At age 52, Nikkie Daniels has engaged in many different forms of exercise, from pace walking to circuit training to Pilates.

But she says she found the best results from Poleates, a method created by a local mom that combines pole dancing, Pilates and yoga into one full-body workout.

"This, by far, is the most powerful method of well-being and physical training I ever experienced," said Daniels, of Simi Valley. "You don't just see your whole body being worked to gain strength and muscles; your body is being sculpted. You completely transform into this long and lean dancer's body with a powerhouse strength you could only dream of."

And that's not all.

"The other benefit is you've never felt so sexy in your life," she said. "Every woman deserves to feel this way."

Daniels is among a growing number of women who have learned how to stay in shape and improve their self-image through Poleates (pronounced POLE-lattes), the only offering of its kind in Ventura County, according to creator and founder Caterina Gennaro of Thousand Oaks.

While pole dancing for fitness has been a growing trend for the past few years, Gennaro said Poleates is a unique style of exercise because it incorporates Pilates, yoga and pole dancing all in one.

"Plus, the Poleates studio is only for women; it's dark, no mirrors," said Gennaro, 43. "That is because we don't want anyone to feel self-conscious. There is no right or wrong to the movement."

Dawn McCarthy of Agoura Hills said she gave it a try when she turned 40 and realized, "I was fit but had no upper-body strength."

If the thought of pole dancing was a little off-putting at first, McCarthy said, Poleates has defied the typical associations.

"It will give you a sense of respect and understanding of why the typical pole dancers are in amazing shape," she said. "Learning to pole dance is like any other activity in the fitness arena: It takes time, dedication and strength to see results."

People are shocked '

Gennaro's studio is a friendly, intimate setting far removed from the pressure of a gym atmosphere, said Jennifer Paduano, 27, of Westlake Village.

"I have built an ungodly amount of upper-body strength, increased flexibility, lengthened muscles — and built mental and physical confidence and a stronger sense of balance," she said.

At 50, Colleen Lane of Simi Valley gets a kick out of telling people what she does to stay in shape.

"I think people are shocked when they hear I'm pole dancing, and I like that," Lane said.

Many of the women who take the class say they get so focused on the movement of their bodies that they do not notice time pass.

"You don't realize you have just worked out for an hour and a half," McCarthy said. "On eliptical (trainers) and StairMasters, you are watching the time, whereas in Poleates, the time flies."

Bianca Eaves, 26, of Westlake Village said, "This is the most fun I've ever had working out."

Starting on the inside

Gennaro's mission to empower women through Poleates originated with her own self-awareness that became apparent during one of the lowest points in her life.

At age 40 and the mother of 10-month-old twins, "I was going through a really bad divorce," she said. "My husband told me I was over the hill and not pretty anymore that nobody wants a 40-year-old with excess baggage."

A former competitive gymnast and member of the U.S. Junior Olympics team, she said: "I was down and out and feeling bad about myself. I had no more money and I was thinking, What the hell am I going to do?'"

A short time later, a friend encouraged Gennaro to try a pole-dancing fitness class in Los Angeles.

"I've always been into fitness and I have fitness certification, so I wanted to try it," said Gennaro, who soon found she was a natural on the pole. "I fell in love with it. I picked it up really quickly."

Believing she found her niche, Gennaro tried to get a job as a pole-dancing instructor at the Los Angeles studio but was turned down because of a lack of experience.

So, she decided, "I'll open my own studio."

With $10,000 remaining from her divorce, "I opened in June two years ago."

Bringing sexy back'

What a difference a couple of years makes. Gennaro has since established a Poleates studio in Paris and plans to open studios in Beverly Hills and New York.

In addition, she has been approached for a reality TV show about female empowerment and "bringing sexy back," to start filming in the fall, she said.

"This is a whole new approach to exercise," said Gennaro, whose pole-dancing journey has taken her to international competitions in Las Vegas and Sydney, Australia, where, she said, she has won top awards.

But it's not about winning awards, she noted.

"Nobody's here to be Cirque de Soleil acrobats," she said. "It's a gentle way to work out.

"It's for all ages and all sizes and everyone can do it and everyone is beautiful," she said. "It doesn't matter if you have a dance background. You can come here, get in amazing shape and learn how to exercise in a very sexy way."

Poleates is at 880 Hampshire Road, Suite D, Thousand Oaks. Classes are offered seven days a week. For a complete schedule, visit http://www.poleates.net/schedule.html or call 557-7020.