Altitude Pole Palmerston North is a pole dancing studio at 29 Bisley Street in Cloverlea, and it teaches beginner-friendly pole, flexibility and movement classes. Level 1 is for people starting from scratch, and the studio says no dance background, upper body strength or flexibility is needed to begin. Levelled classes then move up through more complex spins, first inversions and aerial moves to the most advanced level. Flow explores movement, Flex mixes strength and stretch step by step, and there are Combos, speciality workshops and Spin Pole classes for dancing on a spinning pole.
Each session opens with a group warm-up, and levelled classes then move into gentle conditioning before the day's skills. Students wait on couches in a cosy waiting area until the instructor invites them into the purpose-built studio. To try it, there is a six-class trial pass to use over three weeks, a single trial class and a starter pack, and the website also offers a free bring-a-friend pass. The studio says the community is what members talk about most, and that it helps nervous first-timers settle quickly. Pole skills build one step at a time, which is why Level 1 is the place to start. Our pick in Cloverlea for a first pole class.