dew Point is a lifesaver. 

If you want to try this innovative product, there are samples available in our studio – take a class and use a couple of pumps to see how it works on you.  We have bottles available for $7.00 each, and it will be the best $7.00 you ever spent!

Pictures coming soon!  I promise!  I am just kind of lame at remembering to bring my camera around with me.....

I *heart* Pantera!

Today my abs are screaming at me.

So is my butt.

Oh, yes, and my thighs. 

Yep, my adductors, too.

My body is totally toasted.  And, I am extremely pleased.  I love that feeling.  That sweetly painful post-hardest-workout-of-your-life feeling.  Mine was brought on courtesy of a petite powerhouse known in the Pole Dancing world as Pantera.  She is a slave driver.  I’m serious.  Thankfully, I love slave drivers!

Pantera came to our studio for two days of intense workshops, private lessons, and Core Classes.  Needless to say, we had all seen her videos on YouTube and even watched her Pole Tricks DVD.  We were a bit intimidated. 

I signed myself up for her Intermediate Workshop – 2 ½ hours of instruction – and her Total Core Class – 1 hour of focused core work.  I was looking forward to learning from a pro and had no idea of the pure “hurty” goodness I was about to endure.

Let me get this off my chest.  Those of you who follow Studio Soiree on Twitter or FaceBook or MySpace probably already know that I have developed a girl-crush on Pantera.  For those of you who don’t, I totally have a girl-crush on Pantera.  How could you not?  She has a rockin’ body, excellent posture, the cutest little nose ever, and she is hilarious!  And, when she dances, she looks like she is suspended from wires.  So, just know that this blog will be colored by this fact.

There were about 7 of us attending her Intermediate Level Workshop.  All of us stood around nervously, trying hard to make sure Pantera liked us (Wait, I think that was just me).  She had us sign some paperwork just to make sure we wouldn’t sue her if we dropped ourselves on our heads.  As each of us signed up, she went through our names and memorized them.  She was good at this.  By the time class started she could call each of us by name.  I think maybe that’s when my little crush developed – I’m a sucker for someone Famous getting to know the little guys.

Pantera took us through warm ups.  She does this thing with your hands and arms which made me want to remove those particular limbs from my body.  My triceps are still sore from the pounding they took.  We moved from there to squats because we want to have a pretty bottom.  We stretched a lot.  We warmed up for almost 45 minutes.  I was pretty much ready to call it quits, but did not want to seem like a wimp in front of one of the greats!  We moved onto abs.  Oh, lord.  I cannot even begin to tell you how awesome my abs will look after I incorporate Pantera’s exercises into my daily (alright!  Every other day) regimen.  She made me want to cry.

Then she asked us what we wanted to work on the most.  “Shoulder Mounts” was the general consensus.  We all hate the Shoulder Mount – it’s ok, you can go ahead and admit it.  They hurt, they feel weird, and, they hurt.  But, we all do them because they look so freakin’ impressive.  Pantera had us show her our shoulder mounts.  But before we even got a toe off the floor, she said the words that each of us did not want to hear “No jumping, kicking, or swinging into it”.  Huh?  Was she serious?  I mean, how are you supposed to get your ass above your head if you can’t kick up?  We all looked at each other.  “If you can’t do it without kicking up, then don’t do it”.  Crap.  Then, since none of us could manage that, we proceeded to exercises that would build up the necessary core muscles in order to do a shoulder mount without the kicking.  Can you say “Holy Crap, Pantera!”?  Amazing…..and “hurty”.

So, Pantera is off to another lucky studio, where I am sure some other cute 40 year old will develop a crush on her, and where everyone will get their butts kicked by her wonderful brand of torture.  If you live anywhere near a studio that is hosting her workshops you should immediately sign up and be there.  Your butt, abs, thighs, and your heart will thank you!