As a Colorado native, fitness has always been a huge part of my life. Growing up we were always fishing, hunting, hiking, rock climbing, etc. My whole family was very active in the local karate community. My parents even built a dojo at our house! I took a lot of dance classes as a child but I didn't get serious about it until I was nineteen. At this point I took up with a ballet studio, and before long, I started teaching and performing with them on a regular basis. I joined their performance company, Classical Dance Theater, where I was a company member for ten years.

I stared doing pole in the Fall of 2013. Oddly enough, pole dancing is something that I never saw myself doing. One night some of my coworkers were going to take a pole class and they invited me. After that first class, pole was all I thought about!

I often hear people say that they would like to try a pole class but they want to lose weight first. This breaks my heart, and in all honesty, if you are feeling overweight and self conscience, then pole class is probably the best place you could be. The pole studio is not a place where we judge one another. We are here to empower each other and lift each other up. We build strength, flexibility and confidence, and it's a whole lot more fun then doing squats at the gym!

On the subject of me, one interesting thing about myself that most people probably don't know is that I grew up on a farm. We raised llamas, and birds of prey like peregrine falcons and harris hawks (my parents are hippies). My favorite pole memories involve rehearsals for group performance routines. The people I dance with have become my best friends, no matter what is going on in my life I can always count on them to make me laugh. We have so much fun, it's surprising that we ever get anything done! Hard work doesn't seem so hard when you're enjoying it and, in the end, we create something beautiful. That's what it's all about.