City pole dancing studio goes from strength to strength

The owner of a Norwich pole dancing business has shared of how she overcame pandemic obstacles to establish a thriving studio.

Jenny Hedger, 31 started pole dancing eight years ago and launched her own business, Jenny's Pole Studio, in January 2020.

Not deterred by the multiple lockdowns which hit a few months after getting started, the Arizona native battled long-Covid to adapt and teach online classes from home.

Jenny Hedger opened her Swan Lane studio in January 2020 (Image: Archant)

"It was tough," she said. "The novelty of online classes wore off as a lot of my students were spending so much of their time working or learning online.

"They were burned out from all the online interaction.

"But we just kept on. I think the pandemic has really given people a new lease of life in a lot of ways.

"A lot of people are stressed and turned to new hobbies and wanted to try something they never had the guts to do.

"Pole dancing can be a very vulnerable thing, and people have wanted to give it a shot. It's interesting to see what people's attitudes about what they can and can't do have changed.

"I ran a free flexibility class, and focused on stretches that were good for those who would be sitting all day with everything being remote. It really helped students feel connected."

As well as conditioning, flexibility, dance and floor work away from the pole, Jenny also ran bed dance classes, incorporating home-based furniture in routines - something she hopes to bring back in the future.

"We had to get creative," she added.

Her in-person classes - which can focus on choreography, flexibility and tricks in bare feet or heels - typically consist of around six students, with private sessions also on offer.

Jenny and her instructors offer a variety of classes for all abilities (Image: Archant)

"Anybody can do it. There are no strength or flexibility requirements to start. We help you get stronger.

"We make accommodations for everybody, and measures we can put in place if there are any modesty concerns to make it more accessible."

Jenny has two instructors, Kalene Herrington and Dani Gallogly, who teach alongside her at the Swan Lane studio.

Jenny's Pole Studio's Kalene Herrington, beginner pole instructor, head instructor and owner Jenny Hedger and Dani Gallogly, beginner and intermediate instructor (Image: Jenny Hedger)

She hopes to one day have a larger studio space with a ceiling that is high enough to squeeze in her 10.5ft poles.