STUDIO POLICIES

Judgment, prejudice, and bigotry will not be tolerated. 

We are an 18+ studio.  

Please be respectful of the studio space and other members of the community.   

Consent 

Always ask for consent before touching another individual for any reason.  If the answer is anything other than yes, this is a hard stop.  (For more details, please consult with a staff member. )

We absolutely encourage connecting with fellow Sanctuary members, and think it’s wonderful for new relationships to blossom over a shared love of pole and movement! To honor consent and inclusivity, we ask that if you want to make social plans with someone after class, please be sure to invite the whole group to join! 

Burn Box Ritual

Sanctuary encourages us to send the “inner critic”, and other unhelpful parts of us, into the “corner” for a little time out! *See details on our “burn box dump” below.  

Let’s leave diet culture, etc. at the door.  Improvedhealth and fitness are certainly benefits that come along with committing to a regular movement practice, but not our focal point. We ask members and visitors to avoid engaging in conversations about diet and weight loss as they are also beyond the scope of what we can provide at sanctuary, and not what we aspire to achieve. If you need more support to identify and move towards specific goals, we ask you to  reach out to us privately.

Members and visitors agree to refrain from making comments about their own bodies, and the bodies of other people.  Comments on someone’s appearance, even when positive, can be unwelcome and potentially triggering.

The Burn Box Dump provides the opportunity to engage in ritual and get into the habit of releasing negativity.  When we allow ourselves space from our inner critic, we increase our capacity for enjoyment and advancement, physically and emotionally.  When you enter Sanctuary, you will see a small box on top of the communal cubby space. This is the Burn Box. The function of the Burn Box is to provide a physical vessel outside of ourselves, to bear the weight of whatever is holding us back. We do this by giving form to thought/feeling whether by making a drawing or writing a note and then depositing that into the top slot of the box as we walk in the door. 

Message to Self  When you write your burn box note, you will also be invited to write down a supportive message to yourself.  When we face challenges in class and beyond, these messages can serve as a touchstone reminder.  

Do not lean against the mirrors.

Do not wear jewelry during the sessions. 

No lotions or oils (see the “preparing for class” section below for more info)

No street shoes on the dance floor. 

Always wipe down your pole at the beginning and end of class. Use the clean rags and the bottles that say “Clean Ya Pole/Alcohol”.  They can be found on the wooden shelves alongside the mats and blocks.

At the end of class, make sure to clean up after yourself. 

Wipe down your mat with the appropriate cleaning solution, “Clean Yo Mat” and leave them unrolled. 

Please practice good hygiene and refrain from applying strong perfume or other strong scents. 

FILMING OR PHOTOGRAPHY DURING CLASS AND OTHER SHARED STUDIO TIME 

We encourage you to film yourself during the last 10-15 minutes of class when we take time to play with what we’ve learned.  Filming allows you to document your progress and identify opportunities for progress. 

When filming, always ask permission from anyone who may be caught in the frame.  If you intend to post footage that captures the image of any individual other than yourself, always ask permission in advance from all who may also be in the video. 

Before asking others to film you, try using available tripods or other items such as yoga blocks, to act as make-shift tripods. 

SAFETY GUIDELINES

At Sanctuary Movement Studios, safety is paramount.   

*** If you have any pain, chronic injuries, illnesses, or dizziness, please inform the instructor or management at your earliest convenience PRIOR to coming to class. 

No alcohol or drugs.If you show signs that you are intoxicated, we reserve the right to ask you to leave without providing a refund.  This is for safety reasons!

If you have prior experience with pole, or are advancing beyond beginner stages, we know it can be fun to do all the things. But, we do ask that you take it slow when starting with us, and ensure you don’t get into any poses that you are not comfortable getting out of.

We encourage you to film yourself during the last 10-15 minutes of class when we take time to play with what we’ve learned.  Filming allows you to document your progress and identify opportunities for progress. 

When filming, always ask permission from anyone who may be caught in the frame.  If you intend to post footage that captures the image of any individual other than yourself, always ask permission in advance from all who may also be in the video. 

Before asking others to film you, try using available tripods or other items such as yoga blocks, to act as make-shift tripods. 

At Sanctuary Movement Studios, safety is paramount.   

** If you have any pain, chronic injuries, illnesses, or dizziness, please inform the instructor or management at your earliest convenience PRIOR to coming to class. 

No alcohol or drugs. If you show signs that you are intoxicated, we reserve the right to ask you to leave without providing a refund.  This is for safety reasons!

If you have prior experience with pole, or are advancing beyond beginner stages, we know it can be fun to do all the things. But, we do ask that you take it slow when starting with us, and ensure you don’t get into any poses that you are not comfortable getting out of.

Open Pole is an opportunity to practice what you have learned in class and to explore within that realm.  This is not the time to try getting into a trick you have never tried.  All house rules and safety guidelines apply. 

For safety reasons, all open studio clients who will be using a pole must either have taken at least one pole class at Sanctuary or have been pre-approved by Sanctuary staff.  If you want permission, give us a call or send us a DM on IG.  

Open pole sessions are typically shared with fellow students, Sanctuary staff, and members. You may sometimes have the dance room to yourself but, unless you book a “studio rental”, you will usually be sharing the space.  

Play and share nicely!  Be kind to yourself and each other. During open studio, you will be sharing music selection privileges with your fellow movers in attendance.  This is practice/play/jam time. 

Please Warm Up Thoroughly.  Decide what you want to work on and build your warmup accordingly.  If you would like help designing your warmup, please ask an instructor.

If you are working on moves and techniques that may require supervision, please give advance notification to the instructor on-site.

Please understand that if you arrive late to class, you are increasing your risk of injury!  If you arrive more than 5 minutes late, you will be responsible for performing specific additional warm up exercises for your own safety.  

If you arrive late habitually (which can be very distracting for your instructor and your fellow students), we reserve the right to deny entry into class.  This would be considered “late ” and you will be subject to losing your class pass or paying a fee (see cancellation policies below for details).