Pole Dancing Perils: Woman Sues Crunch Fitness Chain Over Workout Injuries
Photo: Crunch's "Under the Gymfluence" party at Lafayette Street in New York City, October 2008.
Sue Ann Wee filed a lawsuit last week against the companies that run the Crunch fitness chain, based in New York. Her lawyer, Nicholas Warywoda, says Wee seriously hurt both her shoulders when she slid down a pole and fell to the floor while taking a Crunch pole dancing class in June.
Warywoda says Wee told an instructor she couldn't hold herself up during an upside-down maneuver, but the instructor didn't help her.
Photo: Crunch's "Under the Gymfluence" party at Lafayette Street in New York City, October 2008.
Wee says the gym chain didn't properly supervise the pole dancing class. She's seeking unspecified damages.
Crunch's website promotes its pole dancing class as follows: "The dancer's pole isn't just for professionals anymore. This challenging and sexy class combines intense upper body and core strength, coordination, and balance to turn even the shyest performers into toned and sultry vixens."
The fitness chain's other offerings, according to the website, include a Strip Bar class, claiming to take striptease to a new level, and Burlesque Beat, to learn those sultry moves that make you sweat.
Sue Ann Wee would probably tell you… sweat at your own risk.
New York-based Crunch declined to comment on Wee's lawsuit.