Work It Girl Fitness helps women find their inner confidence through custom pole dance choreography
(PHOTO CREDIT: girlnextdoorshow.com)
Each day a woman is faced with the decision of accepting the woman that stares back at her in the mirror. Only four percent of women around the world consider themselves to be beautiful, with societal pressures to look and behave a certain way.
Tera Monique is trying to change that.
The college admissions professional turned twerk-a-holic, pole dance instructor hopes to instill fitness, confidence, and sensuality in women who take pole dancing classes through her Atlanta-based business, Work It Girl Fitness.
Being “sexy” or sensual is often a touchy subject for women – especially if they are not in tune with what makes them feel fierce or have anxiety about being judged by others if they explore their inner sexiness.
Through pole dancing, Tera says women can bust a sweat and look sexy at the same time.
“Women think pole dancing is ‘just’ fun but most don’t understand it can be an intense workout,” says Tera. “Most times, gaining confidence and self-esteem is like a “happy accident” because most women don’t expect their endurance and body to be challenged.”
Tera got her “boost” in 2010, after taking her first pole dance class in Michigan. An unhealthy combination of college, relationships, and stress took a toll of Tera, leaving her with a ton of baggage and complementary weight. A friend suggested that Tera, then a Zumba instructor, to try pole dancing.
“Dance has always been a part of my life,” says Tera. “I went to the [pole dancing] class not knowing what to expect and left sore all over the next day. I loved how it made me feel and kept going back.”
Taking it to the Next Level
Tera became a certified pole dance instructor within several years of her first pole dance experience. As she immersed herself more and more into the field, she realized that she had begun to find her passion.
“I had been working in colleges and universities since 2004. After a while it didn’t begin to feel right,” says Tera.
After this realization, Tera flirted with the idea of becoming a full-time entrepreneur. As she thought about it more and more, her thoughts turned it a decision – a scary one.
“I changed my mind about 50,000 times,” says Tera. “My family was supportive because they knew I wasn’t happy and needed to do something else. But, I knew my passion was there and the business could be something viable. I decided, ‘Alright, I’m going to do this entrepreneurship thing.”
Tera quit her full-time job in 2015 and went into the pole dancing arena. She cheerful says,
“I’ve never been happier in my life – I’m broke as hell, don’t get me wrong, but I am learning in the process. I am not alone. The entrepreneur community is so helpful. You don’t get that support in corporate America. Or higher education. Every is in their own silo and working on their own goals. With entrepreneurs, we’re in this together.”
Creating the Brand
Tera created Work It Girl Fitness with the intent of helping all women at different ages, sizes and skill level. Her niche is to help women find pole tricks and dance moves that complement their body and personality.
“All moves aren’t for everybody,” says Tera. “I really want everyone who takes my class to feel successful at something. I work with them to help them feel good, because no one wants to feel like they didn’t accomplish something at the end of the day. I want women to find enjoyment in working with what they have.”
Most importantly, Tera has incorporated strength conditioning in her business’ values. When she began in 2010, she observed that many studios taught pole dancing tricks but did not provide adequate training to make sure bodies were ready to do challenging moves.
“I saw a lot of women get hurt because they weren’t ready for moves,” said Tera. “An injury can crush your spirit and self-esteem because the body isn’t ready. I’d rather be honest and work with my students upfront on their body strength to build the confidence to master difficult pole tricks. That might be the educator in me [laughs] – my education background comes in handy.”
Currently Work It Girl Fitness is a mobile operation – Tera goes to her students to host classes focused on pole dancing (when a pole is available) or sensual dancing. In the future Tera will offer virtual classes to create more access and allow women to learn from the comforts of their home.
#AllTwerksMatter (Yes, This is a Thing)
In her experience as an instructor, Tera has come across women who were hesitant to learn because they didn’t have the “right” body type. In Atlanta, pole dancing is a popular trade for some women; however, it is no easy feat to enter the industry – especially for skinny African-American girls.
“I had a really talented student who went to work for a popular club in Atlanta, " says Tera. "She was denied because she was “too skinny” and didn’t have the coke bottle frame the club was looking for. It’s sad really.”
In African-American culture, being “thick” is in, but Tera is confident that you don’t need to have a body like Nicki Minaj to look and feel sexy. “I don’t care how big or small you are – it can move,” she says. “All butt shapes should be celebrated and twerked – everyone has the muscle to keep that ‘thang’ jumping.”
Tera and instructors like her often receive criticism and backlash for pole dancing, which brings mixed feelings. However, she wants all women to know:
It [pole dancing] doesn’t say anything about your class, how smart you are, or your job. It’s just a style of dance. That’s all. I love that it is now considered exercise. I’m happy it is more mainstream and women are beginning to do it. It’s a fun form of dance and I'm happy it is being embraced. Twerking doesn’t make you any less of a woman.”
Dance on, sister.
To learn more about Tera and Work It Girl Fitness, visit her at www.workitgirlfitness.com or on Instagram and Twitter.
