Altitude Pole

All about Altitude

Join Altitude Pole!
Karry Summers, Founder of Altitude Pole & Fitness

Our Purpose

To ignite the extraordinary in everyone, inspiring personal growth and self-discovery

Where fitness and fun collide

Welcome to Altitude Pole & Fitness!

Our mission? To inject a dose of exhilarating fun into your fitness journey, all wrapped up in a warm, welcoming environment. Expect to skyrocket your fitness, strength, and confidence levels while having an absolute blast!

Our passionate and dedicated Founder, the fabulous Karry Summers, waved goodbye to mundane fitness classes and lacklustre gym memberships back in 2007 when she discovered pole dancing. Her passion for pole dancing and fitness has become a passion for life, and now Karry and the growing Altitude family want to share that passion with you.

So, step right in and experience the Altitude difference! Let's get your adventure started! 💃

Karry

Our Five Core Values are extremely important to us at Altitude, they bring a bit of magic to everything we do. 

  • Core Value1
  • Courage
  • Excellent
  • Passion
  • Evolve
  • Care

Our History


2010

Using a small room that was rented by the hour and just 3 poles, Altitude Pole & Fitness was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. 

​Founded by the multi-award-winning and internationally recognised, Karry Summers. After becoming sick of the expensive gym memberships and the boring fitness classes, she stepped into her first pole studio in 2007 and has never looked back. In 2010 she decided she wanted to share the magic of pole dancing with more people and that is exactly what she did!

Logo Original

2011

After losing the original Altitude Pole studio space to the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the decision was made to lease a space solely for the use of Altitude and really make a stand in the New Zealand pole scene.

From here the studio continued to grow, producing high-quality, competitive dancers and running things in a professional manner that gained Altitude the reputation of one of New Zealand’s top studios that it still holds today.

Originalstudio

2014

After just 3 years Altitude Pole and Fitness opened its second studio in Altitude Pole Takapuna (formerly Altitude North Shore) with Sarah Cuthill as Director.

Northshore

2017

After the Christchurch studio hit capacity for students, it was time to start looking for a larger space. In June 2017, 6 years after Altitude opened - the Christchurch studio moved to a much larger warehouse space with space for 300 students, three rooms and over 60 classes on offer!

At the same time as opening the new Christchurch studio, Altitude went through a rebrand and launched their new logo in tandem with the opening.

Newlogo

early 2018

With such a repeatable and consistent business model now in place, Altitude decided to turn to the franchise model with the goal to bring both the Altitude community and all its benefits to as many people as possible.

Deciding to franchise was and still is about helping passionate, hard-working people with a dream of owning a successful and fulfilling business. ​So Altitude HQ was born with a small team dedicated to all things Altitude Pole & Fitness!

Altitude HQ

late 2018

2018 was a busy year for the Altitude brand! Starting with welcoming Emma, Liam and Pole Dance Whanganui to the Altitude family as Altitude Pole Whanganui.

They then finished off the year with a bang by not only opening the fourth studio but the fifth, too!

Altitude Onehunga (originally Altitude South Auckland) became the second Auckland studio with owner-operator Sarah Cuthill.

Altitude Wigram became the second Christchurch studio, owned and operated by Julia and Scott.

The original Christchurch studio was then renamed to 'Christchurch Central'.

With five studios now open throughout New Zealand, the Altitude team were very excited for the future!

Whanganui

2019

Jumping into 2019 the right way, Altitude announced it's sixth New Zealand studio. A 30-minute drive from Auckland city centre, Altitude Drury opened its doors in April. 

Welcoming a new owner/operator, Alex!

Drury

early 2020

Jumping into a new year in true Altitude fashion, two brand new studios were announced for early 2020.

Altitude Pole Redwood, Christchurch with a well known instructor for Christchurch Central, Michelle Muscles, as owner/operator.

The second studio, this time in the North Island, was Altitude Pole Palmerston North with Emma & Liam (who also own Altitude Whanganui!)

Bringing the total number of Altitude studios nationwide to eight!

Palmy

mid 2020

Mid 2020 Altitude announced their ninth studio in New Zealand in a brand new city for Altitude. Altitude Pole Nelson! Owned and operated by the dynamic duo Zoe and Harry.

Opening Altitude Pole Nelson, Zoe and Harry

late 2020

In late 2020, Altitude was offered the opportunity to purchase The Studio Mount from Jo, Founder of The Studio.

So on the 19th of October, Tauranga studio was officially welcomed into the family and renamed Altitude Pole The Mount.

The Mount is spearheaded by three boss-babes who are no strangers to Altitude! Rhi, Sarah & Karry!

Group photo at Altitude Pole The Mount

mid 2021

In mid-2021 Altitude announced it's 11th studio in New Zealand! Lead again by our superstar trio, Rhi, Sarah & Karry!

Altitude Albany opened early August 2021.

Shortly after Sonja offered Altitude the opportunity to take on Rise & Shine Aerial Fitness in Hamilton, thus Altitude Hamilton was born. Spearheaded once again by our trio, Rhi, Sarah and Karry!

Pole Dancing Class at Altitude Pole Albany

late 2021

Toward the end of 2021, Altitude HQ announced the launch of a new sister brand Altitude Aerials. Heading their second decade of operation, HQ felt and still feels strongly that there is just too much potential in aerials to leave it at that. 

Altitude Aerials & Fitness Logo and Brand Launch

early 2022

In early 2022 Altitude announced its 13th studio in New Zealand, with Sarah stepping into her second solo-owned studio.

Altitude Saint Johns opened up on May 1st 2022!

Group photo at Altitude Pole Saint Johns Opening Party

mid 2022

In mid 2022 Altitude was offered the opportunity to purchase The Studio Whangārei from Jo, founder of The Studio.

Reopening as Altitude Whangārei on 4 July 2022, we're proud to expand our Altitude family further north! With Alex (also owner of Altitude Drury) at the helm!

Group photo at Altitude Pole Whangarei

Late 2023

At Altitude, we're more than just a franchise - we're a family of passionate pole enthusiasts. Our Franchising journey began in 2018 with just a handful of studios, and over the years we've grown to 14 Altitude Pole studios across New Zealand.

In 2023, we experienced a bittersweet moment as three of our studio owners decided to move on and sell their studios back to Altitude HQ. While it was tough to see them go, we understand that there is a season for everything, and we respect their decision to focus on themselves and their next steps in their journeys.

Altitude HQ officially welcomed these Altitude studios and their teams:
Altitude Pole Whangārei, Altitude Pole Saint Johns, Altitude Pole Drury, Altitude Pole Wigram

Altitude HQ

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