It’s not all about strippers and booze: brides-to-be are looking for new ways to bond with their girlfriends

When it comes to her stagette, bride-to-be Melissa Devolin is clear about what she doesn’t want.

“No strip club for me,” she says, as her fiancé smiles and walks a discreet distance away, so that she can be entirely honest.

Burlesquercise owner Diana Lefebvre shows the ladies how to get sexy during burlesque teaser parties for up to a dozen women.

Photo: Courtesy of Perry Thompson

For Annita Nichol, the experience is about her and her girlfriends. For her stagette, her girlfriends surprised her with a yoga class.

“It was so much fun,” Nichol says of the experience. “There was a lot of laughing, eye rolling, and giggling. More than anything, the stagette was about appreciating my girlfriends.”

Whether you are interested in the bar scene, want to surprise your engaged friend with something special, or you are just looking for an interesting way to bond over upcoming nuptials, here are some fun and healthy alternatives for stagette parties.

Pole Dancing

Pole dancing combines fitness and health with a little bit of sexiness, says Krystal Wall of Aradia Fitness. She says that it can really break down barriers and allow people to laugh at themselves.

“Pole dancing lets you get your wild side out,” says Monika Rebosz, a bride-to-be who is just starting to think about her own stagette.

Aradia Fitness offers stagette parties with classes in pole dancing or chair (lap) dancing, or a combination of both. Classes are offered in the studio where all the poles, equipment and props are available to the group.

People of all sizes and ages– provided they are over the age of 18– may do pole dancing,  and everyone’s invited.

“It’s best when the moms and the aunts are invited,” Wall says. “The moms are usually the most comfortable with themselves.” Not to mention the bride sees a new side to their family members, she says with a chuckle.

An hour-long pole dancing class at Aradia Fitness is approximately $250, and it is recommended that the group be no larger than 15 people, so everyone has enough time on the poles. For larger groups, you can try a chair dancing class, or book a longer time. For more information, visit www.aradiafitness.com.

Belly Dancing

Belly dancing is a sensual way to workout and bond with the women in your life. Wrap a hip scarf on and learn some basic belly moves.

Zenya Horricks, of Goddess Dance, says that belly dancing is an ideal way to celebrate a stagette because it’s about femininity.

“You get to celebrate being a woman,” she says. “It takes a lot of strength, grace and power as well, so it’s a good workout.

Bonding over belly dancing can last beyond just the one class. Horricks recalls a stagette party that pulled out the music at the wedding, and performed their dance for the guests.

“It’s a healthy way to get energized before going out,” Horricks adds, referring to the girls that head out for dinner and drinks after the class.

A belly dancing class at Goddess Dance can go from two to two and a half hours, and costs between $10 to $20 per person. The size of the group can be between six and 25 people. Visit www.goddessdance.ca.

Yoga

Getting together for a yoga class can be a calmer, more Zen way to bond with your girlfriends.

Rob Walker, of the Yoga Studio, says that yoga allows “women to come together in a way that is healthy, enriching and community building.”

At the Yoga Studio, stagettes are given as private classes. Classes are designed for the desired length of time and experience level.

You don’t have to know how to do yoga to enjoy the experience, Walker says. Classes are for people of all ages or levels of ability.

He says that it also  “gets away from the idea that you need alcohol to have a good time together in a group.”

The cost of an hour and a half private yoga class at The Yoga Studio is approximately $15 per person. Visit www.yogastudiocalgary.com for more information.

Burlesquercise

If you want to get out and moving, a burlesque teaser party is another interesting alternative to a stagette party.

“This class includes a little ballet, jazz, Latin, some basic dance skills, and a naughty routine that is suitable for ladies of all ages and abilities,” says Pamela Nelson of Burlesquercise. “Expect lots of giggling.”

A group of women can head to the studio, feather boas in hand, to get toned and have a little bit of fun.

“It has so many benefits,” Nelson says. “One: exercise; two: confidence; and three: you have a little something to take home to the groom.”

The burlesque teaser party is for up to 12 ladies, for cost of $275, but can be customized for your needs. For more information contact company director Diana Lefebvre at www.burlesquercise.ca.

Romance or Sex Toy Parties

If you want all the fun (and sex toys) in the comfort of your own home, you could try having a romance party, also known as a sex toy party.

Patti Snyders-Blok, of Passion Parties, says it’s a fun and easy way to enjoy a stagette. A consultant will set up in your home with products, accessories and toys designed to enhance the romance in your life, and spice things up in the bedroom.

“We go from a mild or a wild presentation when we’re doing parties,” Snyders-Blok says, “It’s a lot of fun for everyone.” The night is full of laughs with games and product demonstrations.

There can be an educational aspect to the evening as well. As people talk about their sex lives, “you learn that you are normal,” Snyders-Blok says. Also, many women learn exactly how those sex toys are supposed to work.

A passion party is free, and includes some free samples and products. Consultants earn a commission on the product that is purchased at the party.  For more information, visit www.rarepassions.com.