Studio 11 Pole Studio, opens in Bristol, UK.

Studio 11 will be opening a new fitness studio from the 1 September 2017 in Temple Court, Keynsham, Bristol.

Local ladies Vania Vitillo and Lisa Henderson, who met through their love of teaching pole fitness classes across the South West, are to open the doors to a new studio in Keynsham.

With years of pole experience behind them, Lisa was the founder and owner of Pole-da-Cise Dance Studios in Wiltshire, before she moved near to Keynsham 18 months ago and Vania has years of teaching experience in Bath and is also a passionate aerialist and trained instructor in aerial silks and trapeze.  Both are PDC (Pole Dance Community) Approved 3 star pole dancing instructors.

“We are very excited to offer express day and full evening classes to ladies and gents of all ages, shapes and sizes who are looking to improve their overall fitness and strength using this versatile piece of equipment.  Class members will learn how to improve their coordination, posture, see a difference in muscle tone and flexibility, and work on upper body and core strength.

Pole Dance Puppy Logan pictured right.

Classes will be a fun filled, total body workout and leave you feeling empowered with confidence.

We are looking forward to introducing the global craze of pole fitness to Keynsham and the surrounding area.”

We spoke to Lisa to find out more about her pole journey and her plans for Studio 11:

"I guess I was inspired by a good friend of mine, she was a pole dancer, she was strong fit elegant and moved round a pole with such elegance and grace, I was in awe.
I was in my 30s and looking for a new path so I trained to gain my qualifications in fitness and dance.

I opened a small studio in Wiltshire and ran pole-dance-exercise classes. I named my business Pole-Da-Cise. I wanted my classes to be for everyone, ladies and gents of all shapes and sizes, to be about having fun using this versatile piece of equipment to aid them in a total fitness workouts. Not only did members make friends for life they began to feel empowered in mind body and sole.

Back then PDC Pioneer Katie Coates was spreading the pole love, but not everyone down my neck of the woods believed pole fitness could be recognised as a sport.

Our local radio station ran a competition judged by Theo Paphitis (Dragons Den) on small new businesses. Hundreds entered and I couldn't of been prouder when Pole-Da-Cise was announced as the overall winner! Part of my prize was a radio air time advert promoting pole-da-cise and the benefits of pole fitness classes.

Pole-da-cise went on to be nominated in lots of health and wellbeing categories over the next few years, proving the benefits of pole fitness.

In 2005 there was a need for bigger studios so we moved and expanded. Two studios running alongside each other with a range of 40-45mm Xpole's. Classes were of non-mixed ability and ran 6 evenings a week. By now I had trained and hand picked experienced instructors to work for me, continuing to empower our members with confidence. I had the most amazing team and to this day they are very good friends and fantastic instructors!

In 2005 we started to showcase our members achievements by way of an an annual charity show. It proved so successful that we continued to run them once a year and raised over £50,000 for local charities across the south west. This will always be something I will continue to be extremely proud of. My members would perform at these charity shows and were empowered with confidence, I could not of been prouder of them and the team of instructors.

In 2016 Pole-da-Cise was sold to Charlett  Elcott my head instructor. I have known Charlett for many years and she has proven to be be an inspiration to those around her whether it be teaching or guiding her team. I moved out of the area, but fortunately I still get to catch up with my old team to train once a week.

For the last couple of years I have been teaching at various studios across the South West. I continue to love teaching and watching how those I teach become empowered, become stronger, fitter, more flexible, and achieve what they never thought would be achievable.

Vania and I met through teaching at the same studio and we became very good friends. We found what we believe will be a lovely studio in my home town of Keynsham. We are both so excited to offer classes here. Vania enjoys teaching all aspects of pole fitness though she prefers static poles, while my first choice would be spinning poles.

Studio 11 will run small non-mixed ability classes 5 evenings a week. We will offer a range of classes new to this area to include new beginners pole fitness/ static and spinning, pole fit and trick - intermediate and advanced level, curvy girls pole fit. Yummy mummy pole fit, pole pleaser pole flow, stretch and flex classes, and a range of high energy workout classes. We look forward to holding workshops with some of our favourite pros, Sarah Scott being one of them.

As I fast approach the big 50 I'm full of enthusiasm for my next chapter. To continue the pole love to the community. I'm not a born performer but  I am a pole fitness instructor and I love it !