Pole dancing tends to be seen as the remit of strippers and the spectator sport beloved by seedy businessmen.

But its image is fast on the turn as rugby players, young professionals and sporty women fall sway to its physical benefits.

And in Bath, two enthusiasts are leading the charge to see it recognised as a form of high-energy ballet or aerobics.

Personal trainer and yoga-fanatic Alice Milner and passionate pole-dancer Charlotte Masters have launched a two-women campaign to put pole-dancing on the fitness map.

Their efforts have been successful so far – they were picked to film their acrobatics for a slot on ITV Fixers, a regional ITV project to encourage young people to promote issues they care about.

Alice, 35, who has been mad about dance since she was a girl, believes the battle to sway the sceptics is on the way to being won.

The response to her first advertised classes pleasantly surprised her – she feels pole-dancing was able to emerge from its seedy reputation because she brought it to the well-lit fitness studio.

"I've been a fitness instructor all my working life and over the years have taken every opportunity to keep my training fresh and try new things to entertain those who come to the classes," she said.

"I had the opportunity to try pole-dancing and took some intensive coaching and became a complete addict.

"The first class I advertised, 60 people signed up immediately and I was totally taken aback but lots of people seemed keen to find out more and dabble in a different, fun way of boosting their fitness."

Having watched a demonstration from Alice and Charlotte, it is clear pole-dancing is not for the faint-hearted – or clumsy.

Upside down, spread-eagled or clinging on with their thighs, merely looking at their moves is enough to bring me out in a cold sweat.

But Alice insists pole-dancing is achievable and does not take that long to master.

"It is about using your core fitness, and you do have to be able to lift your own body weight against gravity for a lot of the moves, but that shouldn't put people off.

"It is difficult to start with, but you start to see the results so quickly."

And what about the bruises or bumps to the head when you come flying off?

"Obviously you have to grip on to the pole and it's best to do it in shorts and vests so you don't slip about, but your skin toughens up.

"I've never had a bad fall. You learn to hold yourself properly and not make sudden movements.

"The trick is to be graceful, like a ballerina."

Charlotte, 25, had been pole-dancing for a year before she heard about Alice's classes – she even begged her fiancé to let her install a pole at home.

"My little son loves having a go on it and all of my friends do when they come round.

"It has really helped me feel more confident about my body and is a great way to socialise and meet people and a lot more fun than slogging away on a treadmill.

"I'd love to see it recognised as an Olympic sport. Gymnasts train and compete on a horizontal pole, so why can't we do the same but on a vertical pole?"

Alice was keen to invite a cross-section of people to the filming for the Fixers show, to show it is not just nimble gymnasts who can benefit.

First on the pole were the rugby team from Beechen Cliff School, in Bath.

PE teacher Ben Staunton said: "I had heard before that it was a really good form on exercise because it is all about upper body strength and body weight. The boys really enjoyed it and I think they would really like to do it again.

"It is one of those things where you don't feel like you're exercising but it really is good for you."

ITV Fixers executive producer, Margo Horsley, said the project was all about changing stereotypes.

"We want to give young people the chance to decide what they want to do, develop their own projects, and give them a little bit of help if needed."

The show will be aired on ITV's West Tonight show from 6pm next Wednesday.

For more information visit www.poledancingbath.com or www.alicemilner.com.