Rowland: Venus is fitness, not erotic

By Marijke Rowland
mrowland@modbee.com

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In a recession you can count on two things: People will still like pole dancing and people still like looking good.

Put those two together and you have the expanding business of sisters Tina Kelly and Diane Flores. Together the Hilmar residents run Venus fitness studios, which teach pole dancing workout classes.

Kelly runs the 1-year-old Venus Pole Fitness in Turlock, and Flores just opened the Venus Alternative Fitness in Modesto last month.

Marijke Rowland

But before you get any ideas, don't bring your sweaty dollar bills. This is serious fitness.

Neither woman has ever been an exotic dancer.

Flores and Kelly came upon the idea after hosting similar in-home pole parties. The concept (like a Tupperware party, but with a pole and less plastic) proved popular enough for them to consider turning it into regular classes instead of just one-time parties.

"We fell in love with the movements so much," Kelly said. "We thought, gosh, every women should try it. It's a fitness that makes you feel sexy at the same time."

The classes are women-only and there is no nudity and plenty of dim lighting for the bashful.

The classes have proved so popular that the original Turlock studio has gone from classes two days a week to multiple classes four days a week. The larger Modesto site has gone from classes one day a week to three days a week in less than a month.

Combined, the studios have about 70 students.

The Modesto studio is 1,600 square feet with seven poles. The Turlock site is 400 square feet with four poles.

Membership ranges from $99 per month for unlimited access, $99 for four classes or $189 for eight.

"We were so nervous, obviously, because it's such a different type of business," Kelly said. "We knew we'd get tons of raised eyebrows because everyone thinks strippers. But it really is a fitness-based program."

Modesto's Venus Alternative Fitness, 1501 Coffee Road, Suite O, can be reached at 380-3224. Turlock's Venus Pole Fitness, 116 S. Center St., can be reached at 485-5045. Visit www.venuspoledance.com

Column continues below video.

Elsewhere around the Business Beat:

Turlock has a new place to get some shut-eye.

A 71-room Comfort Suites Hotel opened Feb. 28. Part of the Choice Hotels International Inc., the suites feature sleeper sofas and free hot breakfast for all guests.

Aimed at corporate travelers, the hotel has proved popular with families for its larger rooms said Turlock general manager James Woo.

Rooms start at $99.

For more on Turlock's Comfort Suites, 191 N. Tully Road, call 667-7777.

Have an item for Business Beat? Contact Marijke Rowland at The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto 95352; 578-2284 or mrowland@modbee.com.