BeSpun

We took our first ever pole dancing class today with Claudia Renee. It was DOPE! Signing up was a breeze and taking advantage of their intro package was incredible! Renee was incredibly patient with us, and the ladies of the class were infinitely welcoming and supportive. Though I am bruised and sore, I will be returning for another class tomorrow.

I’ve taken pole dancing at a few other places and this place is by far the best in LA.
Probably the best part is that everyone who comes here is REALLY nice. The staff, teachers and other people in class everyone are really sweet, supportive and non judgmental. A lot of times the girl next to me will stop what she’d doing and help me with a trick which is terrific. I mean you aren’t wearing a lot of clothes and moving in a manner reserved usually for private
I really like the new format of the classes that are broke up into elements or routine. Routine you learn a routine and choreography and elements you work on learning a few skills in depth.
My favorite instructors is Claudia, Brynn, and Katherine but everyone is fantastic.

In my opinion: Leigh Ann is a monster. She treats her staff like shit and doesn’t pay the people that work for her. She likes to twiddle on her cell phone while teaching ignoring her students. She’s had numerous complaints from clientele who have been angry at her tardy behavior and lack of disrespect, but she just refunds them their money so they go away. She charges different clients different prices depending on how much blood she thinks she can squeeze out of them. If she was as important as she thinks she is, then maybe people would show up to her pole parties.

I really enjoyed the two pole classes I took at Spun. I was really impressed with how nice the studio is laid out. It was very clean and welcoming for a first timer.
Pros: The teachers are really helpful and seem to love what they do.
Cons:
–There is no parking. You’ll have to run out and feed your meter.
— I wish there were more poles so the girls don’t have to share them.
— Sometimes the music is a little too loud and you can’t hear what the instructors are saying.
I would definitely go back.

I just took the Sexy Basics class today. This was my first class at this studio and pole dancing as well so I didn’t know what to expect at all. The staff was very friendly upon arrival. The instructor, Claudia was great and introduced herself to all the newbies and made us feel really welcome.
The class itself was comprised of floor work, walks, and some moves on the pole. There weren’t enough poles for every person so the class was divided up and we took turns. I definitely felt intimidated by some of the moves, but Claudia was encouraging as were the other people in the class.
Parking also was super easy as there were plenty of meters.

I haven’t gotten to try all the pole studios in LA yet but I like this one so far mainly bc there are various advanced classes!
Pros: I found 3 awesome teachers with varied styles for advanced classes, various advanced classes available with cool tricks, accessible location with easy parking (for LA), awesome 2 week package if you’re new to the studio ($ 69 for 2 weeks and you can try any/​all classes — really good marketing on their part and I’m enjoying this a tone)
Cons: studio is (too) small, one pole doesn’t have a mirror so no one ever wants to use it, classes are way too full so you always have to share a pole with 1 – 2 other ppl (way to much down time and because the studio is small you can’t even stretch on the side while you’re waiting for your turn), classes are only 1h10min. There aren’t any «gymnastics» mats to use for scary /​flippy tricks.
Recommendations: I would love to see more guys teaching — they’re awesome for cool scary tricks! Classes should be 20 min longer. Enforce the limit you have on the number of ppl allowed in each class. Sharing a pole btw 3 ppl is ridiculous. For choreography classes, there shouldn’t be more ppl allowed than there are poles bc the choreo usually isn’t tiring or complicated. For tricks classes, there shouldn’t be more than 2 ppl sharing a pole.

I booked a private class for a Bachelorette party this past weekend, and we were so pleased!
There were about 6 of us– varying levels of athleticism and flexibility. Our instructor was patient, fun, and supportive. We did some great warm ups, learned some booty moves, and got to play on the many poles!
Overall it was absolutely wonderful! We couldn’t stop smiling, and sometimes laughing. We listened to great music the whole time, and at the end the instructor encouraged us to plug in our own music, and helped take photos of us while we had some free play with the space.
We are definitely still sore, but that’s the sign of a great work out!

I’m surprised this place doesn’t have more reviews. I guess it’s the one’s that are satisfied that don’t post. I’ve came here several times and loved it. This is my second favorite next to Goddess Fitness. I love the warm ups. Each teacher has their own style. The talent is amazing and the teachers are really good at explaining and breaking down the moves. I also like how they spot you while your’re on the pole to get your body in the right position. I really like the free dance at the end of the class because you get to practice what you’ve learned and mix it up with what you already know and add some dancing in between then you get to watch other people dance and you just stare in awe and that’s what keeps me coming back for more. It’s an hour to drive there for me plus $ 35 for drop in class or is it $ 40? I forgot but i’m okay paying that because I always learn something new. I guess it could be intimidating for beginners…

This review is based on an incredible Groupon deal for an 8-​Weeks Intro to Pole Dance and learning the basics of the art of seduction. Great deal I must say so myself, for $ 99 for eight weeks was a steal! The usual price for the workshops are around $ 320, so I’m sure you’d agree for that bargain. Anyways, it’s a great experience with two awesome instructors and I’ll tell you why I ended up with two instructors. First off, the first week was pushed back due to Easter Sunday and I had picked Sundays for my 2-​hour pole dancing experience because of my hectic school/​work schedule, but anyways, the first and last class was taught by Adrienne because Sienna wasn’t able to make it. No problem, and she was sweet and taught us a thing or two, haha. As for my primary instructor, Sienna, she’s an awesome and goofy teacher, love her! Learned a lot from all that she taught us and am continuing my training for her core workout and fun skills. Currently taking private lessons with Sienna and am planning to take Sienna for the advance pole fitness in the fall. I hope this encourages anyone who can’t to try something new and you meet great people from learning an art form.
FYI, since parking is only on the street, good luck finding parking on Sunset, I suggest you be there early and enjoy yourselves!

This is no regular pole dance studio. Leigh Ann and her staff not only have a strong & graceful talent on the pole, they are incredible teachers that take the time to perfect your tricks and help you every step of the way in the flow of your dance. And yeah, the fact that they breed champions well it only confirms that they know how to be the best all the way. Hands down the best pole studio in the country and my fave, would never go anywhere else!
Thanks guys for making my workout a beautiful fix every time.

Be Spun is the epitome of pole dancing. This studio has produced many champions and pole stars including the owner Leigh Ann.
I have been working with Leigh Ann via skype over several months now. I wish I could take a trip to be IN the studio but alas my fear of flight and lack of funds leaves me grounded, but that’s ok — you can do skype.
Leigh Ann is one of those rare teachers that can literally teach anyone anything if their body is ready for it. If you can’t do something she immediately tells you why and how to get there. Her ability to get you to mix dancing, emotion and acting is astonishing. She works with YOUR vision and helps you be the best dancer/​performer you can be and works WITH your style. She will never ask you to change anything about yourself and will come up with new and inventive ways to take what you do and really make it YOURS.
If you want to dance like a professional, be a professional or compete — this is the place to go!!! While I’ve only trained with Leigh Ann indepthly I can tell you that her other instructors are just as good — this comes from strong leadership on Leigh Ann’s part — who is always somehow ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest and greatest in this art. She is almost always ahead of each trend in an ever evolving sport and art.

I realize this is like the 3^rd time I’ve written about BeSpun (4^th time if we count last year’s Unilocal event) and I realize that I gave 5 stars each time. But BeSpun continues to impress me over and over again!
This particular review is about the 8-​week Intermediate Pole Workshop I just completed. It was AH-​MAY-​ZING!!! I highly recommend a workshop to anyone who prefers a structured curriculum. Many pole studios, BeSpun included, offer classes where you drop in to your specific skill level with no set commitment to the day and time you attend. But if you take a workshop, you have a specific start date and a commitment to specific days/​times every week for 8 weeks.
The benefits of an 8-​week workshop include:
— the feeling that you are on a more equal playing field with your fellow classmates regardless of skill level
— a curriculum that gradually builds in difficulty based off of what you learned in the previous class
— it’s really cool to see how you and your fellow classmates progress over time! Not to mention the bond and support you provide for each other :)
Our super awesome instructor Amy was really good at conditioning our bodies in strength and flexibility. She was excellent at explaining the many MANY intermediate spins, climbing tricks, and inverting tricks while pushing us to achieve something you didn’t know your body could do. Climb to the top of an 18ft pole? Yeah, I can do that. Hang upside-​down on the pole using only the outside leg and no hands? Yup, I can do that too. Walk and dance in 6-​inch heels? Sure, why not! I’m also proud to announce that I’m only inches away from doing the splits… on both sides! :)
Our class was lucky enough to have only 5 students and Amy did a really good job at spending time with each student on each trick. We were able to master every single thing she taught us? Pshhhh, I couldn’t ;P …but everybody (and every body) is different. I feel that if I keep practicing on my own and remember everything that Amy taught me, eventually I’ll master the caterpillar, extended butterfly, superman, an invert without kicking, an invert from a climb, the helicopter spin, etc.
My class met for one hour twice a week and I’m gonna miss seeing Amy and my classmates on a regular basis. For the amount of tricks that you learn and the bonds you create, the 8-​week workshops are definitely worth it! Yay BeSpun :)

I have just been inspired to write my 2^nd or 3^rd Unilocal review ever. I had always been interested in pole dance and when I saw a Groupon for this, I jumped at the chance.
The woman who checked me in at Be Spun was very friendly, showed me where to change and walked me into the studio and explained where things were. I was very intimidated at first, as all the girls seemed to know all the stretches and seemed to have been dancers previously. I thought, well, this was an adventure, I’m glad I tried it., won’t be coming back.
Then Amy and Lindsey noticed that I didn’t know all of the stretches and immediately reached out to me as a beginner and introduced themselves. Lindsey took myself and two other girls to the adjacent pole room and we spent the next 45 minutes learning all the beginner moves of pole dance. This was a totally accepting and comfortable environment. Lindsey was incredibly encouraging and a fantastic teacher, moving us through the steps consistently but also giving us special attention when she was asked. I definitely fall on the «outdoorsy» type of athlete, so I’ve never paid for a gym membership in my life, but I just bought the 10 class package for Be Spun pole dancing. After one one-​hour lesson with great instructors, I’m hooked.

I strongly suggest you find a different studio if you are new to pole dance. DO NOT take your first ever pole dance class here! I went to a beginners pole class yesterday– my 2^nd pole class ever, and my first at this studio. My first experience had been at Allure and it was wonderful. That’s part of the reason I was so disappointed with Be Spun.
This studio is very large, and because of that it feels very much like a gym and lacks the intimacy of a smaller dance studio. Immediately upon walking in I felt out of place and awkward. And that was before we even touched the poles. I soon found out that most of these «beginners» could already climb the poles, do inversions, and complete spins flawlessly. The less skilled of the «beginners» were divided into a smaller, separate group and taken into a conjoined area of the gym. We were given our own teacher, who guided us through an awkward warmup, yelling over the music blasting from the other side of the gym.
The hour flew by like it was nothing. Our teacher guided us through 6 or 7 moves, each of which she showed us once or twice, trying to explain over all the noise coming from the other half of the pole class. Though she was encouraging and willing to give individual attention if you were clearly failing at something, she didn’t give clear instructions for any move, and I mostly just felt like I was stumbling around and learning from trial and error. We learned move after move, and by the end we put them all together into a minute long performance that looked completely awful because no one had actually learned any of the moves perfectly. Not only that, but I hadn’t broken a sweat or breathed hard a single time for the whole class– we hadn’t done anything that merited it.
Pole is not just about learning moves, it’s about confidence and sexiness, neither of which I felt a single time during the class. Learning that many moves that quickly may be useful if you have a pole at home that you can practice on, but how many beginners have their own pole? I’m so glad this was not my first pole class or else I would never have gone back. Allure is 5 miles further away than Be Spun but now I know it’s definitely worth the drive.

I Love this place! I had taken a pole class at another studio and this class was w-​a-​a-​y more professional and top-​notch. Via a Groupon deal, I was introduced to BeSpun. It was hard to find the first time I went – the entrance is not on Santa Monica Blvd… you have to turn on Kingsley and go through the fenced gate.
I took a beginner’s pole 8-​week workshop for 2 hours on saturdays with Adrienne and she was FANTASTIC! I learned alot and she was amazing. It was THE BEST workout too. In that short period of time, I had started seeing a difference in my body – and I was definitely toning and gaining more strength. I happened to talked to someone who worked there about the studio and the classes. She was very nice and very accommodating. I later found out it was the owner Leigh Ann! That’s a way to run a business. I started school on the weekends, so I can’t take the saturday workshops, but I will definitely go back once I figure out my school schedule and take the Level 2 Workshop.

I have to say… I’ve been to SO many studios and this one is the best of them because they actually have a workshop program to actually learn step by step moves — a curriculum.
I’m learning a lot more than I did when I were at other studios and met a lot of great contacts in the pole dancing world (X-​pole representatives and such). Really a great networking place if you really do want to compete (No, I do not want to).
In a program, at first it’s crowded with lots of people and then it died down now — two more weeks then the program is done.
I’m considering doing the second level program because I have learned a lot. It’s expensive as heck but:
1. You get an amazing workout. You WILL sweat if you are trying.
2. Teachers are very experienced and will spot you.
3. You will learn to become more limber.
4. You will learn fast and effectively on the pole.
5. You’ll feel sexy doing it.
I’m also considering the contortion class which is a 8 week program once a week and still expensive, but I think you will be limber by the end of the program.
PARKING:
This place is still in the ghetto — that isn’t going to change — but parking is good when you get there early in the lot. It’s hard to get out. You need a spotter too. Lots of cars. Better to park in the street.
PROS:
* You will learn.
CONS:
* Expensive, but you’re paying for the experience.
* Parking and area

I’ve taken pole dancing at 3 different studios now, and this one is super legit.
They have 8 (?) tall poles and a bunch of smaller poles. Sometimes, you have to share a pole in class but usually with just one other person. The pole to dancer ratio is pretty good.
I’m taking the Level 2 workshop, and I love the twice a week routine. The instructor, Jennifer, is great at keeping the warm-​up short and to the point so you get more pole time. Every class has a free dance time, so you get the chance to dance and practice what you learned to an entire song. This was intimidating to me at first, but you get over it. Jennifer really pushes you to learn more difficult tricks, which is scary but pushes you farther than you think you can go. Literally, I’ve had at least one breakthrough per week, when I could finally do something I never thought I could do. I’ve progressed faster here than at any other studio.
I also love how the classes are somewhat mixed level, and it’s really inspiring watching more experienced dancers show off what they know. People are also really nice about giving you tips and feedback.
Despite the intense testosterone workout going on outside the pole dance studio, I love how feminine and comfortable this studio is. I was shocked at first by how little clothing the girls here wore compared to other pole dancing studios. It’s like a teenager slumber party where you dance around to 80s and erotic music all night in your underwear. =)

Holy Moley this place is a disaster.
I attended BeSpun’s pole showcase in early 2011. Don’t be fooled when they advertise big pole dance names as performers. Those girls are there, but they perform for about a minute each. The VAST majority of their line-​up is their own students and staff. SO you’re basically paying 20 – 60 dollars to watch a dance recital, and not a great one at that.
On the 22^nd of January 2011, I attended a performance at BeSpun pole studio in Los Angeles. My party consisted of 4 adults, including myself. We purchased 4 V.I.P. tickets at $ 60 each, totaling $ 240 plus handling charges.
When we attended the show we were not late, on the contrary we were early. We were seated in what we were told was the V.I.P. section of the room. Little did we know that as soon as the doors blocking the «stage» were pushed back, there was an enormous column blocking our view of the entire show. We could not see 90% of the performances that evening. Unfortunately we realized this too late to change our seats. In addition there were numerous other patrons who did not purchase V.I.P. seats sitting in the rows in front of us. We mentioned this to a bouncer and he did nothing to rectify the situation. In fact, we witnessed him talking and flirting with a group of young women seated in front of us. Their wristbands clearly indicated that they had purchased the «cheap» $ 20 seats.
Frustrated, my party attempted to leave to show, only to find that our car, which had been parked in BeSpun’s parking lot by the attendant, was completely double parked in. We literally were trapped at a show we had paid $ 240+ dollars to see, but could not view properly at all. We tried again to speak with someone at the «front desk» about getting our car out or having our seats moved, but were told by the «bouncer» that, «no one is leaving any time soon.» In addition, the man told us (and I paraphrase here) that if we stood by the bar and leaned over, we might be able to see some of the performances we couldn’t view from our seats. Needless to say, we did not receive the V.I.P. seating that was promised in the tickets. Nor were we even able to view the vast majority of the performances of that night.
I called «Kelly» from BeSpun who had been my contact in purchasing the tickets, about my horrible experience at the show and asked for a full refund of our ticket price. I never received a response back. I emailed her multiple times and never received a response. Finally, I emailed the manager of the studio, «Amy,» and was offered a very partial refund. This is not to my satisfaction, as my guests and myself did not receive even the most basic view of the show.
Now, granted, I did not take classes at BeSpun, but my experiences in the studio and with the staff were so atrocious and poorly handled on their part, I would never consider giving them my money for a lesson.
Other Things You Should Know:
— The studio is in a very shady part of LA. Do not go at night, I know three girls who were mugged leaving the studio the same night of the show.
— The Pole Dance studio (BeSpun) is located within an MMA training facility (Legends). Needless to say, the place reeks of male sweat and is filthy. The studio does not offer the same quiet, calm, invigorating vibe that other studios I have trained at offer.
— Don’t even get me started on the bathrooms. Just think, MMA training gym. Gross.

BeSpun is the best Pole studio that I’ve been to since I started Pole 3 months ago. I learned more in 10 days at BeSpun than I learned in 2−½ months at Evolve (Fairfax&Pico). I purchased a 2-​week unlimited deal on KGB and I attended class every day for the last 10 days, except Sunday since they’re closed.
Every instructor I had (Leigh Ann, Lindsey, Adrienne, Amber, Jen, Anjel, & Josiah) has been very welcoming and always introduced themselves to each new student, every class, so they really remember who’s in their classes and make an effort to build rapport with each student. Every instructor demonstrates the pole trick, talks you through the steps, and if you’re not ready or strong enough to do a really complex trick, they give you something to work on in order to build up to the trick. They are all very supportive and incredibly experienced themselves!
The structure of the class starts with a free dance. Free dance is when the instructor puts on music and you basically combine any moves you know– pole tricks, floor work, spins, etc. into a personalized routine. The purpose of the free dance is for the instructor to know what s/​he can teach, depending on the levels of students in each class. After free dance, the instructor teaches up to 5 – 6 tricks in one class! They do not expect everyone to master everything they teach, before they move onto another lesson. This is a major difference from Evolve.
At Evolve, even when I was proactive and asked to learn the next step in a complex pole trick, the instructors would NOT teach it until I had absolutely mastered the first step. This pretty much sucks because I have a pole in my apt and I can practice any time I want so I want to learn more tricks in class so I can practice perfecting them at home on my own time, not in class when I have to pay 25 $ each time I go!
Like I said, all the instructors at BeSpun are incredibly experienced and teach pole tricks in a sequence, not just in isolation. Basically you can learn 3 different tricks at once in a sequence, and they break it down for you based on your level. Another aspect of their experience is the fact that they move around the studio and make sure to make contact with each student in class, even if there are up to 12 students in class! I’ve gotten more personal attention at BeSpun in 10 days than I ever experienced at Evolve over 2−½ months.
If you’re ready to get serious with pole fitness, then I absolutely recommend BeSpun. Their program is legit, not just a tease (like Evolve) to rope you in, make you pay an astronomical tuition and teach you one simple thing you already knew over an hour-​long class. BeSpun really challenges you and you can learn so much in every class! I will absolutely pay full tuition price to go to BeSpun because I really feel like I get my money’s worth and my pole fix!

If I could give this place a negative, I would. Just writing this makes my blood boil.
Let me explain.
I had to plan a party for someone that involved getting a group of us gals to this place to take a one hour pole dancing class. I purchased the tickets on Lifebooker. (The people at Lifebooker were just fine, incidentally; none of this had anything to do with them.)
Once I purchased the tickets, which was the easy part, of course, it went downhill from there.
FIRSTLY, you can’t reach these people. The number they have listed is one that I called quite possibly over 60 or 70 times. No, I’m NOT joking. And NO, they DON’T give you the ability to leave a voice mail. For every 20 to 25 calls, I got to talk to an unintelligent human who knew nothing about, you guessed it, NADA! I talked with a man and two women, one of whom was the manager, and it was as though all of them were drugged out or something. Long pauses between answers (which were usually «I don’t know» or «I’m not sure if we do that» among other idiotic declarations, a degree of detachment and rudeness that I can only characterize as incredulous given that we don’t live in COMMUNIST RUSSIA and… I’ll shush. I’m getting angry.
I SPECIFICALLY asked if I could get my money back because we had a lot of out-​of-​towners book who I KNEW would cancel on me at the last moment. They said yes. Twice.
What happened when I went to get my money back? SORRY, CAN’T HELP YOU!
Well, how about cashing in in another way, say with your products?
NOPE. Good for classes only.
So, they made off with about $ 40 of my money. It’s not the amount; $ 40 is a teeny amount. It’s the damn principle, people. They went back on their word, and that’s after giving me a hard time to just get on the damn phone with them.
ATROCIOUS company. I wouldn’t recommend this place if my life depended on it.
And the bathroom needed attention, too.
The quality of the instructor who actually taught the class (I don’t remember her name) was average. The floor needed cleaning. I had just come out of the shower before going and by the time I left, the bottoms of my feet were black. It was grotesque.
It didn’t get a single thing right, this place. Nothing. Your blood pressure shouldn’t rise when dealing with a company that supposedly wants your business.
I don’t know how these people are keeping their head above water without the simple ability to leave a message; it’s beyond me.
Oh, and you can’t reserve classes, either. I forgot. Not online and not over the phone. You have to actually physically walk in, and then, just risk it.
Nope, no joke, folks! I had to march myself in there the morning of (because you can’t do it TOO early) and tell them how many people would come. After that, it was up to the gods whether we got poles.
Yep. Classy, these folks. And obviously über intelligent.