Even just a few years ago, your friends might have been a bit skeptical if you told them that pole dancing was your preferred way of staying in shape.
Thankfully, pole has recently exploded in popularity, and it’s now a much more widely accepted form of fitness.
Trust me, those sultry moves require some serious strength!
If you’re curious to check out the newest rage in fitness, you’re in luck. Not only has the Twin Cities hopped onto the proverbial pole, but I’ve put together a complete guide to all your best options for pole dancing classes around Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the Twin Cities suburbs!
Contents
Map of Pole Dancing Studious around the Twin Cities
Pole Dancing in Minneapolis & St. Paul
Dollhouse Pole Dance Studio
It only feels appropriate to start off a list of the best pole dancing classes in the Metro with the elite-level studio in the Metro. Dollhouse is all pole dancing, all the time.
Their award-winning instructors (yes, it’s definitely possible to win awards in pole sports events) are the best in the biz. In addition, Dollhouse is well known for its step-wise classes that start for beginners and the generally curious, up to competition-level performance classes.
Looking for a spot to book with friends for a bachelorette party or fun night out? Rent the entire studio for a 90-minute private lesson on their nightclub stage.
- Address: 1517 NE Central Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55413
- Website: Dollhouse Pole Dance Studio
Fly Freak
There’s a saying at Fly Freak in St. Paul, “Freaks flock together.”
An aerial arts fitness studio, Fly Freak, offers a workout you won’t find anywhere else in the Twin Cities. They provide a safe, welcoming place to explore chair dancing, air-based exercise, and aerialist sports. Drop-in classes currently start at $27; however, their most popular membership 4-pack “Freak of the Week” begins at $69.
- Address: 755 Prior Ave N Suite 239, St Paul, MN 55104
- Website: Fly Freak
Phoenix Flight Studio
Pheonix Flight Studio in Northeast holds claim as the longest-running pole dancing studio in the Twin Cities metro. Since 2010 they’ve offered Intro to Pole, Pole Foundations, and Lyra and Static Trapeze classes to aerialists of all skill levels and interests. While Phoenix is focused on a high-quality workout, they also keep wellness, community, and a passion for supporting women embedded in all of their classes.
- Address: 2216 Central Avenue NE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
- Website: Phoenix Flight Studio
Pole Art Co.
Pole Art Company (formerly Pole and Performing Art) opened in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis in 2014, committed to teaching the technical skills of pole dancing and hosting events to build awareness and performance opportunities for Twin Cities locals. Instructor and studio owner Myss Angie has been teaching classes for over a decade. Many members here have gone on to win competitions locally and nationally.
Once per month, Pole Art Co. hosts open “pole jams” where members can come in for a casual time of community and meet other dancers and performers in a low-key environment.
- Address: 2637 27th Ave S Suite 225, Minneapolis, MN 55406
- Website: Pole Art Studio
The Rose Academy of Burlesque
This isn’t the first time Rose Academy of Burlesque has made it on one of our “Best of” lists. (Check out our guide to the best burlesque shows in the Twin Cities.) Located on Lake and Lyndale in the Uptown neighborhood, their studio features burlesque and movement classes for all bodies. Occasionally they offer pole and pole-inspired classes in their instructor calendar, always focused on helping women feel good about themselves and their bodies.
Rose Academy hosts wildly popular student showcases several times yearly at Pourhouse in Minneapolis. So even if a pole isn’t your calling, it’s worth checking out for a fun night out downtown.
- Address: 711 W Lake St Suite 515 & 605, Minneapolis, MN 55404
- Website: The Rose Academy of Burlesque
Villainy Alternative Dance and Pole Studio
Villainy is an alternative pole dancing and fitness studio in south Minneapolis that promises to be the Baddest Pole Dancing Studio in Minnesota. Brought to you by the performance creators of the NerdDom Universe, Villainy is where the not-so-serious get to enjoy burlesque, pole, and chair dancing classes in a party-like atmosphere.
They’ve got everything, including private, small group, and full studio rentals offering the best combination of strength, art, and physical challenge.
It says a lot about Villainy that their instructors are lovingly known as the “Super Villian Syndicate.”
- Address: 3718 Cedar Ave S Unit A, Minneapolis, MN 55407
- Website: Villainy Dance and Pole Studio
Pole Dancing around the Twin Cities Suburbs
Pole dancing and aerial classes are for more than just the downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul crowd. Several new studios have opened in the suburbs recently, with more offerings added since the pandemic.
Check out these three options for Metro-wide pole dancing classes:
The Aviary
The Aviary aerial arts studio, located in Hopkins near Excelsior Boulevard and Shady Oak Road, is the culmination of a decade-long performance pole dancing and aerial arts career of owner Jamie Wagner Suh. After winning the 2016 Pole Theater World Championship, Wagner-Suh relocated to Minnesota to teach hammock fly, silks, pole, and cirque-style fitness classes.
The Aviary is one of the few spots in the Metro that offer classes to youth under 18 interested in learning more about aerial sports.
- Address: 118 Shady Oak Rd Hopkins, MN 55343
- Website: The Aviary
Carousel Pole Fitness
Carousel has operated under a few different names over the years but has always offered a safe and affirming space for women of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds to experience pole dancing.
Rated as one of the top pole dancing party spots, most people experience Carousel for the first time in one of their private 90-minute lessons. It’s well-known for Ladies’ Night Out, Bachelorette Parties, and Milestone Birthdays.
- Address: 1920 Crest View Dr., Suite 8, Hudson, WI 54016
- Website: Carousel Pole Fitness
The Pole Barn Studio
Catering exclusively to the party crowd, The Pole Barn Studio in downtown Stillwater has been a top Twin Cities bachelorette and birthday party destination since 2014. Their aerial silks, pole lessons, and stretch fitness classes are designed for all ages and abilities, with special emphasis on having a ton of fun.
A 10/10 recommendation for any “YOLOs” out there willing to try anything as long as they’re with friends!
- Address: 122 Water St S, Stillwater, MN 55082
- Website: The Pole Barn Studio
