Instructor Spotlight: Abby

Abby has been a pole dance instructor for 4 years and enjoys teaching the art of self expression through sensual dance flow. Abby loves performing and has competed in various pole competitions, including winning Pole Sport Organization Drip Tease and Flow category, Level 4. Catch Abby on Thursday nights teaching Sensual Pole Flow!

Name/Stage Name/Alter Ego:  Abby/ birdie (IG @_birdii)

What is your profession?

I am a registered psychotherapist in-training and work in frontline healthcare.

What do you teach and how long have you been teaching?

I teach Sensual Pole Flow and have been teaching for about 4 years.

What got you into pole dancing?

Learning dance had always been a secret wish for me, I grew up in a household that favored academic achievement over artistic expression. I focused heavily on my career for many years but felt starved for a creative outlet. One day I though “Time to live my dreams!” and found my way to a local pole dance studio after coming across a deal on Groupon. 

Pole dance, in particular, speaks to me because it’s a style of dance where I get to tune in to my body. I find those moments of pure attunement to my body to bring calm and peace to my mind.

What makes you passionate about pole dance?

I love the discipline and commitment that is required with pole dance. We make it look easy on stage, but often a simple looking trick had been meticulously studied and practiced for hours.

What do you love sharing with your students?

I am huge advocate of self-expression and exploration through dance and encourage students to practice this whether in class or at home. Often, I ask my students to re-work a choreography and make it more authentic to their character and style.

What is your favourite song/genre to dance to?

Hip Hop, Rap and R&B genres of music are my favourite to dance to.

Do you train on other apparatuses or other disciplines?

I enjoy practicing yoga and meditation in my free time.

What would we find you doing when you aren't teaching/training?

Learning everything and anything about the mind-body connection, especially the influence of artistic self-expression, i.e pole dance, on mental well being.

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Join Abby on Thursday nights for Sensual Pole Flow!

Instructor Spotlight: Sarah

Sarah is a certified, award-winning performer, instructor, and movement explorer. After years of ballet and jazz, she quickly fell head over Pleaser heels for pole dancing in February 2015. Her speciality is in low flow and basework, breaking down the layers of hypnotizing transitions and dynamic combos, focusing on safety, technique and play. Sarah is a certified and licensed Liquid Motion 1.0 and Heels instructor, and loves helping students grow and connect with their inner magic.

Name/Stage Name/Alter Ego:  Sarah Polerina

Pronouns:  She/Her

What is your profession?

I have a few! I teach pole and dance in person and run my Patreon, creating content, recording and editing tutorials and hosting online classes. I'm also working on my own clothing brand @shadovvbanned which I hope to grow into something bigger some day. I'm also a freelance graphic designer.

What do you teach and how long have you been teaching?

I've been teaching since 2017 and specialize in low flow and floorwork. Catch me at UV on Wednesday evenings for Floor Flow. "If you can't do it on the floor, you can't do it in the air" is something you'll catch me saying in most of my classes, so all of the fundamentals and technique that I teach on the floor sneakily transfer over to pole/aerial work.

What got you into pole dancing?

I was bored with the gym but wanted something to keep me active, and discovered it on groupon. I knew nothing about it and was terrified for my first class, but was immediately hooked.

What makes you passionate about pole dance?

The creativity and avenues to explore in pole dance feel endless, I am constantly inspired. As long as you're safe, there is no right or wrong way to pole dance and I love that anybody can be anything they feel like being. I love creating routines and characters and sharing them on stage or with students.

What do you love sharing with your students?

The tiniest of details, new pathways or tricks, or just a new way to look at something familiar that generally leads to those big light bulb moments.

What is your favourite song/genre to dance to?

It can change daily, and I love creating playlists. Check them out!

Do you train on other apparatuses or other disciplines?

I love lyra and wish I had more time for it!

What would we find you doing when you aren't teaching/training?

I take my rest days pretty seriously, so on my sofa. Or out for a walk with my dog, or shopping.

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Join Sarah on Wednesday nights in-studio and virtually!

Instructor Spotlight: Laura

Laura rekindled her love of dancing and performing through UV Pole Fitness and is now teaching! Laura spent her formative years training as a ballerina and gymnast, and after a long 15 year hiatus, she took up pole and hoop, and has trained non-stop since. She has trained with instructors around the world and found her own style based on the components of heels technique, strength and dynamic movement, which she shares in her class Dynamic Heels Flow.

Name/Stage Name:  Laura Aloise aka Princess Sparkles (Instagram handle is: @princesssparkles13)!

Pronouns:  she/her

What is your profession?

I work in finance for a major US publishing company and am a pole instructor, social media coordinator, and admin at UV Pole Fitness.

What do you teach and how long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for nearly 1 year now, and training in pole and hoop for nearly 7 years. I'm currently teaching Dynamic Heels Flow and Basics on Tuesdays!

What got you into pole dancing?

My sister! But my former dance and gymnastics background really pushed me forward when I began taking pole classes. I was studying and competing in ballet, modern dance and gymnastics for about a decade during my formative years (until I was about 14 or 15). Completed my RAD ballet examinations up to grade 6 (intermediate level).

What makes you passionate about pole dance?

Pole can be many things to many people, but to me it is a discipline and art form. My commitment to off-pole conditioning, dance technique, active flexibility/mobility work and learning complex aerodynamic pole tricks/combos has enabled me to achieve things beyond my wildest imagination. I have been able to take what I learned from so many master pole dancers and aerialists that I've met in person around the world (Daria Che, Kira Noire, Jenyne Butterfly, Dimitry Politov, Sasha Meow, Pink Puma, Zoraya Judd, etc.) and created my own style based on the components of heels technique, strength and dynamic movement, called "Dynamic Heels Flow". I have competed in 5 pole competitions (3 live and 2 virtual) earning 2 medals, one 2nd and one 1st place both in the Russian Flow categories. I am also currently completing my Personal Training certification with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. With pole the possibilities are endless--there are so many paths you can take and aspects of it to explore. These are just the ones I chose to pursue!

What do you love sharing with your students?

Things that people rarely go into detail about and information on correct technique and form based on my training and experience. Also where I get all of my pole outfits and heels.

What is your favourite song/genre to dance to?

It depends on my mood. Dark electronic music or dubstep is very commonly used in the Russian Flow style, so I normally use a lot of this. I have used Enigma Dubz's music a lot for my choreos. But sometimes I choreograph to more sensual and melodic types of music. Alina Baraz and Ayelle are two of my favourite artists.

Do you train on other apparatuses or other disciplines?

Yes, over the past 6 years I have trained on hoop pretty consistently as I started working on it slightly after I began taking pole lessons, I have done lolli here and there, and I boxed for a while as well.

What would we find you doing when you aren't teaching/training?

Online shopping. Or hanging out in Yorkville.

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Join Laura on Tuesday nights for Dynamic Heels Flow and Pole Basics in-studio and virtually!

Spooky Season is here!

Spooky Season is here and UV is dancing all week long with special Halloween themed classes! Feel free to get in the spirit and dress up for class!

Taya Photography @taya_photography_experience

• Tuesday: Dynamic Heels Flow at 5:30 pm we’ll learn a brand new Purge-themed choreo for Halloween (more of a hardstyle trick flow). Missed it? This choreo will continue into November!

• Wednesday: Chair Dance class at 7:10 pm will create some witchy vibes with ‘I Put a Spell on You’

• Friday: Special Halloween Sensual Dance class at 6 pm with a focus on ‘creepy’ movement

• Devil’s Night Saturday: Thriller Pole Choreo will have both in-person and virtual spots on Saturday at 1:30 pm and will incorporate movement from the iconic video

• Halloween Sunday: Special Halloween themed Spinning Pole Choreo class at 1:20 pm

Want to get in the spooky, but sexy mood?!? Throw on this Halloween Pole Playlist and start dancing!

@sklervy

Maybe you want to do a little Halloween inspired photo shoot?

• Put together a costume and find some makeup inspo on Pinterest

• Find a creepy setting like an old building or a spooky forest

• Figure out some poses and facial expressions

• Get some amazing props like these Shutter Bombs Smoke Bombs !

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Instructor Spotlight: Elspeth

Elspeth is an engineer-turned-aerialist who specializes in pole and contortion-based creations. She first started pole in 2016 on a whim and naturally, it was love at first sight. In 2018 she started performing and competing and has since found a niche in dynamic pole and pole artistry. She loves combining on-stage tension with high concept characterization and is always looking for the next challenge. In recent years, Elspeth has refocused and honed her skills in acro, handbalancing and contortion, and is a certified Alixa Flexibility Coach. Elspeth is a passionate and technique-driven instructor and is incredibly excited to be joining the UltraViolet Pole Fitness Team!

Photo by: Stephanie Kwok (@suspendedkinetics on IG)

Name/Stage Name:  Elspeth, sometimes also Evey (chosen after I did a V for Vendetta routine!)

Pronouns:  she/they

What is your profession?

I'm currently working as an escape artist at Illusionarium, but will be studying for my Master's in Particle Physics this fall!

What do you teach and how long have you been teaching?

I teach Beginner to Advanced pole, flexibility, and basic acro/handbalancing. I've been teaching pole for a year and a half, but have previous experience as a swim coach for pre-competitive kids.

What got you into pole dancing?

I feel like my story is a super common one. I was looking for a fitness alternative that didn't involve running/jumping or a super high level of hand-eye coordination (please don't ask me to catch or juggle anything, ever ). I also around the same time saw a video of Jenyne Butterfly on Facebook doing an iguana negative that blew my mind. I basically signed up the next day for my first class

What makes you passionate about pole dance?

I love the unlimited possibilities of any apparatus, but pole is special to me because of the intensely creative community that surrounds it. People are always pushing boundaries and finding new things with pole and I'm just constantly captivated by the thought of all the new shapes/transitions/tricks that are waiting to be found.

Photo by: Meghan Chartrand (@meghanchartrand on IG)

What do you love sharing with your students?

I love sharing my passion for exploration and creating your own art. I'll often prompt students in class that if they're comfortable with a trick or transition I'm teaching, they can explore entries/exits/additions to the skill and follow what their bodies naturally want to do. It's a great way for students to discover their own new movement and style!

What is your favourite song/genre to dance to?

I loooooove anything slow/dramatic/punctuated. Massive Attack, Son Lux, Grimes, Sufjan Stevens.

Do you train on other apparatuses or other disciplines?

Yes yes! I also currently train lyra and aerial pole and have recently started training corde lisse as well. I also train handbalancing and contortion probably as much as I do pole.

What would we find you doing when you aren't teaching/training?

I can likely be found wandering around Toronto looking for a bite to eat (hit me up with all your fave donut/icecream/dessert places please!!) or outside in one of the parks with a good book.

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Join Elspeth on Monday nights in-studio for Intermediate Pole Combos and Advanced Flexibility!