Sheila Kelley S Factor

The staff at S factor are completely rude. I couldn’t make it to my class for the next day, when I called and asked for a refund they were dismissive with a ton of attitude. I didn’t feel like the customer and I’m definitely not recommending this studio to any future bachelorette parties or friends.

Sometimes I’m all «FUCK YOU I’M AWESOME» and sometimes I’m not. The point of S Factor is that it’s supposed to encourage that first feeling. I’d been intrigued by pole dancing for a while (that strength! that grace!) and was happy to discover a pass for two intro classes at S Factor in my Yoga Passbook.
(Note: Visit their website for half off an intro class. I wouldn’t recommend going to two intros, though, since they cover the same material. In fact, the intro classes are designed for newbies that they hope to turn into members.)
S Factor prides itself on several things that make their program different from other pole classes: dim lighting, no mirrors, always dancing to music. They also emphasize every individual’s unique form of expression — sounds goofy, but in an environment where you’re sexy-​strutting across the room or encouraged to touch yourself while splayed on the floor, knowing that there are no judgements is… useful.
The intro class was shorter than the listed 2 hours: There was a 15 minute late start, then a long warm-​up where we learned several «moves» on cushy yoga mats. The moves are inspired by yoga, except slower and you’re encouraged to «explore yourself» a lot. We finally got to the pole work, getting comfortable moving around the pole and practicing one trick (we did the «firefly» spin, which was lots of fun). Lastly, you learn a dance routine, incorporating many of the moves from the warm-​up. During the final 15 minutes, your instructor and another «ambassador» perform a pole&dance sequence… and then the lights go on and they discuss membership/​pricing.
Did I feel fulfilled and empowered afterward? Not entirely… I didn’t break a sweat! More importantly, the enjoyableness of the class is really dependent on your fellow students. Doing this with a group of friends would be more fun than with strangers. I felt like some of the other women in the class were more easily embarrassed or tired, which (not their fault) did not help the vibe.
But our instructor, Chelsea, was awesome. It would’ve been easy for the experience to verge into shaming/​objectifying/​heteronormative territory, but she never suggested that anyone was dancing for someone other than themselves.
S Factor’s studio is clean and much like a yoga studio, except instead of yoga gear for sale in the lobby, there’s a wall of lingerie and other conventionally «sexy» things. Our class was held in their largest room (5 poles) and there were only 6 students, but since pole time was so limited and we were asked to pair up either way for half of it, it wasn’t a huge advantage.
If you sign up for membership, you can either take one-​off classes, or join a series where you advance with the same group of women week by week. At higher levels, you build in things like strips, lapdances, and crazy heels. S Factor isn’t for me, mostly because physically it’s a little too slow. But it’s great that they deliberately designed a program to be fun, positive, and supportive.

This is essentially the first pole dancing class I’ve taken to work out (I took a drunken one for a bachelorette party once, which doesn’t really count), and I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I appreciate the encouraging and friendly environment and instruction, but it just didn’t seem like much of a workout. Some yoga (cat and cow with extra «back» in it) and sloowww streching, but half of the class was spent watching someone else on the pole. Maybe we had too many students in our class. Also, I’m kind of grossed out by having to share a pole with a stranger in underwear — and the clean wipes given out at the end of class are a little too flimsy given the surface area of body parts I (and others) created contact with the pole. I’m intrigued by the pole though, so I think I will come back, but I might shop other studios first.

I signed up for their 8 week original series package program and am amazed at how quickly my body got toned and in shape. It seems expensive but once you start taking classes, it is totally worth it.
They have changed their membership program so now you can drop into extra classes if you get up in the morning and get an open slot on their website.

I had taken classes three years ago with the instructor Jennifer Sterling and found the experience to be interesting. If you’re looking for exercise, S-​Factor is the wrong place. It is not a workout by any means. No cardio. No sweat. No toning.
However, I did find pole dancing to be a liberating experience. The instructor made the class fun, non-​judgmental, and not overwhelming (because all those kinky accessories can be a little much). And maybe I’ll admit I had a little bit of a girl crush because this instructor somehow made pole dancing graceful and classy. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to try something different. It’s a safe environment for women who are looking to build confidence in their inner sensual being.

I would give this place a full five stars if it wasn’t for management. I’ve been going here for almost five years now and the only reason I keep coming back is because I love the teachers, the ambiance and the camaraderie I get from my classmates. (no, it’s not a cult) I’ve been to other pole studios here in the city and in other cities and I never feel the same or get anything from it as I do from S.
If you want the type of pole practice that is more athletically based, then don’t come here. S is more of an inward, spiritual journey that you do for yourself as a woman. Don’t get me wrong. We do in fact do pole tricks. We even do advanced pole tricks. But, our approach to it is more yogi like. There are no mirrors and there are no lights that are brightly lit so you’re not inside a studio staring and obsessing at your imperfections. You leave the world for two hours and you listen to you and your body. Those tricks, whether advanced or beginner, will come not because everyone in the room is staring and you feel weird about not doing it but because your body is ready and when it does execute those tricks, boy, is it beautiful. Also, you feel beautiful. Women of all shapes, sizes and ages come here and I’ve been lucky enough to bond and progress with all of them.
I only wished management was better. I don’t even know who the manager is nor have I ever seen the person in all the years I’ve been attending. Their on line reservation system needs to be better. S Factor does not come cheap and I consider it a mental health investment and physical, too. It is membership only and with it, comes unlimited classes. With their on line system, however, I get wait listed alot if I wanted to sign up for other classes. When a spot becomes available, the system doesn’t let you know till pretty much hours after that actual class is already over. Sometimes, the system will let you know hours ahead of time but won’t allow you to sign up for said ‘available’ class. I’m a calendar/​appointment freak that’s always on the go so I need to know ahead of time where I’ll be and when. It’s really not fair to be paying this much and not being able to take advantage of the unlimited classes. Change your computer reservation system please! Really, that’s my only gripe.
The studio itself is clean and big with showers, lockers and a nice lounge area.
It has three studios and if I had it my way, I’d be there everyday dancing/​flying/​spinning away.

I left S Factor in May because my year was coming up for renewal and I knew based on travel plans I had and just other life stuff that it didn’t make sense. I may go back at some point. I will always have good things to say about S Factor because I had a really good experience overall in the years I was going. I do think there is something to some of the comments and criticisms other people have made here but it is also about what you put into it. I really got a lot out of it it just felt like time to movie on.

I went for a drop in to random level 1 class– my second class after buying a 3 class Gilt deal. The class was more crowded than the intro and I didn’t like sharing the pole with so many people. You get very little pole time that way.

It’s absolutely a negative star. This review is long overdue. I had booked part of my birthday party here almost 2 years ago. The pole was not cleaned properly (I watched the really tall girl wipe part of the pole and remember saying to myself ‘boy is she tall– she didn’t clean the entire lower part of the pole. Although the girls had a descent time– I did not. My hand slipped off the pole and I tore my AC cuff. Spend months in physical therapy– spent thousands on doctors, rehab, drugs etc. I contacted them to let them know and they didn’t care. Didn’t call to see how I was or anything.
I recently spoke to a neighbor who had bad experiences there with redeeming classes and today when yet another friend asked me if I would recommend it for her event– I emphatically said NO. I Unilocal often but can’t believe i just am letting others know about my horrible experience. I am sure there are tons of better places out there where they actually know how to run a business. I personally would never go back or recommend them.

I’ve been dancing at S Factor for over 2.5 years. It’s an amazing studio that takes you through an amazing ‘journey’ to find and express your erotic creature. When I first heard about the ‘journey’ I thought it was crazy talk. However, once you take a class you instantly understand. The rooms are setup with 3 – 6 poles, lap dancing chairs, and there are NO MIRRORS. The lighting is very dim (so dim your eyes need to adjust sometimes). This studio has no judgements. You come here to be yourself, to dance however your body wants to move. The way they teach the class is the equivalent of teaching you the language and then letting you make the story. I go to classes at least once a week and it’s my few hours to express myself and celebrate my beauty. The girls that dance at S Factor are some of the most powerful women I’ve ever met. S Factor is a studio where you dance for you and only you. I’ve been to MANY other pole dance studios and there is a ‘fakeness’ about them — with the girls dancing to learn to be sexy or to do put together a routine for their boyfriend. The girls at S already know they’re sexy, they’re just here to express it.

I have been taking this class for 1 year~
I enjoy it… It helps mre relax, forget about everything and just DANCE!
I love the moves… Its a good work out.
But you gotta find the «right» teacher… each teacher is different… works for me may not work for you.
Now that they have the Access Pass, you can drop into different class and explore.
However, it gets expensive :(

So I’m one of the original «house girls» for the NYC location… That’s right «Pole-​ing» since 2005 baby!
Things were sooo amazing when they started out… the instructors were empowering and amazing, the women in the classes were so supportive and encouraging of eachother. Everything was like one amazing dream come true…
But sadly what was once a safe, fun and empowering place to be is now more like a corporation run factory where they crank out new instructors who seem more competitive and less empowering. Most of the old staff of teachers have left sadly and it just seems very… cold now.
Go back to the fundalmentals of what SFactor stood for please…

S Factor is a great place to lay back, relax, and get sexified!
They take all the akwardness about what people think about pole-​dancing and truly prove it’s an art. After taking the class I commend those who do this for a living because it is NOT easy people! Forget the sex-​appeal, this is a full-​on total body workout!
Instructors were great, made you feel really comfortable in your own skin.
So S walk your way into one of their classes and see what I’m talking about!

I dont have enough disposable income to be an S woman but I did enjoy the class that my Living Social voucher allowed me to take.
Things that make S factor unique from the other pole places Ive been to:
The class begins with a warmup which includes some stretching and some light ab work. While still being sexy, its more intense than I expected. I needed that and chances are you do too. Most other pole studios either have no warmup or a very superficial one.
There are no mirrors in the classes & the lights were very very very dim. This worked for me because the class was more populated than other studios and the dim lights kept people focused on themselves as opposed to noticing how much better (or worse) the other women looked in comparison.
They email the hell out of you. Unsubscribe if you want but you will still get a random «we miss you!» email from time to time. They even called to make sure that I was sure about not signing up for more classes.
You can participate in some sort of S-​Factor work-​study program to subsidize your class payments, which is evidence that its pretty expensive.

I went to S Factor two days ago, with a deal purchased from Living Social. My body hurts!!! It was a bit of yoga, pilates and pole all in one. The place is hidden in the middle of the block in a random building. VERY clean! Samantha was my instructor and she was awesome. She looked like a down home girl, but once she started, she oozed sexuality and sensuality. The intro to pole class consisted of about 30 minutes of warm up, 30 minutes of pole, 30 minutes of sensual walk, and the rest was meet and greet, follow up questions, etc. I have never been to any other pole studios, so I cannot compare, for that reason I gave 4 stars. It was a great experience! I’m looking into checking out other pole studios before I make any commitment.
FYI — The rooms are very dark, meant for you to only be a silhouette. It’s very sensual, there is a lot of feeling yourself. I also banged the pole quite a bit and left with bruises. It’s not a class for the weak.

I no longer live in NYC and am in Boston where this chain doesn’t exist. I tried one class at SK on 23^rd and it was fun, but had two negative factors. The room was too hot so it was hard for me to do moves with clammy hands. They were very anal about wiping the pole constantly cause I was stuck sharing with another girl, so that was a time consuming hassle, every time we took turns having to do that. The other thing is (I know it’s part of their philosophy) the lack of mirrors was lame in my opinion. Call me vain, but I like to see if what I’m doing does, in fact, look sexy. Sure, you can FEEL like you look sexy, but when you are trying to learn a discipline and skill, it’s good to have mirrors to supplement the instructor so you can see your own form and if you should tweak the move you’re doing.
I bought the founder’s book to practice at home when I get a pole. I personally take issue with the snobby philosophy; like make sure I distinguish myself from ACTUAL strippers, and call pole dancing «empowering» and «goddess blahblah» while looking down on actual strippers in some backhanded way. Let’s face it, half the bored housewives, kept women and yuppie uptight ladies who fork out the big bucks for these classes do so to try (hopefully not in vain) to hold their husband’s sexual interest and prevent him from going to the ACTUAL strip club. It’s kinda genius, really that SK is cashing in on female insecurity; she’s artfully disguised it as empowering etc…
I personally prefer to trim all the bullshit corporate image-​building or whatever, and just work a damn pole with a teacher who has no qualms or shame saying she’s a qualified teacher because she is or was an actual stripper. I think real strippers are more interesting, anyway.
SK mostly makes you sign up for blocks of classes instead of a la carte. That isn’t the best for girls on a budget (which I very much was in NYC) and having to fork out several hundred versus forty-​ish for one class can feel daunting and be a deal breaker. I prefer a la carte classes, basically because schedules change and conflicts arise. I’m sure SK does this to ensure they make more money by collecting larger chunks.
On the plus side, SK has fun merchandise and I scooped up some cute short shorts and tank tops to wear for future classes in Boston. It’s smart of them to have the merchandise right there, especially if you come straight from work or something without a change of clothes.

I recently went to the intro class here. I wouldn’t call myself an S woman but I can see what they are so excited about.
First and foremost, the intro class is NOT like intro classes at other pole studios. It is not meant for you to drop in, learn some pole tricks this week and maybe come back next week to try again, maybe with a different instructor. No, it is meant for you to get a taste of what S factor is like. If you like the way they approach pole dance and want to learn it, you need to take a series.
Some things:
— the nicest studio I’ve been to. Clean, spacious with a real waiting room. Love the dim lighting.
–No mirrors in the studio so you aren’t so focused on how you look (they aren’t).
–The longest intro class I’ve been to… but you’re not spending most of your time on the pole.
— The instructors are women who enjoy pole dancing and teaching it to others vs. dancers/​performers who teach pole. Not that there’s anything wrong with the latter, but if you’re like me you may relate more to the instructors here.
— if you are looking to learn tricks or get a lot of pole time you aren’t going to find it in the intro class here.
Overall I’d give it a shot. I have to say I felt really sexy in this class (they emphasize this) and if I had the time and the money I’d definitely take series classes here.

I am definitely an S woman! Hear me roar! *insert cheers and gasps*
Sheila Kelley’s S Factor is the original creator of the oh so sinfully seductive pole dance workout that has been taking the nation by storm over the past few years. I had heard about this movement from one of my friends at UCLA and she highly recommended it as being one of the best and appealing workouts she’s ever done. When I moved to NYC, I needed something to jump start my exercise routine to curb weight gain and decided pole dancing might be just the thing. I was a little worried about it though since I did have an ACL repair in high school but I was assured that my knee would be fine with the movements. They were right! I signed up for an intro class last October and I’ve been indulging in my Erotic Creature ever since!
I look forward to my 2 hour class every single week and that, my friends, is something you need in order to work out. It has to appeal to you and you must truly want to go otherwise you’ll drop the routine and just sit home and do nothing. Doing S Factor also got me into signing up for a gym so now I am working out at least 4 times a week… which is what I needed in my new post-​college life. You can also sign up for smaller, shorter classes if you want more workouts on the side. As you take more levels or specialty classes, you are rewarded points that you can then use to redeem for other classes. That’s a great little reward for someone like me who has been taking the classes for a long period of time.
Pole dancing has certainly changed my body and made me stronger and more powerful. You should see some of the things I can do now; I can defy gravity, haha! People often write off pole dancing as a sexual, stripper only type of act but really, strippers can not do what my teachers can do. They are true athletes that compare to the athletic abilities of Cirque du Soleil. They are such beautiful and strong women. Pole dancing is NOT about dancing for a man, or even a woman. It’s about dancing for yourself. It gives you such confidence in your own sexy self and the woman-​only environment is very warm and friendly. I’ve made some wonderful friends here and I look forward to another year as an S woman. My S Factor’s New Year’s resolution is to be able to do the splits and meet the lovely Sheila Kelley. I love S Factor!
P. S.: S Factor is NOT cheap but if you have a financial situation, you can apply for scholarships or even partake in a work study to make it more than affordable. If you ever want to take a half-​off intro class, just PM me and I can email you the offer; all current students have a referral program! Disclaimer though, do not blame me if you become addicted to the Movement… but you can thank me later ;)
P. S.S.: As a fun note, in my first 8 week class (Level One) I had Kyra Sedgwick as my partner! How cool is that. She was so sweet and great on the pole!

************************* MY 200^th REVIEW ************************
Read many reviews thru Unilocal and Groupon had a special Intro class for a good price to try!
3 of my girlfriends and I joined on a Saturday afternoon. Signed in (receptionist was very friendly and helpful). Filled in my information and Signed my life to them. Sat and waited about 10 minutes before the class began.
Came into a nice spacious Room with 5 Poles surrounded and the smell of a strong ALCOHOL and air conditioning. Lights were dimmed and 2 professional class teachers were greeting us and tell us to be comfortable.
The INTRO Class consist in 2 hrs total of mix of Yoga (1 hr) following by the techniques, 8 levels of Pole Dancing classes they were offering. They also gave us a very sexy S walk and couple of other Sexy moves. Aside from that they gave us about 10 minutes of Pole Dancing (lesson 1) that I can even ROCK at the Bars.
At the end the both trainers showed us what they’ve learned and what they can do with the pole aside from what you see in the strip clubs. (They were soo flexible, that they were upside down, bridge sculpture while holding the poles)
It’s a different way to work your body, make your body feel Great, sexy and motivates you.
I really enjoyed it, But the only NEGATIVE about this place is that classes are scheduled (not that convenient). So if you take a class on Wed. night, then you have to do that in 8 consecutive weeks. If you miss a class, then it’s a pain in the butt to make up for it. (From what I’ve heard). So you either have to have Time to do this, or don’t even bother…
Prices are a bit high, but they are very professional instructors and also very convenient location (you know Manhattan is pricey to rent out a HUGE and CLEAN space like that).
PS… I’m still sored from my intro class (Arms, Neck, Butt, Legs, specially my ABS, it’s been day 3!, and Imagine if I play with the pole for more than 10 Minutes???
PS2… Make sure you don’t come in on a stinky feet. Also NO LOTION, and wear as short short clothing as possible. You’re gonna sweat soo much that you rather dance N-​A-​K-​E-​D. (but they don’t allow it, hehehhe)
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I was going to hold off on my review… but after I saw the less then positive write up I decided to chime in.
I feel weird writing about one of my favorite workouts that I have ever participated in.
Why? Well… I know that my dad occasionally reads my reviews. But… being that I am getting close to 30 (shhhhh…) I guess I can talk about whatever I want!
Anyways…a while ago I was watching Oprah and they had a segment on things to make a woman feel good about herself. One of the interviews was with a woman by the name of Sheila Kelly. She started a workout program called «S-​Factor». I was so amazed by the segment and thought in the back of my head… If I am ever in a city that offers this I am totally going to try it!
Fast forward to a few years later… I had totally forgot about that Oprah show. One day I was talking to my friends and she mentioned that she had to go to her sfactor class. I immediately remembered that segment and logged onto the website to happily see a studio in my area.
So what is S-​Factor? Basically… the workout is inspired by yoga, ballet, striptease and pole dancing. Yes Dad. I said striptease and pole dancing. The class really stresses that women don’t have to be afraid of their bodies or the way their bodies naturally want to move. No matter if you have a big butt or a stomach that is not so flat… every woman is sexy.
I never thought an aerobics class could be so empowering. It really has changed how I feel about myself as well as my overall body image. You leave class each week have a huge boost of confidence. Anyone that is around an S-​Factor studio I really suggest you try it out. Yes… it is a tad on the expensive side… but every week I could not wait to go to my 2 hour class… and every week when I walked out the door I was counting down the hours until I could walk into the studio again.
The classroom is unlike any aerobics studio… no mirrors… dark red lights… candles…and oh yea… stripper poles. The first hour is a pilates/​yoga inspired workout… but in a sassy way! The second hour is pole tricks (so fun!) and a dance that you use in class each week.
The workouts were hard! I woke up every week after class with my abs killing and my thighs sore. It wasn’t all just fun… remember…this is an «aerobics» class.
They do have intro classes if you are nervous about just signing up for level 1. I believe they are 40 bucks and if you sign up that 40 is applied to your level 1 fee.