This Week at the Encino Studio

Level 1: Happy Graduation! Spend this week savoring the newfound bliss of your body. The "S" is now a part of your world and you're a part of ours. What was once a foreign language, you can now read, write and speak fluently. Stay close to this beautiful vacation land of pleasure, power and pizzazz. As you slowly writhe through your Routine, breathe in deeply as if each inhale is feeding your lifelong desires. As you sail around the pole in your "Firefly" and "Ballerina," lift your chin and let the fly make you high.

Level 2: Hey Level 2 Grads, nothing feels better than a comfy pair of jeans huggin' you in all the right places. Wiggling out of them has girl-next-door sex appeal and we're about to show you how to do it. It's "Jeans Strip" week! Bring your favorite pair of chillaxin' jeans to class. You'll learn to peel the denim across your hips, bum and thighs with vivacious volumes of tease. Your slinky "Snake" pole trick will take some time to perfect. Such a magnanimous trick deserves full body commitment. Go for it.

Level 3: Feel the freedom of improvisation as you get out of your brain and into every inch of your fabulous female body. Nowhere else can you let go with so much sweet abandon. Relax, release your brain's hold on your body and feel your wingspan spread like the most majestic eagle owning her space. Now that you've opened this door to an infinite ocean of expressive movement, your future is limitless. You are stronger than you can possibly imagine, so give your blossoming muscles permission to find and hold that "Descending Angel" and "Snake" for as long as you can. Give it everything you've got.

Level 4: Nothing says hot mama like a dangerously slow and tempting unveiling of the body you are now wholly in love with. That's the tantalizing "5-layer Strip." You'll need five layers of clothing to play with, like extra shirts, long pants, socks, scarves, a hat, a jacket, a shawl...you get the idea. Pile them on and playfully peel them off one at a time. Little by little, you'll reveal your delicious self. Don't rush or struggle to get out of all that luscious fabric. Getting bound and wrapped up in all that softness is half the fun. Whip up a babelicious breeze with your "Flying Body Spiral" and "Ronde Jambe/Flying Half-Pint."

Level 5/7: It's "Desperate Housewife" time so break out those "I Love Lucy" pearls and dishwashing gloves and explore your inner housewife. Are you a prim and proper homemaker with a restless tigress growling on the inside, or a soap opera lovin' kitten longing for a jet-setting life? Maybe you're a do-it-all soccer Mom playing hooky from that PTA meeting, or a devastatingly sexy Mrs. Robinson. For music, how about "Be My Husband" by Nina Simone or "Dear Mama" by Tupac. Honey, I'm home! On the pole, it looks tougher than it is when your brain tries to suss out the "Layout" or "Jacknife." Give your muscles the job and hang out like an outer space honey in zero gravity.


I’m watching the Olympic opening ceremonies…country by country parading through the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing. I don’t know why but I just love watching the athletes as they enter the arena and parade around with their flags held high. Something about the pride and integrity and excitement makes the hair on my arms stand on end. From one country to the next, Spain, Bermuda, Lichtenstein, Congo, the announcer gives a little tidbit of information after each of the nations is introduced. Here comes Iran, “One of three women representing Iran in Beijing is the flag bearer," says Bob Costas. A few more countries pass by and then Saudi Arabia, “…in its ninth Summer Olympic appearance." His next tidbit of information on Saudi Arabia is particularly disturbing, yes, for what he says, “…a team made up only of men, a nation where women are not allowed to drive and must obtain permission from a male guardian to work or even travel." It's disturbing more so because he says it with ease, and then goes right back to announcing, "Next is Algeria, Albania-". And then another Arabic country is announced, "United Arab Emirates, whose team includes women for the first time, they just happen to be the two daughters of the Prime Minister but," he says, “that is probably just a coincidence." Ugh! Then comes Afghanistan and the announcer announces, “…the only woman on the team, runner Mehboba Ahdyar disappeared from a training camp last month. She’d been receiving death threats from fundamentalists who object to any female athlete participating on behalf of Afghanistan. Possibly she’s seeking asylum.” Possibly… And then onto Azerbaijan and Namibia and a tidbit about a runner and his world record breaking abilities…leaving the disturbing tidbits of man’s inhumanity toward women along the trail of Olympic excitement. I think what disturbs me more than the inequities and the domination of one sex over the other is the ease with which we accept and distribute the information. I think what bothers me is the ease, the acceptance however begrudgingly. Let the games begin.



With a Big, Fat, Luscious Hug,

 Leading Lady Literature Night ~ R.S.V.P.'s
Our first ever Leading Lady Literature Night will be Saturday, August 30th, 7:00pm - 10:00pm. We'll be partying with lit femme favorites Megan Crane, Liza Palmer and Claire LaZebnik in the house. Whether you're a fiction lover, or an aspiring writer, or you just want to hang at an "S" event, swing by. This is a co-ed event so bring a girlfriend, boyfriend, hubby or whomever you like. There'll be a Q & A with the three authoresses, plus a dynamite Instructor demo performance, yummy dessert and a raffle to win 50% off an AppleSider Original Series Session.