Spokane7
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September 11, 2009 in City
City tones down striptease class description
The road to a “smoking hot body” may still be with a class offered by the city of Spokane, but it won’t be described in such titillating terms.
The city Parks Department is rewriting its description of “Exotic Strip Tease and Fitness Conditioning,” which is included in its printed and online fall activity guide.
After receiving several complaints about the class – which includes elements of strip tease but without nudity – park officials said they will raise the age limit from 16 to 18.
“We understand the concern,” said Craig Butz, Spokane Park’s recreation and entertainment manager.
The catalog description of the class is: “Dangerous curves ahead! Want results you can see and feel? The route to a smoking hot body starts here. This class begins with an exotic warm up routine that includes strip tease choreography, followed by a high-intensity training routine, and finishes with a sensual stretch sequence.”
The proposed new description, which Butz expects to be substituted in the online recreation guide: “A class that helps woman of all ages, shapes and sizes to appreciate their body for what they are: Beautiful. Learn a healthy, creative, pleasurable and soulful form of self expression through the artful flare of exotic and inspiring dance steps. Follow up with a progressive high intensity body conditioning sequence and finish with a sequence of stretches to calm and center both mind and body.”
Although the class has generated controversy, it’s also been popular. The catalog offered two 12-week sessions. The first already is filled with 15 women, with four on a waiting list. There was enough interest that officials created a third session. Ages of the women who have signed up range from 23 to 61.
Butz said the class, which will be taught at East West Fitness World, a dance and martial arts studio on North Monroe Street, is not subsidized by taxpayers, and costs attendees $54.
Christine Braaten, the instructor, said the class stresses fitness and has nothing more risqué than moves seen on TV’s “So You Think You Can Dance.”
“The whole goal of the class is optimal results with optimal fun,” she said.
The name of the sessions will shift to what they were called when first offered in the spring: “Exotic Moves Fitness Conditioning,” Butz said.
“That’s exotic, not erotic,” Butz stressed.
MAC faces angry crowd 
Rifleman_Dodd on September 11 at 7:56 p.m.
Can men sigh up? I’d like to audit that class.
wa7qzr on September 12 at 12:17 a.m.
It’s called “strip tease” because it’s “erotic”. Exotic is a term that refers to something which has been introduced from a foreign country. Also terms like sensual, smoking hot, and risqué, in particular, refer to behavior that is hazardous and risky. Something verging upon impropriety. Doing things dangerously close to, or suggestive of, what is indecent or of doubtful morality. Not to mention that activity has been designed to ” … calm and center both mind and body”, is taken from Buddhist philosophy.
That the City considers it wise to give official sanction to a program for training women to traipse and writhe about like sotted strumpets, while beyond me, is not surprising.
BT on September 12 at 8:43 a.m.
I think it’s great the city is doing this “thank you Craig and Barry”!! It’s about time the city steps up to the 20th century and provides fitness for women that actually works..guys sorry, but really all you need is to stop drinking beer and watching tv.
While site seeing throughout the city…which I’ve done for years it’s amazing how many people don’t exercise to keep those extra pounds off..by offering a class to women in this capacity it will allow women to get back in touch with themselves and remember they can loose weight if they find something that interests them!!! Also, by offering such a class, more women will be picky about their mate…then maybe the guys will start heading to the gym to get in shape!!
It’s sad that a men in their early 40’s can’t do 20 pull ups, but a man in his 50’s who’s always stayed in shape can do them…talk about a generation gap guess they didn’t get the memo to stay in shape…people need to understand you have to exercise period it’s driving our healthcare system insane!! Put down the DingDongs…