There is nothing remotely seedy about the girly, glamorous world Strane has created. But don't let the chandeliers, zebra trims, warm pink atmosphere and inspiration wall fool you. There is serious core fitness as well as emotional transformation going down here.

Strane described a firefighter client who "wouldn't look at herself in the mirror the first time she took the class."

"She was used to being one of the boys, wore frumpy clothes and had self-esteem issues," said Strane. Eventually, she underwent a personal metamorphosis, earning her pole name, Butterfly. "It wasn't just the physical changes. There is a real glow about her now," said Strane, who appreciates the "psychiatrist" hat she also wears with clients. "I love to watch them come out of their shells and blossom. It's amazing," she said.

Perhaps, it's because this mother of three can relate. After the birth of her youngest son four years ago, she was invited to attend a pole party. Despite Kee's misgivings, her husband encouraged her "to go support your friends." After observing some "Cirque de Soleil-esque moves," she was hooked.

Strane was always athletic and had studied modern dance and hip-hop. She invested in a Lil Mynx pole and ordered pole-training DVDs. One initial challenge was the language barrier with some of the DVDs - apparently pole fitness is huge overseas. In four months, she had dropped all the baby weight, looking and feeling better than ever. "The first thing you do with pole fitness is build confidence then you tone muscle," said Strane
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Leaving her former career in fashion merchandising, she began developing "her niche" doing workshops at various conventions and private parties. At one convention, she encountered a female evangelist who urged her to "teach chair and lap dances...something women can take home to spice things up because not everyone has a pole at home."

Before opening her own studio, Strane did her homework. She visited many other studios and gyms that offered pole and other fitness classes and found many were "overcrowded and lacked personal attention. I listen to the feedback from clients because it's about them, not me," Strane said.

Strane and her other four instructors welcome all shapes, sizes and fitness levels to My Pole Fitness Studio. They offer quite the line-up which not only includes various levels of pole instruction and choreography, but Sexy Sculpt Boot Camp, Shadow Boxing, Bootyshake 101 and Chair Fitness.

She is also holding an open house on Sept. 19 from 1-4 p.m. at their new studio. For more information, call 770-500-5475.