Aloha!
Thanks for taking the time to swing by
Allison Unzipped. Let me
start with a quick introduction. I am currently studying Math
Education and Computer Science at Hawaii Pacific University. By
night, I am also an amateur pole dancer (see my other blog:
Adventures in Exotic Dancing). So I will begin this first post by addressing both communities in a review of pole fitness applications (note: I will only be addressing apps for the iPhone in this particular blog).
The first category of apps does not demand much attention. "Studio Apps" were designed with one goal: to connect a dancer with their local studio. These apps generally contain directions, contact information, and class information, which often includes a reservation system. I mention these to keep you from having to weed them out yourself if searching your device's app store. Applications in this category include:
-Body & Pole
-Vertical Addiction
-Milan Pole Dance Studio
-Pole Fever
The next category includes "Instructional Apps". These are the most popular by far!
Girl on Pole Lite by HunkWorkout; (Free) *
Pole Dancer Pro by RAM Apps; (Free) *
Learn Pole Dancing by JS900; ($1.95) *
Learn to Pole Dance by Global Education Organization; ($1.99) *
Pole Fitness On The Go by Bubble Apps; ($1.99) ***
Evette's Dance and Fitness by Evette's Dance and Fitness Club; ($1.99, $5.99) ***
I would not recommend you waste your time (or money) on these first few apps. The amount of instruction provided leaves much to be desired! Girl on Pole even claims to have instruction by a "World Champion Dancer," who unfortunately is an unknown in the pole community. Pole Fitness On The Go offers instruction combo moves on both static and spinning, but after learning that "BCRPA" means "British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association," I lost a little respect for their certification. And while Evette's... offers a larger number of videos, the lite version only contains beginner moves, and you can get a whole lot more bang for you buck elsewhere...keep reading!
Pole Motion by Apps Kitchen Inc.; (Free) ****
Among the free apps, this is one of the more robust ones. For starters, it has a decent number of move tutorials with both text and photos. On top of that, it offers a warm-up, three routines, as well as a cool down routine. If you are looking for a place to start, this is it!!
Diva Fit by Allen Skees; (Free, $4.95) ****
Diva Fit Lite is offered as a free preview of the full app, which contains over 140 videos! The videos can be viewed by streaming or by downloading, offering options to conserve bandwidth or disk space, whatever is the user's priority. Offering opportunities to type in your own notes and track progress, this app is a great deal!
Pocket Pole Studio by Pocket Pole Studio; (Free, $1.99, $6.99) *****
This was, hands down, the best app I found. First off, who in the pole community has not heard of the face of Pocket Pole Studio, Felix Cane!? Not only does this app contain instruction, but it also offers a retail store (can you say costumes!) in addition to a studio locator. This app is worth every penny!
In addition to the above apps, there are a few more "Community Apps."
Poledancer by Zami.com; ($0.99) **
This app allows you to connect with friends and share "the best pole dancing videos from around the world." While a fun concept, doesn't Facebook do the same?
USPDF by H.S.I LLC; ($2.99) **
If you want to stay in-the-know about upcoming events, competitor and judge bios, etc., this is the app for you. Alas, I think I will stick with finding out the news by going to their free website.
Vertical Art & Fitness Mobile by Vertical Productions, LLC; (Free) ****
This is the app allowing you to access their magazine through your mobile device. An annual subscription of $29.99 brings you six issues of pole dance news, biographies, interviews, etc.
I hope this review helped you weed through some of what you find in the app store. Happy poling!
