Introducing Our New Beginner’s Heels Class at Shine

ClassesStudio News

Oct 17

For years, the single most-asked question we've gotten at Shine from newer pole students is some version of: "When can I start the heels class?"

And the honest answer has usually been "not quite yet." Our existing heels classes assume you've already built a pole foundation — spins, climbs, a vocabulary of transitions — and they move at a pace that leaves beginners behind.

That gap closes next Saturday.

We're launching a brand-new Beginner Heels Class at Shine, starting Saturday, October 24.

It's designed for exactly the student who wants to try heels pole but has been told to wait, or who's just discovering pole for the first time and knows the heels aesthetic is where they want to end up.

Here's what it is, who it's for, and how to join.

What is Beginner Heels?

The class is a one-hour low flow pole session built from the ground up. We start with the very basics — grips, posture, how to approach the pole in heels (or without) — and work up through pole basics, spins, floor work, and finally choreography combos that stitch it all together.

The format in a sentence: basics first, flow second, choreography third, all in one class.

By the end of the hour, you'll have a short choreographed sequence of 3–5 movements that you can actually name, perform, and film. That's not something most beginner pole classes deliver — most focus on isolated skills. This one is built for people who want to feel like they're dancing from day one, not drilling.

Heels: always optional

Let me say this twice because it's the thing beginners worry about most: heels are always optional in this class.

You can take the entire class in bare feet, in socks, or in your usual pole fitness setup. The choreography, flow, and skill progressions all work without heels. The class is called "heels" because the aesthetic and movement vocabulary is heels-adjacent — slower, more floor-based, more dance-driven than our Intro to Pole Fitness class. But the actual shoes are up to you.

If you do want to wear heels: standard pleaser-style platform pole heels (7-inch, 8-inch) are what you'll see most students in. We don't sell them in the studio, but any pole heels you've already got — or any heels you have the ankle strength for — will work. If you're buying your first pair, 7-inch is the most forgiving starting point.

If you want to go barefoot: also perfect. Many of our regulars rotate between the two depending on how their feet feel that day.

Why "low flow"?

Low flow is a style of pole that stays primarily on the floor and lower pole, with movement that emphasizes transitions, body lines, and musicality over big tricks or inversions. Think: controlled walks around the pole, floor spins, elegant drops to the ground, pole-adjacent choreography.

It's the opposite of "I'm doing a trick, then I'm doing another trick." Low flow is where pole starts to feel like dance.

For beginners, this is the perfect entry point to heels — it builds the body awareness, floor confidence, and musicality that the more advanced heels classes assume you already have.

Who this class is for

Current Shine students who've been in Intro to Pole Fitness and want to add dance vocabulary without jumping to the intermediate heels class
Returning pole students who used to train somewhere else and want to ease back in before the advanced classes
Complete beginners who are more drawn to the heels/choreography aesthetic than to the strength-and-trick side of pole — though we recommend taking one Intro to Pole Fitness class first to get a feel for the pole itself
Anyone intimidated by the existing heels class — this is specifically the ramp we built to fix that gap

Who this class is NOT for: students specifically looking to build their first inversion, climb, or spin repertoire. That's what Intro to Pole Fitness is for. Beginner Heels is dance-first, trick-second — and the two classes are great companions: Intro builds the pole fundamentals, Beginner Heels adds the dance.

What to wear

Same rules as any pole class:

Shorts (fitted, above mid-thigh — the pole grips skin)
Fitted top or sports bra
Hair tied back
No lotion on legs, arms, or torso in the 8 hours before class
Bare feet or pole heels — your call

If you're bringing heels, bring them in a bag and change in the studio. The 7-inch platform walk through the parking lot is more adventure than we want for you on day one.

What a typical class looks like

Minutes 0–10 — Warm up. Light cardio, ankle and hip mobility, grip prep. If you're new to heels, we spend extra time on ankle and calf activation.

Minutes 10–25 — Pole basics. Grips, basic walks, fireman spin, back hook, chair spin. Taught slow, with time to actually get comfortable before adding music.

Minutes 25–45 — Floor work. Body rolls, floor spins, controlled drops. The vocabulary that makes heels pole look like heels pole.

Minutes 45–60 — Combos. We stitch 3–5 moves together into a short sequence set to music. Everyone leaves with the same short piece they can film, practice at home, or build on in the next class.

How to try it

Your first class at Shine is $10. That applies to Beginner Heels, same as every other class on our schedule.

Beginner Heels launches on our weekly schedule Saturday, October 24, 2026 — one week from today. Look for the class labeled Beginner Heels at shinealternativefitness.com/schedule.

Book online, show up 15 minutes early, and bring whatever shoes feel right that day.

If you're nervous

Every student who's ever walked into their first heels class has been nervous. Half of them never even put the heels on in their first class — they take the whole thing barefoot, and that's the whole point of calling heels optional.

The class is built so that the person taking it in bare feet gets the same workout, the same choreography, and the same confidence boost as the person in 8-inch platforms. The only difference is the vibe you choose for yourself that day.

Give it one $10 class. You can decide the rest later.

See the schedule and book Beginner Heels →

— Dima Shine, Co-Owner, Shine Alternative Fitness