On Monday, The AERO Space pole dance studio will open its second location at 7202 NE Glisan Street. Over the last few weeks, workers installed a new dance floor, mirror wall, and nine stainless steel poles. Beginning the evening of March 7th, new and transfer students will attend regular classes at the NE Glisan street location.

By opening this newly remodeled location, owners Rachelle Rhoe and Ashley Madison will celebrate their business’s seventh birthday. Rhoe created The AERO Space Pole Dance Collective with a previous business partner in 2015. They wanted to create a fun and positive atmosphere accessible to a range of customers. Beginning with a small three-pole studio in a basement boiler room of Portland Cement Studios, the business expanded. “We grew out of the basement pretty quickly and took over another space in the building in 2016 for classes and kept the boiler room for our members. Classes continued to fill, and staff grew, so in 2017 we opened up our third space inside Portland Cement,” remembers Rhoe. Ideas of expanding into a second location started just before the pandemic closed gyms and dance schools, postponing any growth plans. Eighteen months ago, Madison joined Rhoe as a co-owner, and the team began looking at expanding again.

The new space offers several enhanced amenities over the original location. At the new facility, students enter the studio through a side door on NE 72nd Avenue that leads to a lounge area. This location offers changing rooms, a bathroom, and a water station. The lounge and studio are filled with natural light to provide comfort and support the planned addition of live plants. The side entrance allows students to gather and change before entering the pole room that occupies the 19-foot by 40-foot room at the front of the shop. The tall ceiling accommodates the 11.5-foot poles spaced evenly across the dance floor. Curtains will cover the front windows during classes, and the Glisan street door will serve as a dedicated exit for students. Most of these features are missing from the original space. However, a planned remodel should bring parity between both studios. 

The AERO Space offers classes to all interest levels, gender identity, and body types. “We have everything from a taster or an introduction to poll all the way through… level 5 classes,” explained Madison. “We have central movement classes, flexibility classes, low flow classes, heels specific classes. There are classes where you don’t even ever have to get up off the floor if you don’t want to.” Madison and Rhoe work with a range of experienced instructors, ensuring that all students can find an educational path fitting their needs. “It’s one of the beautiful things about pole dance; it can go in so many different directions,” remarked Madison.

Instructors schedule classes on weekends and weekdays with a mid-day break. Currently, instructors work 10 AM to 1 PM and start back up at 4 PM until 9 PM. Increases in enrollment will expand operating hours as needed. AERO Space will offer an equal balance of all classes in both studio locations. Still, students following a particular instructor can switch between this location and the other space at 111 SE Madison Street. When the studio is unoccupied, it is available for instructor-led bachelorette parties, birthday parties, office parties, or private lessons.

Space for Monday’s inaugural classes are currently available but filling up. They offer a single introductory 60 minute class for $30 so people can assess if pole dancing is something they would like to pursue. “It’s pretty easy, low cost to get into,” said Madison. “The clothing needs to be form-fitted, but it could be a swimsuit that you have volleyball shorts that you have. Any tank top that you have is just fine… sports bra or comfortable bra.” They recommend that male-bodied students have a dance belt, but most workout attire is acceptable beyond that.

The owners, instructors, and staff strive to create a safe environment that is comfortable for all types of people interested in this form of dance. Individuals interested in joining a class can look for availability and register at the company’s website or through their mobile app (iPhone / Android). Email staff at hello@aerospacestudios.com with specific questions not covered in the FAQ.

Featured image courtesy of The AERO Space

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