Just booked my second class, which should tell you something. c:…read more I love this place's aesthetic and brand theming. Like, the owners are having fun with it; the colors, the "villain era" ad copy, the merch. The pricing seems quite reasonable to me, at $79 for a 4-week class session, that's just under $20 for an hour of instruction. They have other pricing structures available too, including a monthly subscription type deal. (I work seasonally, so I can only really join in during my off-season, unfortunately, otherwise I might be tempted to go for their "Very Important Villains" option.) They host drop-in style classes too that you can attend individually for $25/ea. (I did one using a 10% off coupon they sent me after completing my first class. They want you hooked!) The thing that impresses me most is the sheer variety of stuff you can learn here, and at many difficulty levels you can advance through with practice. I chose Lyra as my first beginner course and have had a blast. The next one I signed up for is Chair dance. Tbh, I'm also interested in Pole dance and Aerial Silks. I just kinda wanna try it all! They also have classes for dancing in high heels, burlesque, and trapeze! Wow! See what I mean? You're just gonna wanna try it all! The studio space is a bit compact, but workable. On entry there's a room off to the left where you can change if you need to, as well as a gender-neutral restroom. In the lobby is a coat rack and place to take off your shoes. The studios are off to the right and you'll check in with the friendly employee behind the desk. Near the desk are lockers if you feel a need; I've felt secure leaving my little baggie beside the couch. We're all here to learn and have fun, no one's gonna nick your stuff, haha. They also have snacks and drinks for a $1 donation (aka, they aren't trying to profit, just make sure you're properly fed and hydrated for physical activity!), and some fun merch like stickers and t-shirts depending on how big a fan you are, hehe. Additional changing rooms are also there in the lobby. The staff, instructors, and other students have all been friendly toward me. I'm a trans guy, and I've already met a couple other students who use they/them pronouns. In fact on their website they specifically call out that they are an LGBTQIA+ affirming space for everyone. I will say that this was a large factor into my decision to enroll and try their studio. Introductions always include your name AND pronouns. I've been very pleased by the inclusivity. They're also big on offering adaptations on class instruction to accommodate all body types and abilities. The instructor I've had for Lyra comes off very confident and knowledgeable. She has also been encouraging and will keep an eye on you if it looks like you might be off-balance. Each class begins with some warm-up stretching and ends with some cool-down stretching. (I tend to stretch before I drive over though because I need a bit more than five minutes worth to get my tendons ready, haha.) I hear they do student showcases and photoshoots sometime and I hope to participate one day! The parking situation is really the only negative, and what can you do if you're located in downtown? It's street parking only, and Cedar Ave. can get pretty packed in places. This is made more challenging during winter time, as the snow banks obstruct parking.

My friend and I decided to take the drop-in pole dancing classes, which were so fun! Just stepping…read moreinto the studio, I felt very welcomed and comfortable. I could tell all the staff were very genuine and unapologetically themselves, which is so refreshing to see. They even had a store pet, Hammy the hamster! The space is decorated with so many cool photos, and there are so many different types of classes you can take. There was a chair dancing lesson going on right before our class. The website has SO many options to choose from. For beginners, drop-in styles are the best for learning the basics. Our instructor, Hassan, was so skilled and kind! He made the class super fun and he especially made it look so easy. We learned 10 different skills within the hour and it was so fun! I want to take different types of classes in the future!

Pole is absolutely the most fun and challenging way to get in shape! This studio so comfortable and…read morethe women are all welcoming. A great place to challenge yourself.

From the owner: Join the women's only fitness studio created for women by women to have fun and let go with…read moreenjoyable pole dancing classes. Only 15 minutes away from St. Paul, this fun, sassy fitness studio is the place where you can work out and have fun at the same time. We are a judge free zone where fitness becomes family. Celebrate with us. Whether you're having a bachelorette party or just a girl's night out, bring your friends to learn an amazing routine led by one of our lively pole dance instructors. If you're looking to lose weight, get in shape, or just have fun, Fit Pole-tential is the fitness studio for you.

I booked a moms' night out for my friends and I at the Pole Barn. We did the 2 hour aerial silks…read moreand pole dancing class. Rochelle was so welcoming and friendly when we got to the studio. She got us situated with all of our stuff, including the pitcher of margaritas I brought, and made sure we were feeling comfortable. We started off with the aerial silks which had us all dying laughing as we learned how to stand, sit, and hang upside down in the silks. Pro tip - definitely stretch before taking this class! I pulled a hamstring and had to stretch it out before proceeding. Then we moved on to the pole dancing which was also hilarious as we tried to dance, spin, and climb the stripper poles. Rochelle was a great teacher the whole time constantly reminding us "No THRUSTING!" on the poles. Rochelle even let us hang out a bit after class and finish our margaritas in the lounge area. The next day we were all comparing our various sore spots and bruises. We definitely worked muscles we didn't know we had! All in all, it was a fabulous way to spend an evening with friends.

This review is for a private party only, I have not taken any regularly scheduled classes…read more Four stars for two reasons: 1. They scheduled two parties back to back, with no buffer, so shoes were piled on top of shoes, and we had to wait for one party to exit (past our scheduled start time) in order to start our party. 2. We had to share poles/silks because there were too many people. It would have been nice to know how many poles/silks they had beforehand, or if they could split the group in two so we wouldn't have to wait to take a turn. Check-in/waiver signing was super easy and quick. You have to pay a deposit for 8 people ($37.50 per person) to book your class, everyone above and beyond that number can pay separately at the time of the class. Tips are appreciated, they can be paid in cash or along with the class fee. Pole dancing and aerial skills, the perfect bachelorette party. Even if you don't have any sort of athletic skillz, and are not in shape, the private party is still completely do-able. They are sure to do basics, nothing complicated, that lets people of all fitness levels enjoy at least a little bit of the class. The instructor, Zecky was very patient with my group of rowdy ladies. She made every effort to make sure everyone was being safe while having loads of fun, and corralled everyone in poses for some fun pictures. I would highly recommend having a private party here!

Love this studio! My friend and I took a class just to see what this aerial thing was about, but it…read morequickly turned into my favorite activity and one of the best things I do for my physical and mental health each week. There is a strong sense of community community at Fly Freak - students and staff both are so accepting and encouraging. I love how everybody cheers when someone does a trick for the first time! I love chair dance (shout out to Kit!), aerial yoga (all the teachers for this are phenomenal) and Sling (my go to teachers are Clara, Christy and Hayley, but I've never had a instructor I didn't like!). I also love the workshops and special events - self defense classes, guardian and kiddo classes, sound baths and my personal favorite, photo shoots! If you're looking for a new obsession or even just want to try something different, you won't regret going to Fly Freak. ​

The staff is fantastic, the classes are wonderful, and the people are so friendly. My tween took…read morethe beginner sling class, and even though she usually prefers to relax, this is one activity she keeps coming back to. The instructors she had were really encouraging, which made a big difference for my soft-spoken kiddo. I noticed that on days she went to class, she slept better and her overall mood improved. Since a lot of sports and physical activities for kids tend to be competitive, which isn't really her thing, Fly Freak has been a great alternative. If you're looking for a way for your child to move around that also helps with regulation, I definitely recommend giving Fly Freak a try!