The Artistry of Pole
Ecdysiast opened their doors in 2008 under the direction of Shannon Gee – an exceptional pole dancer herself. As a member of the International Pole Federation, Ecdysiast provides high quality instruction and takes pride in their curriculum. While some of the other pole studios in town are more of a women’s fitness boutique type atmosphere, Ecdysiast is co-ed and the emphasis is on artistry. (not saying you’re not going to get a kick ass workout!)
Students are a unique mixture of doctors and lawyers coming in for the fun and the fitness aspect of working on the pole while others are fire dancers and circus performers looking to add dimension to their personal repertoires. While Ecdysiast originally started simply as a studio that offered classes, pretty soon Shannon started to see a need and a desire for students to perform. They now have annual auditions for their training company which directly feeds into the performing company.
Coming up they have a lively rendition of Alice in Wonderland called “Oh Alice” that is equal parts whimsical, edgy, modern and fun. While Shannon has kept the storyline largely intact, the show is set to popular music and the set and costumes adds splashes of surprises along the way. When asked where she gets her artistic vision she says nature is a huge inspiration as well as music. “Sometimes there’s a certain set of songs that the show gets built around while other times there is an aesthetic and the rest forms around that. And of course seeing shows, keeping up with what other people are doing is a very important part of maintaining a good artistic vision.”
As for the future of Ecdysiast “I love it all! – both the education and the performing/directing and I hope to keep them both building and going strong.”