Pole Dance Gym Celebrates One-Year Anniversary

in Hauppauge will celebrate its first anniversary on Friday, showcasing how it’s possible to build a small business during a recession. 

Studio owner Lauren Levine said it has taken passion and innovation to build her pole dancing and fitness studio. 

“Most people have to get over the initial hurdle of being uncomfortable with pole dancing" Levine said. "It’s a fitness class."

The business owner said she was initially reluctant to try pole dancing when a friend asked her to take a class together. Levine said she signed up for regular classes after her first pole dancing class left the fitness instructor sore in "muscles I didn't know I had."

“I felt strongly about pursuing a career in the fitness industry. I finally found an outlet that allows you to experience both a positive physical and mental change,” she said.

As a certified fitness instructor, Levine said she integrates interval training with a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercises to create her own pole dancing classes. She started teaching in Variations in Huntington and Bet U Can Dance in East Northport before making the leap to open her own studio.

The decision to open LI Dance Fitness in 2010, in the midst of an economic recession, was not made lightly, according to Levine.

“Every day I evaluate my finances. I try to use as many small businesses as I can to work with them,” the studio owner said. “I was very concerned initially about my rent increasing every day.”

The owner said she does her own marketing in effort to to keep her outside expenses low. Over the past year, Levine has hired three instructors to expand the studio's class offerings from pole fitness to Zumba and belly dancing classes.

“I am very young and that’s my biggest hurdle,” she said. “ Going into a networking meeting, it’s hard to get past the ageism. But I know people will see my vision eventually.”

Levine said the highlight of her year was when LI Dance Fitness won first place for best adult dance studio in the 2011 Best Of Long Island awards from LI Press.

She had a bit of advice for other small business owners looking to make it during a recession.

“Don’t feel like you can’t ask people for help. You’d be surprised how well the barter system works,” LI Dance Fitness owner said, adding. “If you believe in yourself go for it.”

LI Dance Studio will host a one-year anniversary party on Friday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. featuring performances by each of the studio’s teachers with free pole dancing lessons, raffles and discounted classes for clients. There is no cost to attend.