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.

Angeliki

Angeliki

Angeliki started dancing at the age of four and her training includes ballet, contemporary, jazz and modern theatre dance.

In 2014 she graduated from the National Centre for Circus Arts in London with a Foundation Degree and a Postgraduate Certificate in Circus Arts. Specialising in aerial straps, Angeliki blends movement principals with straps technique to create her own unique style of performance.

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

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 has been training at LDA since 2016. She first tried pole dancing on a ‘whim’ and soon became obsessed.

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

Anouska is also a qualified personal trainer and has a background in martial arts.

Ayesha

Cat

Cat has been doing pole for 6 years (back when everyone used 50mm). She is now an Elite level pole dancer, having recently begun competing internationally. She loves flow and enjoys getting lost in the music when dancing. Cat thinks the best part of pole dance is making it your own and enjoying it. Having no background in dance/gymnastics and not being able to even touch her toes when she started she is a firm believer that anything is possible if you put your mind to it!

Over the past few years she has competed often, including Winning UKPPC Professional 2015 and 3^rd Place IPAAT Champions and has also competed at Pole Art in Cyprus and MPD UK.  She has also judged for MPD Semi Pro 2016 and Bangor Inter Uni Pole Competition. She loves to perform and performs pole, hoop, hoop doubles at any chance she gets.

Cat is a qualified PT and Sports Nutritional adviser. She offers pole, PT and nutrition guidance, advanced flexibility and competition choreography/prep packages.

Charly

Charly

Charly (aka Marie-charlotte aka MC) discovered pole dancing at Bobbi’s Pole Dance Studio in Sydney. Passionate about movement, she did ballet for years before diversifying to modern Jazz, contemporary dance then African dance. She completed her Yoga Teacher Training 200 in Hawaii – and specialized in aerial yoga – she did my aerial Yoga Teacher Training in Houston.

Originally from the south of France, she moved to Paris, then Tunis in Tunisia, then Budapest in Hungary. Charly then ended up in Sydney in Australia. She moved back to her home town in August 2014 and settled in London in mid January 2015.

She passed her ETM (Exercise to Music Certification – Level 2) in 2016 and completed her Xpert Pole Level 1 & 2 Certification the same year.

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

Her motto? “Creepy is sexy”.

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

Claudia Contortionist has been proclaimed as ‘Britain’s Bendiest Woman’. (This Morning ITV, Daily Mail Online, The Sun Online).

She is one of the most highly-skilled contortionists performing in the UK today. Claudia trained at The National Centre for Circus Arts where she earned a first class honours degree. Her performances include amazing handstands combined with unbelievable moves such as the triple fold, as well as The Marinelli Bend (considered to be one of the most difficult and dangerous contortion positions).

Claudia was the contortion body double for The Mummy (Sofia Boutella), and for Nagini (Claudia Kim) in The Crimes of Grindelwald. Her TV work includes Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, This Morning, TFI Friday,  Officially Amazing, Extraordinary Bodies, Extraordinary Humans, and Culture Shock.

She has appeared in many commercials and advertising campaigns. Her contortion work has also led her to work with many fashion designers, including Vivienne Westwood. She has performed at many top venues and at numerous nightclubs, hotels and private parties both in the UK and abroad.

Ema

Emma

Emma is a professional model, PT and dancer and qualified exercise to music instructor.

Her extensive training and experience include Commercial dance, Hip Hop, House, Burlesque. She is an all round dancer that teaches hen parties and dance workshops in Burlesque, Belly Dance, Lap dance, and themed dance parties as well as pole dance.

Emma is a multi-faceted teacher with extensive training in dance and fitness. She also has two world renowned WBFF fitness competitions under her belt.

Having dance background, she provides guidance and assistance in dance choreography, posture and stage presence coaching.

Getting someone up to speed at beginner pole dance level is Emma’s another expertise. Private beginner pole session are welcome. 

Possessing extensive knowledge in body conditioning, Emma can assist in private body weight and gym equipment body conditioning sessions. 

Her method focuses on achieving results within a short space of time, efficiently and effectively, in an environment that fosters the notion that exercise should be fun, motivational and impactful.

Hanna Lyn

Hanna is originally from Cardiff and currently based in London. She began her dance training as an associate of The Royal Ballet School, National Dance Company Wales and National Youth Dance Wales. During this time she danced works by Ohad Naharin, Itzik Galili, Stephen Petronio, Odette Hughes and Theo Clinkard.

During her professional training at London Contemporary Dance School, Hanna performed  and toured with the Bundesjugendballet & JustUs Dance Theatre on their Spring tour of ‘Infinite Identities’. She then went on to join Danish Dance Theatre as an apprentice upon graduating, taking part in the company’s debut European tour of ‘Firebird’.

Her most notable performances include ‘Polaris’ choreographed by Crystal Pite at Sadler’s Wells and performing as a soloist in Andrea Bocelli’s ‘Cinema World Tour’ at the O2 Arena, choreographed by Catarina Carvalho of Company Wayne McGregor.

Hannah

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

Throughout her childhood and early teens Jackie was part of the touring youth circus in Switzerland “Kinderzirkus Robinson”, performing various skills such as acrobatics, trapeze, unicycle, rope dancing and even a bit of juggling. She has also performed in Swiss musical theatre, tried her hand at Irish step dance (Celtic Jig) at the “Rojahn Academy of Irish Dance” and practised Kickboxing. Overall Jackie is a fitness freak, always trying to excel in new areas.

She moved to London in 2010 to pursue her other passion of music, and in 2015 she graduated with a first class BA honours in Music Business Management from BIMM London (The British & Irish Modern Music Institute) whist also working in Legal & Business Affairs for [PIAS], the biggest independent label group in the UK. Jackie’s favourite music genre is undoubtedly Rock music and she loves to further new talent such as the Rock band “Chase The Ace”.

Funnily enough it is her collaboration with Chase The Ace, which got her introduced to pole dancing at the start of 2015. Being completely new in the pole dancing world, Jackie had never appreciated the gymnastic / acrobatic elements required for pole dance, which was precisely what got her hooked. She fell in love with pole instantly and for the past year has been training pole dance intensively at London Dance Academy, where she reached the advanced level within a short time. Strength is definitely one of her specialities but she keeps working hard to improve her everlasting journey of flexibility. In June 2016 Jackie undertook the beginners pole dance instructor qualification course at “Spin City” and is due to enrol on their intermediate & advanced qualification course later on this year. Jackie is very excited to be part of the London Dance Academy team.

Jennifer

Pixie Le Knot is one of the most flexible contortionists in the UK. She performs the most extreme and amazing backbends which very few other british contortionists are able to achieve. She currently performs contortion and acrobatic acts at venues all over the world and has appeared in many films, commercials, virals, music videos and publicity stunts.

Pixie Le Knot plays Kayla in HBO’s Game Of Thrones, appeared in Paramount’s horror movie ‘The Devil Inside’, recent horror thriller ‘It Never Sleeps‘ and touching feature film ‘My Feral Heart‘ as well as featuring in ITV 1’s Get Your Act Together teaching and performing contortion with Emmerdale’s Roxy Shahidi.

She is currently filming on Warner Bros ‘Jungle Book: Origins’ directed by Andy Serkis.

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

Lauren

Lauren considers herself to be an old-school poler, favouring the simple, classic moves done well over the crazy, super-strong-and-flexy moves everyone seems to be doing now! 

She has been pole dancing for 4 years having started when I was at uni, and quickly turned a hobby into a passion/obsession, and now (hopefully!) a career. Her proudest achievement to date is winning my first ever competition – The Authentic Pole Dance 2015.

Lisa

Lisa has pole danced for about 6 years now and is particularly inspired by the combination of extreme tricks and sensual moves. Her classes incorporate those wow-factor tricks into sexy routines. Lisa is a big fan of spinning pole and all her classes are centred around them. Her classes will leave you feeling like a true femme fatale.

Magda

Magda’s passion to sport started with acrobatics when she was 9 years old.

A few years later she won 2^nd place in the regional championships in acrobatics in junior class in doubles. 

Her journey with pole dance started in 2012 at the Pole Dance Institute Vienna. Magda has been dancing at the London Dance Academy since 2015 and this school shaped the dancer she is today.  Recently she completed the instructor training under the talented eye of Edyta  Borchowiec.

Magda loves new challenges and sets her aims high. Pole dance fills her life with positive energy and brings a big smile on her face each time she enters the studio. Now that she is starting to teach, she looks forward to passing this on to students.

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

Mia is a pole, dance and yoga teacher based in London, originally from Norway. She is a professional dancer and choreographer, and has been learning different styles of dance all her life.

She came to London to study for a BA in Contemporary Dance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Whilst studying at Laban, Mia got addicted to Pole Dance. After a few years, Mia completed her teacher training with Spin City and started teaching Contemporary Pole Dance and established her own Pole and Contemporary Dance Company named «AURORA movement».

When teaching and creating dance, Mia often fuses many different movement vocabularies that she has been training in, such as African traditional dance, house, dancehall, jazz, ballet, gymnastics and different styles of contemporary dance.

She also practices Mixed Martial Arts and Yoga, and is a teacher and student of Budokon. Mia is a certified pole dance teacher, 200 hours Yoga Teacher and 500 hours Budokon Mixed Movement Arts Teacher. Mia is also practicing to become a Seiki Shiatsu and Thai Yoga Massage Therapist. 

Natalie

Natalie

Natalie was born in 1976 and in Vienna, Austria. She attended Vienna Opera Ballet School while at high-school and graduated in 1994.

Natalie then took another year abroad to study Dance at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York where she trained in Ballet, Jazz, Modern Dance, Musical Theatre & Ballroom Dance. From 2012 she started aerial lessons and was immediately hooked and mesmerised. She is now an aerial performer and choreographs her own aerial acts.

Natalie teaches aerial hoop, silks and rope as well as hammock classes, including aerial yoga dance.

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.

Samantha

Using the Pilates principles in everything she teaches, Samantha believes in balancing the whole body with the mind during exercise. One of the most experienced AntiGravity Yoga teachers in London, Samantha is able to adapt classes to suit every level of ability, and has recently added AntiGravity Pilates into her repertoire.

To complement the AntiGravity fitness, Samantha is also certified in Suspension Training and Advanced Stretch techniques, so you can be assured you’ll be in safe hands in any one of her classes.

She also has 8 years of experience in the world of Pole Dance.

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.