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MEET THE TEAM

A black-and-white portrait of a beautiful woman posing with a pole

SONAIYA KELLEY

Founder & CEO

Sonaiya is a longtime entertainment and features reporter who has written for The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, ESSENCE and Allure Magazines. 

After falling in love with pole dancing in the midst of the pandemic, she decided to open a (4/20-friendly) studio where community could be nurtured, introverts and neurodivergent dancers could feel seen and classes could be conducted in an unconventional manner.

When she's not poling, she's probably crafting, playing with her three cats or buried in a book somewhere.

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KARINA

Staff Instructor

Karina began her pole journey in 2022 and quickly fell in love with the healing power of dance.

She believes in focusing on slow, intentional movement to help connect the body and mind.

A longtime teacher, Karina is passionate about helping people find their creative voices across different art forms.

When she’s not dancing, you can find her teaching art, reconnecting with nature or most likely shaking ass in front of a mirror. 

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SEQUOIAH

Staff Instructor

Sequoiah has a background in ritual theatre and movement-based acting.

For more than a decade she has approached acting from a dance lens, incorporating aerial silks, trapeze, ballet, jazz, animal work and other forms of movement. 

Ever the pleasure-seeker, Sequoiah's dance essence is fluid and free, emphasizing deep stretch and slow whine.

She believes that when you free your hips, your mind will follow! 

Sequoiah appreciates the beautiful magic that can emerge from human connection. When she's not dancing, you can find her writing scripts, soaking at the spa and spending time with the trees.

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BLOOM

Staff Instructor

Drawing from an extensive background in weight training and yoga, Bloom prioritizes safety, intentional training and balance (hello, both sides!)

A certified yoga instructor and former personal trainer, her teaching philosophy—set to a backdrop of neo-soul and R&B—centers on intuitive movement and present-moment awareness, inviting you to explore your sensuality and build strength from the inside out. 

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TINA

Instructor at Large

Tina specializes in soulful and silly sensual movement. She serves as the artistic director of Santa Cruz's The 418 Project and facilitates healing spaces, offers guided sensual movement, somatic healing, energy healing, parts and inner child work, astrology, intuitive divination and more.

When she's not dancing, you can find her grounding in nature, communing with cats and in pursuit of esoteric knowledge and healing.

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