Alexi

Alexi is a Level 4 Master Trainer with 8 years experience within the Health and Fitness Industry as a Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor.  With a degree in professional musical theatre training across a variety of dance styles, Alexi has taught Pole Dance at Beginner and Intermediate Level at a LDA for 5 years now.

Specialising in Sports Specific Conditioning, corrective exercise, functional training and Flexibility, Alexi will take you to the peak of your ability, with a primary focus on strength and conditioning to unleash your true potential.  Expect to work hard in her classes and watch your fitness excel.  Expect a variety of training approaches within her classes, with a fun and energising yet results orientated approach. All abilities welcome.

Alexi teaches the following class formats: Kettlebells, Reformer Pilates, HITT, Pole Dance, Boxing, Skill Circuits, Bootcamp, Beginner to Advanced Core Workouts, and Deep Dynamic Stretch. All abilities welcome.

Andrew

Andrew teaches our Pole Lads classes every week at London Dance Academy. Having completed his pole instructor qualification, he continues to refine his skills in house through our ongoing teacher training.

Andrew has competed in and won the Parapole title at both the IPSF European Championships and IPSF World Championships in Canada. He was also voted Male Athlete of the Year. 

Andrew first discovered London Dance Academy through chance after reading about Antigravity Yoga; London Dance Academy was the only studio in the UK offering classes at the time. Although he hadn’t exercised for 16 years, following an accident that left him with reduced use of his leg, Andrew enjoyed the class and the studio and soon became curious about the pole dancing on offer.

Watch Andrew’s incredible story in this short film on youtube

Despite his worries about his injuries, Andrew became addicted to pole from his very first few classes. “When you achieve a move that you’ve always wanted to do and you finally get it, the elation is amazing.”

Although he eventually took the decision to have his injured lower leg amputated in early 2018, Andrew got back to training very soon afterwards. Just over a year on, he is now a Parapole World Champion, having won gold at both the IPSF’s championships in Holland and World Finals in Canada. 

Andrew loves the “endorphin rush” of new tricks most of all, especially in challenging or unusual combos. Expect to build some serious strength and achieve impressive moves in his classes!

Andrew insists that with the right support and people around you, you can achieve anything you want in life. “There’s something out there for everybody.”

Book Andrew’s classes in our timetable

Angeliki

Angeliki teaches aerial hoop and aerial silks at London Dance Academy. She holds a Foundation degree and Postgraduate Certificate from the National Centre of Circus Arts. At the Circus Centre she trained in all kinds of aerial disciplines like hoop and silks. She specialised in Aerial straps. Angeliki is blending movement principals with straps technique to create her own very unique style of performance.

Watch Angeliki’s graduation performance on our youtube channel.

Angeliki first came to aerial 10 years ago. She already started  dancing at the age of four and her training includes ballet, contemporary, jazz and modern theatre dance. A trained dancer, she wanted to expand her skills and have fun. So she started trying some acrobatics balance classes and then discovered aerial silks. For her, it was “the idea of becoming superhuman” that made her fall in love with the sport! 

She says that “Practicing aerial fuels me with self-empowerment. It teaches me how to listen and trust others. And Aerial arts allows me to explore my creativity and conquer my fears.” You can expect a detail-oriented class with a strong emphasis on technique in Angeliki’s classes. All classes have a supporting and friendly environment and a great playlist. Although she is an in demand circus performer, Angeliki says her proudest achievement is having her London Dance Academy students ask for more of her classes!

For the last few years she has been performing and teaching aerial disciplines in the UK and abroad.

You can book Angeliki’s classes in our timetable.

Anna

Anna started rhythmic gymnastics at just 5 years old and in 1997, she spent a summer in Moscow, training with the Russian National Squad. From 2001 she formed part of the British Rhythmic Gymnastics Squad. After graduating with a language degree from Cambridge University, she moved out to Argentina in 2007, where she first discovered her passion for circus. She began training at ‘Club de Trapecistas’ in Buenos Aires and by 2011, she was performing on a regular basis as an aerialist with the contemporary circus collective ‘Amor Eterno.’

In early 2013, Anna moved to São Paulo, where she joined the prestigious circus company ‘Grupo Ares.’ She performed at a number of international events, circus festivals and theatre shows as an aerialist and contortionist. Some of her performances have included hanging from cranes to perform her aerial hoop routine, as well as doing aerial dance routines on some of Sao Paulo’s highest sky scrapers and famous monuments. She worked as a guest artist for a number of companies and directors including “Circo Vox”, “Trupe Guezá”, “Circo Show”, “Febre Coletivo”, “Companhia Base” and “Diálogos acrobáticos.” In the summer of 2013, she performed her aerial hoop routine at the famous Zur Wilden Renate Club in Berlin. In 2014, she won the Capital Fitness Pole Dance Championships in Brasilia.

Anna has a passion for teaching and during her time in Brazil, she worked as an aerials teacher at ‘Competition Gym’ and as a pole and flex instructor at pole dancing schools such as “Metrópole”, “Escola Duda Ribeiro” and “Miss Pole Dance.” She has also taught a number of experimental aerials workshops in São Paulo, with a focus on physical theatre techniques.

In 2017, Anna won several titles in national and international competitions, including: UK Aerial Championships (1st Place), Pole Art France (1st place, semi-professional category), Pole Art Spain (1st place, semi-professional division) and UKPPC (1st place, Instructor category).

Anouska

Anouska teaches Discover Pole, Pole Level 1, Pole Level 2, Exotic Pole, Twerk, LAP dance and conditioning at London Dance Academy. She is one of our busiest teachers and a qualified personal trainer. Anouska has been training at London Dance Academy for years. She first tried pole dancing on a ‘whim’ and soon became obsessed.

Although she had a background in personal training and martial arts, Anouska says she found pole challenging at first. Luckily, making new friends at the studio kept her coming back. Eventually, pole helped her to “learn that I was able to work hard to achieve the goals I wanted to achieve and it made me, for the first time ever, actually like my body.” Nowadays, she says pole has “given me more confidence than I ever thought possible and it’s given me my pole family!” 

Pole dancing gave Anouska more confidence than she ever thought possible and brought true happiness into her life. 

Having experienced so many personal benefits from pole, Anouska naturally wanted to share her passion with students and help them on their own journeys. She describes helping people to progress as “an absolute privilege”. Her goal is to pass on the magic that she has discovered through pole onto others so that they can fall in love with it as she has.

Depending on the class, you can expect both strength, conditioning and technique from Anouska. As well as an emphasis on finding your confidence and style of movement. She says her proudest pole achievement to date was organising London Dance Academy’s 2019 Christmas showcase. “Every single performance was wonderfully unique and showed that pole is for everyone. Being part of that and also being able to perform alongside members of my pole family was an honour.”

Watch performances from the London Dance Academy showcase on Instagram.

Book Anouska’s classes in the timetable

Ayesha

Charly

Charly (aka Marie-charlotte aka MC) is a cover teacher at London Dance Academy. She is Exercise to Music (ETM Level 2) and XPert Pole Level 1 and 2 qualified. Charly is also a 200 hour certified yoga teacher and qualified personal trainer with pre and post natal certifications. She has competed as a finalist at Floorplay, the Kent and Yorkshire Pole Championships and PSO Europe.

Originally hailing from the South of France, Charly is a trained ballet, jazz and contemporary dancer. Charly first discovered pole when she was living in Sydney in 2013.

After the first class all Charly could think about was pole dancing

She accompanied a friend to a taster class at the famous Bobbi’s Pole Studio: “After the first class, I was doomed, all I could think about was pole dancing!” What made her fall in love with pole in those early stages? “The empowerment. For the first time in my life, I enjoyed my body and what it could do. The older I get, the prouder I get!”

Charly has lived all around the world. She completed her 200 hours yoga teacher training in Hawaii and Aerial Yoga teacher training in Houston. Eventually she settled down in London and completed her pole instructor training.

Nowadays, Charly says pole brings creativity, physical and mental strength and a “worldwide community of friends” to her life. As a teacher, Charly is passionate about creating a safe place for students where they can thrive and progress at their own pace safely. Her own proudest pole achievement is getting back to strength following the birth of her first child in 2018, proving that new mums can absolutely practice the sport too if they choose. 

What makes Charly’s classes unique? “ROCK n ROLL! A good class is a class where you clack your heels to the sound of an electric guitar!”

Charly is all about Rock, Metal and Industrial music and specializes in floorwork, classic pole and exotic.

Her motto? “Creepy is sexy”.

Book Charly’s classes in our timetable

Claire

Claire has training in ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz and pole. She currently teaches Foundation –  Intermediate levels of the pole syllabus for the London Dance Academy as well as hosting hen parties and performing in corporate and commercial events.

As Claire has had vast experience in the entertainment industry, she is also the coordinator for the events department of the London Dance Academy so please don’t hesitate to contact her should you require performers for any occasion.

Claudia

If this all sounds a little intimidating – don’t worry! Claudia has many years of experience teaching complete beginners with little starting flexibility through to pros. She says you can expect “a fun, upbeat class where everybody works hard. We do some exercises in partners so everyone gets to know each other.” She loves the excitement of seeing students achieve new moves, and seeing them becoming stronger and more flexible week by week.

Book Claudia’s classes in our timetable

Hannah

Hannah Rose teaches our core pole level classes and spin pole at levels 3 to 5, alongside Conditioning, Splits and Pole Performance.

Hannah Rose is a professional Pole Dancer and Circus Artist based in London. She is the twice winner of the UK Professional Pole Championships at Elite level and 3 times winner of the Best Tricks Award. She also competes internationally and last year she won 3rd place in Womens’ International Elite at Pole Art France.

In her performance career her most recent highlights include the opening of the BRIT awards and as a semi-finalist on Ninja Warrior. She has also judged numerous competitions across the UK and internationally including UKPPC, Pole Revolutions and IUPDC. And she teaches masterclasses across the UK and abroad.

Watch some of Hannah’s stunning competition performances on our youtube channel.

She uses her intimate knowledge of the body gained from her circus training to help develop students’ pole dance technique so they can execute moves safely and beautifully. She is also Xpert and First Aid qualified.

Nothing is out of reach

She has been pole dancing since 2010 and teaching for the last 6 years. Hannah is also a professional trained circus artist specialising in Aerial Straps. She uses her knowledge gained from her circus training to help develop her students’ pole dance technique. She is known for her badass dynamic style and flowing combos and static spins on the pole. Her passion and dedication to teaching shows. And she shares her love for pole with her students. Hannah loves helping students achieve tricks they’ve been working on for months, and watching them develop their own style or create routines.

Her teaching motto is everything is achievable with the right amount of conditioning, technique and practise. Nothing is out of reach, there is no such thing as ‘I can’t’ just ‘I can’t yet’!

Book Hannah Rose’s classes in the timetable

Isis

Isis Victoria Rose started dancing as soon as she started to walk. A professional dancer for over 9 years, Isis has studied at central London’s renowned Pineapple Dance Studios and The Place. She is an exceptionally trained dancer in ballet, jazz, contemporary and hip-hop and commercial dance. Isis found the passion for pole 5 years ago and indulged in learning circus acrobatic skills to add to her artistry.

Isis’s talents have demanded her to perform around the world and in music videos, in 2011 she performed and supported the award winning, eccentric world star Lady Gaga in India . Talent going unnoticed, Isis came 2^nd place at the 2009 British Hip Hop championships, which led her to become a judge at the annual I Love Tour dance in Spain.

With a love for art and expression, Isis engages in and out of London’s best cabaret and corporate shows in burlesque,showgirls and pole performing.  Isis also last year performed on TV for Ant and Dec’s ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’ for the big reunion and Big Brother’s bit on the side.

In-between performing, Isis’s extensive knowledge and expertise in her profession has led her to choreograph shows and teach at many venues Pineapple Dance Studios, Reebok centre to name a few also presenting a  convention for RIP fitness; plus one to one personal mentoring and training.

Jackie

Jo

Accomplished and experienced international aerialist and acrobat. Jo Foley has over 15 years experience performing with gymnastics, theatre and circus for a variety of events ranging from commercials and music videos to corporate events and private parties and everything in between.

Drawing from this wealth of knowledge and experience, Jo is also an acclaimed circus tutor, emphasising strong technique, attention to details and lots of fun!

Katarina

Katarina fell in love after one class

Laura Foley

Laura has got a long experience in pole. “I started pole dancing 10 years ago in Queenstown, New Zealand. A friend from work introduced me to it and I was instantly hooked. I was taught by some super inspiring women in New Zealand which really made me fall in love with it.”

What I love about pole is the amazing feeling you have when you finally get a move. The confidence and support you get from others in the studio, there are no egos and it was all about cheering each other on whether you were a baby poler or super experienced. Also, the sparkly shoes.

After starting pole I have more confidence in my every day life. I found pole helped me love my body and appreciate everything I can do.

I adore teaching and seeing someone new to pole catch the bug and see their confidence and ability grow. My motivation for teaching is to pass on my enthusiasm and to give new polers that solid base skill set to progress.

Laura’s proudest pole moment was competing in the 2018 Dance Filthy Northern heats. Competing also gave her the fire to improve and get her teaching qualification. In class you can expect an incredibly well curated pole playlist that Laura has been working on for the last 10 years. Laura’s style is a beautiful pole flow with a sexy flair. 

Book Laura’s classes in our timetable

Lisa

Pole dancing makes you feel sexy and strong

Magda

Magda teaches Splits and our Pole level classes here at London Dance Academy. She runs weekly Discover Pole and Level 2 classes as well as frequently covering for all levels from 1 through to 4. 

Magda qualified as a pole dance instructor in Poland, training under the talented eye of Edyta Borchowiec in 2016. She has since competed in the pole doubles category with fellow London Dance Academy instructor Jackie. In IPAAT, Pole Theatre UK, Heir To The Chrome. And winning second place at Pole Sport Zurich, and first place at Pole Revolution UK.

Pole Dancing brings happiness and smiles to my life

Magda’s classes are energetic

Pole dance fills her life with positive energy and brings a big smile to her face each time she enters the studio. 

Book Magda’s classes in the timetable.

Maya

Maya (aka Iracy Veloso ) comes from a dance background (ballet, contemporary and folk dance). She has a BA in Physical Education from the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil.

Maya arrived in London in 1998. She has been pole dancing for more than fifteen years and teaching pole for the last ten years. Initially self-taught, she began training in 2006 with former UK and world pole champion Elena Gibson. She was later invited to become part of her select team of teachers.

Maya was a finalist in pole dance competitions in both the UK and abroad between 2006 and 2012. (Pole Divas 2006 and 2009 finalist, Miss Pole Dance UK 2009 finalist, Pole Art 2010 finalist, as well as UK Professional Pole Championship 2011 finalist). In recent years, she has focused on teaching and improving her skills as a pole instructor.

POLE SPECIFIC TEACHING CERTIFICATIONS:
– 2013: certified by the X-Pert Pole Fitness Certification Program Level 1/2 .
– 2014: certified by elevatED Level 1 Professional Pole Instructor Training.
– 2015: certified by elevatED Flexibility Level 1 Professional Instructor Training.
– 2016: completed FloorFlow Teacher Training Level 1 with Marlo Fisken.
             completed Josh Taylor’s Pole Instructor Intensive.
             certified by XPERT Pole Fitness Spinning Pole teachers training.
– 2017 certified by Spin City intermediate Pole Fitness Instructor Training.

Melissa

Pole is a combination of strength, grace and raw sex appeal

Mia

Mia teaches Exotic Pole, Developpe and Splits, Calisthenics and Stretch, Dancehall and Power Yoga at London Dance Academy. She is a substitute teacher for our regular Pole level classes. She is a certified pole dance teacher with Spin City, a 200 hours alliance Yoga Teacher and 500 hours Budokon Mixed Movement Arts Teacher.

Mia is also practicing to become a Seiki Shiatsu and Thai Yoga Massage Therapist. She also has a BA in Contemporary Dance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, and has won several titles in Freestyle Disco Jazz Dance Competitions.

Pole is my soulmate and life partner

Originally from Norway, Mia has been dancing since the age of 3. And she moved to London to complete a BA in Contemporary Dance. She discovered pole in her first year of study, through a project that fused contemporary and pole dancing together. After having tried most dance styles out there, Mia says she fell in love with “the honesty of pole dance. That it requires so much strength and flexibility, determination and focus to achieve the tricks and make it look graceful. I started seeing improvements physically and mentally in my life. My relationship with the pole was like I had found my soulmate and life partner.” Even after many years of practice Mia says that “Pole Dance keeps me excited. I never feel bored. I am always excited when I can train pole or teach it.”

Mia’s proudest personal pole achievements include founding and performing with her pole and contemporary dance company AURORA Movement. With her dance training background, Mia’s classes have a technical base.  “ The emphasis is on having fun and expressing yourself. I focus on achieving the good feeling when you can let go of judgement and expectations to yourself, and dance freely.”

Book Mia’s classes in our timetable

Natalie

Natalie loves the stimulation for the mind in aerial arts

She is now an aerial performer and choreographs her own aerial acts

Nofisa

Nofisa started her pole fitness journey in New Jersey, USA. It was an instant addiction to the sport and her love for pole fitness continues today. Even after having her son, Nofisa is determined to continue her pole journey and is continuously reaching new levels in the sport.

A proud moment in her pole journey is coming 1st place in the talent show section of Miss Galaxy Universe, a Fitness Model Competition for Women.

When it comes to her style of pole dance, Nofisa would describe herself as strong with a lot of sass.

Nofisa is also a Personal Trainer and qualified Exercise to Music Instructor. She loves teaching group fitness classes as it gives her an opportunity to bring a lot of energy and fun to a room full of people.

Sophie

Sophie teaches our key pole level classes at London Dance Academy, from beginner through to elementary, intermediate and advanced. She also teaches the beg-int level spinning pole classes, and floorwork, flow and stretch.

She qualified with the International Dance Teacher’s Association with an Associate in Freestyle. Sophie placed second in the Instructor category at UKPPC 2017, first in the Pro category at Dance Filthy Southern 2018, and was also a finalist in the Pro Category at UKPPC 2018 and Pole Art UK 2018.

An experienced professional dance teacher, Sophie first tried out pole whilst recovering from an injury and fell in love: “it allowed me to continue dancing and expressing myself through movement whilst in the air.” She stuck with it, enjoying the unique combination of strength and femininity that pole offers.

One of the benefits of pole dance is meeting fantastic people

One of the main benefits pole dance has brought to her life is “meeting a fantastic group of people who have become my family and closest friends”.

Some of her proudest pole achievements to date include placing second in her first ever pole competition, and performing/modelling for Stella McCartney and Adidas for the Spring/Summer 2014 campaign with the London Dance Academy agency.

I did it!

With over twelve year’s experience in teaching, there’s very few pole woes that Sophie can’t remedy. She is known at the studio for her approachable, friendly teaching personality and patient troubleshooting. Making sure every student in her classes gets enough one on one time.

Her enthusiasm shines through lesson after lesson; “student’s successes and achievements are my successes and achievements. I also love seeing that excitement and joy of ‘I did it!’. It sounds cheesy but it’s very fulfilling.