Between 2 Poles.

Welcome to Between 2 Poles, where we get to meet the faces of Pole Fitness Studio and beyond. Today we have with us Fawnia, owner of Pole Fitness Studio. Welcome, Fawnia. Ah, thank you, Jenny. Happy to be here. A so good to see you as always. Yay. So, uh, let's just start with some background on you. Where are you from? And, um, how did dance find you or how did you find dance?

Yes, I'm from Canada, Victoria, British Columbia. And I found dance because when I was eight years old, I discovered Madonna 1983. And I just became obsessed and I just had to know everything about her. And I would get her music and I would dance like her and might even still dress like her and I was just, oh yeah, I got the high pony. My nipples are not cones at the moment, but I was very much obsessed and everything that she did.

It was like a huge inspiration. Um, and then later on I took some theater classes and I guess the rest is history. When I turned 19, I ended up in a strip club and asked the waitress, you know, hey, how do I how do I find the stripper school? Where do I learn to walk, to dance, where do I get the costumes? And she's like, girl, you just get up there and do it.

And I started like … my pants. What do you mean you just get up there and do it? And she starts laughing. You just get up there. I'm like, there's no school. She's like, there's no school, silly. And so I I kind of left feeling like I need to do an amateur contest. Oh my god. And I need to just start teaching somebody, but I don't know what I'm doing, but I have.

There's there's a void here. There's a market. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yeah. So yeah, I did my amateur night and um So you went right into amateur night like not knowing anything really about I knew nothing. So and I had been in a strip club once. Okay. So, I had 24 hours to prepare. And I remember um it was I don't guess Saturday night my birthday. And then the following weekend, I went to uh Vancouver from Victoria and I had one day to prepare and I remember just sitting in the strip club all day.

Yeah. All day, all night. And I would take notes. Oh jeez. And I know funny education. I think I watched uh 24 strippers in 24 hours. Okay. You were you were very intent on learning this craft. I was right out of high school. Well, I just graduated, so this was fresh in my mind. If you want to do something, you study. You get prepared for the test.

I mean, it makes perfect sense. Why can't it translate to to stripping as well, right? It did. It really did. And so, I went and I did this amateur night, but it's not a typical amateur night in my opinion because it was one where the agents would go and they would see the new talent and then you get picked up by the agent and then you give them 12 and a half% of your income and they shop you around.

So, they book you. It's so different now. Oh, I don't even think this is the thing anymore, but I'll have to ask Vanna Lace. That is That is a crazy world. Dynamite. Yeah. All these superstars. I need to check in with them because from what I'm hearing, it's not at all the same. Oh, wow. So, yeah, I got picked up and the agent, funny enough, he said, you know, she's a little heavy.

She's a little chubby, but she'll lean out. And I was like, what? He said I was overweight. The agent said I had to maybe lose a little weight. I'm a little overweight. I'm like, that can't be. And I just noticed, okay, I don't have these lines in their hamstrings. What is that all about? I just have a bunch of like dimples and squishy. So, yeah, I did end up losing some weight.

I wasn't overweight. I was average about 145 pounds for five, which is like completely normal. Yeah, completely normal. Pretty typical. Yeah, body weight. Yeah, for that height and weight at that time. But anyway, so here I are. So dance found me and I'm really grateful that I actually didn't become a police officer because that was my original goal right out of high school. Yes. I'm trying to picture this and I can't.

Oh man, come on. Me in a uniform. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So yeah, it would be a you'd be a hot police officer for sure. Yeah. I went to I just followed the rules, right? I said, "Okay, I want to be a police officer." or you go to the reserve building and you get an application form and you fill it out and I ask for the application forms.

They're like, "I'm sorry, we don't have any. We ran out." Okay, this is back when something called paper existed. And I'm really grateful they didn't have any application forms left because divine intervention kicked in. You were meant to be a pole instructor and to start the studio. Yes, I am so grateful. And I come from a line of teachers. My grandmother became a teacher from the age of 16.

She started teaching um a one room classroom with all ages and grades in one room in Saskatchewan. So So Fawnia um I know that at the entryway of your studio, you know, you have that wonderful sign that says open a studio, home of the the world's first pole dance instructor. So, how do you know that you're the world's first pole dance instructor? Well, yeah, that's a interesting question.

So, I've been coined this. I didn't choose it. Um, people would just say, "Oh my gosh, you're the first." Because I created a DVD in 1998 called Pole Work and or a VHS tape, I have to be clear. And I thought, "Oh, wow. I'm the first. That's that's crazy." Okay. I mean, I did do a little research. I couldn't find anyone on the internet that was making a video.

And so to verify that I was the first, I did a search after the fact of releasing it and I found another company called um their video was called Exotic Dancing for the Everyday Woman and I bought the D the VHS tape and I looked at the date of it and it was produced in December of 98 and I was June or July of 98 but they didn't have any pole.

It was just very much like central movement and floor work, right? So yeah, even if they had come in even at the same month as me, I'm the first to make the DVD or the VHS tape. Yeah. Of pole dancing. So that's how I think I know. But you know, I've actually met some people over the years just in conversation here, you know, you meet new friends and I tell them what I do.

And then this one particular lady, she's um she worked at Home Depot, right? And I go, "Oh, yeah, cool." Um and I think she might even been working at the time that I met her. and she said, "Oh, I used to teach way before 94." I was like, "Well, you didn't get it on video." So, so, wow, that's like I mean, well, that's such a wonderful title to have.

I mean, I remember back when I first started pole, um, schools were still a rarity. I mean, you you were definitely one of the first that I found here in Vegas. Um, but, you know, the majority of pole dance was on YouTube, like just like just watching, you know, people set of poles in their garage and like doing tricks and you're just like imitating, you know, what you see on a video.

Whereas, you know, I mean, having something like this was such a blessing where, you know, you actually get hands-on instruction and, you know, you get you get, you know, corrected for doing things that might be unsafe. For sure. And now they have a line of crash mats and grips and all the different aids that come with it. But YouTube didn't exist in 1994. 1998. There was no YouTube.

When did YouTube? I don't know. And because I Yeah, that I do not know. But um if it wasn't around, it wasn't very popular. Thank goodness because I had a I had a shot. You cornered the market. I cornered the market. Yeah. So, what was it like starting this business here in Las Vegas? Well, when I came here, I didn't know anybody and I showed up with um just two suitcases and my computer.

Okay. And a one-way ticket. So, I was definitely questioned in Seattle. Wow. On my way down. Yeah, that's gutsy. Yeah, it was gutsy. And but I I was determined even though I was definitely on hold for a couple hours at the airport, but um I didn't look like a threat. And when I came down here, I thought, okay, I want to start teaching, but there isn't any places to go teach.

So, I thought, okay, I need to find a studio space. And I found a Pilates studio. and I rented out their room, put up and down my nine little minks poles every day before and after class. Oh wow. Yeah, definitely had some help with Damon and we we just made it work. So in the beginning though it was very challenging because I was the only instructor. It's like you know four hours, six hours, eight hours of teaching a day definitely got very tiring.

So I had to go around to the strip clubs to wherever just meeting people out and about getting to know them. Do you teach? Can you teach? Do you want to teach? And oh geez. Finally. So, how did how did you first like start structuring things for for your classes? Like how how how was that? Yeah. So, in the very beginning, um I had access to the room at specific hours in the Pilates studio and I thought, okay, what's the most common time?

When can people work out? So, I created Monday night 6 PM level one. And it was one class a week. Nice. Just like, you know, when you think about how a baby's being born, like first they're the size of a blueberry. So, I was a blueberry and here we are. We are way more than a watermelon. We have five rooms, 45 instructors, and 120 classes a week.

Oh my god. Yeah, it's nuts. But it just started with one class a week. And that's what I'd recommend for anyone that wants to open up their own business. Just start. Get your pen, get your paper, start writing it down and making things happen. Yeah. Um don't wait for the perfect moment. Perfect moment. There's no such thing. In fact, that perfect moment isn't going to happen unless you take these baby steps.

Yeah. makes complete complete sense. I mean, I I like I I I've seen how much the studio has grown since I you know, since I started here with you and it's just, you know, it it it it's gone through so many changes, all positive, you know, the world of pole has changed so much and um it just it just keeps on getting better in my opinion. Yeah, I have to agree.

I know when you started, Jenny, we were downstairs studio, we had 10 pole and then we put in an 11th pole for Felix Kaine when she came from Australia. I remember when she came I was like and then you and I were trying to do a we were trying to do something um I guess a shoulder mount flip and we did it on the wrong side and I hurt my ear and I was like yes I remember that move because I never did it again.

I was like I just feel like I tore my ear off. Oh my god. I love that move though to this day. I need to do it more and I know yeah I will I will get back to it. I'm kind of on like injury prevention mode. But yeah, the studio has gone through a lot and a lot of different walks of life and creatures have come through.

Well, like we were like talking about even before the interview started, you know, I mean, one thing that I appreciate about you is just how, you know, flexible you've been. I have to be with your business. Yes. So, I believe it is rapid fire time, Fawnia. Bing bang. So, spinning or static. I love static whips or feathers. Oh, whips. Didn't say who's holding it though. I might give it to you.

Trick question. Top or bottom? Oh, bottom. Bottom. Oh, okay. Rice or quinoa? I'll do a nice Canadian rice. Canadian rice. Yes. I'm curious. You have to tell me about Canadian rice. Coffee. Coffee or tea? I'll do coffee. Bevisha, please. Morning or night? Morning, depending. But I'm trying. Oh, you're trying. T trying. Mornings. I have a child. It's morning. I know. It all changes with a child. Child.

We're both parents. Yes. Okay. Rave or meditate? I do like to do both. I'm trying to retire from rave. That's why I gave birth to a raven. Oh, that's how we got his name. Really? Yes. I love his name. Yeah. So, so well suited. Thank you. Um, exhibitionist or voyer. I think exhibitionist you can watch. I could I could see that in you. Okay. Well, we have more questions, don't we?

Okay. So, what happened after the TV interviewed aired um after the Super Bowl in 2006? Oh, yes. Um, I believe it was channel 13 if I'm not mistaken. They came and did a big interview for Channel 13 and it aired right after the Super Bowl and I had some phone calls. Let me tell you, I went from two or three students to a waiting list and I had to find instructors quick.

That's when I found Amy Raven. Oh, wow. At the Rhino. Yeah. Um, the best promotion for your for your studio ever. It was amazing. Yeah. When I first moved to Vegas, being the first pole dancing studio that opened here, uh it was such a blessing to have everyone curious and interested and knocking on my door. How were you able to find students initially? I mean, how how were you, you know, promoting?

How are you how were you advertising? Oh, man. You know, I really it was tough. It was tough in the beginning and the payment structure as a student was so different as well. So, um I would go out to the clubs a lot, the pools, restaurant openings. I know some of our Vegas magazines. Um, one called Vegas. I remember when they opened. Um, huge parties at Green Valley Ranch.

I've seen the hotels open and you just go and you hand out cards and you talk to people. Okay. That's really it. Just hitting the pavement, right? Um, a few radio interviews. Um but more TV actually channel 3 513 um the morning blend Fox Fox 5 News and um can't remember the name of the Fox morning show but just hitting the pavement making phone calls and I remember making how what do I want to charge?

So this is how things have really adapted. The members of Pole Fitness Studio count your lucky stars because when we first opened we were a four-week course. You come once a week for four weeks. Say Mondays at six level one and it's $220. Oh my god. $55 a class. Wow. One hour class. Things have changed. Yeah. A lot. Thank goodness. Thank goodness. Yeah. But when you if you want to Google say checkout rates for pole dancing studios in New York, I was gonna say those are like New York big city prices.

Exactly. So you're going to pay over $200 and you're probably going to get 30 or 40 classes a week access to and then Yeah. So we have it really good here. And I I say I say this all the time. I'm just kind of like you go anywhere else, you know, it is you're you are hardressed to find. Yeah. It's like taking Pilates. It is. Which which is another I'm going to dive into that world soon.

I'm I'm I'm excited to learn because you just got your nutrition um certification. I did certification. Yeah. It has no no connection to Pilates, but I want to do Pilates for my health and my spinal alignment, but I did just get my nutrition coaching degree. So, before we close out, Fawnia, tell us what are you what are you working on now? What's that? What am I working on?

Um, this is I'm so glad you asked this because the last couple interviews I forget. I am working on a nonprofit. It's called P O L E P, which means power over limits every day. And it's focused on people over 40 that just maybe they need a reminder that they are powerful, they're strong, and just because of the number doesn't dictate that they're not able to do something or they don't have to fit.

They had they you don't we're not the golden girls, you know. Yeah. We're not cutting our hair short. Exactly. Um we're not going to stop exercising. And we do love We love a good podcast. Okay. who were going to sit on the couch from time to time, but we have to move the body. I remember a famous um quote in my mind. Um the TV is highly motivating.

Whenever it turns on, I get up and I go, you know, and so just get up and move. Do do something for yourself every day because sitting around and watching no offense Netflix, but sitting around and watching that for hours a day is not that's not living your your life. So So important. Yeah. Uh so we'll be encouraging people all ages to to be active and it's going to be great even for children to come out or with their children, mothers, grandmothers, everyone just coming out and having a good time.

I love that. What a great note to end on. Thank you. Yeah, thank you Jenny. Well, thank you for joining us at Between 2 Poles. If you um enjoyed the content, please like, comment, or subscribe to this channel. We'd appreciate it. Um come out to visit. Mhm. And share us share us with your friends. Yes.

Transcript lightly edited from YouTube captions.

Welcome to Between 2 Poles, where you meet the faces of Pole Fitness Studio and beyond. My name is Fawnia, and we're here with Jenny Bascos, who's been teaching here at Pole Fitness Studio since around 2008. Welcome, Jenny. Sounds good. Thank you, Fawnia. Yeah, thanks for joining us today. It's a pleasure to be here. Yay. Now, one of the questions many of us are thinking like, how old is Jenny and how does she get started in dance?

Oh my goodness. Wow. Well, how young is Jenny? Rephrase. Oh, it's okay. I like it's it's funny because age has been something I never really thought a whole lot about, which is maybe part of the reason why, you know, I I feel young. I am I'm 51 which you know kind of feels strange I guess when I when I say the number but you know it's never really been anything I've been overly preoccupied with.

Um yes. Yeah. If we kept keep thinking about the number then we might become the number. Yeah. I think at some point you start going backwards don't you? I I think so. Yeah. At least emot emotionally. That's what I always felt. Yes. And now how did you get started in dance? Uh how did I get started in dance? Well, my professional career began in New York City circa in 1994.

Um before that I was a philosophy major and then I decided, you know, I want to you know I I want to pursue the arts. I want to become a dancer. So I um I I was going to Smith uh Smith College um in Northampton, Massachusetts at the time and I just decided to pick up and leave and move to New York not knowing anyone. Um, from there I was fortunate enough to make some, you know, connections with Metropolitan Opera.

Um, and I auditioned as a flamenco dancer for, um, Carmen and La Traviata and, um, you know, I got in. So that was, you know, kind of my first steps into my professional career, dancing. Wow. Um, before that, you know, I I did it more, you know, more as a hobbyist, like a a novelty. I never pursued it seriously because I grew up um you know you know Asian family you know that I needed to pick a profession that would support you know support my you know my lifestyle.

So um you know I kind of rebelled against that whole idea and I was like no I'm going to be an artist. I love that. That was we are grateful you did. I I you know what I am I am too. You know as as you know isn't the most lucrative profession and it's very challenging and very competitive. But um you know everything's a trade-off, right? You know um if you you know if you if you work hard and you make the right connections, it could also be very you know um well obviously physically rewarding because true you know so good for your body but also um you know creatively and you know emotionally rewarding.

So, where where would we have seen you if we went back to I guess the 90s? Where what stage were you have been on? Such good times. Gen X. Yes. Okay. Gen X in the N. Um where would I would have been at the Lincoln Center. Um let's see. We did tour Japan for um for a few weeks. Um that was my first time, you know, going to Japan which was absolutely amazing.

Feel very blessed to have had that opportunity. um you would have seen me in smaller venues because uh you know as a oh let me let me backtrack a little bit. So my my focus uh with dance was flamenco at the time and so most of the gigs there were done in what they call tapas bars you know um and it was like a nightlife scene so you would you know you would go in um set up with some musicians.

It was always live music and like this little wooden stage you know somewhere um in the bar area and um you know would just be drinking and you know having you know having their tapas or their little you know their little orders and snacks. So they weren't throwing money. Um well you know what there were some there were some people like one of my friends had actually received diamonds like a little little um satchel of of of diamonds from who knows like I think some kind of rich Arab guy or something.

Please take my diamonds. Please take my diamond. Yeah. Like I mean, you know, um not really throwing money like you would at, you know, when you make it rain, you know, diamonds at at a club. Yeah. Yeah. Please don't please don't rain diamonds on me. At least not put them in a satchel, please. Yes, please. I'm handing out satchels to you all. Oh, that's wild. So, yeah.

So, um, uh, mixture of both like big stages, like I said, like the like, uh, like Lincoln Center, um, and then also just, you know, small venues, especially when you're freelancing, um, which, you know, which I did, you know, uh, going to like small restaurants and stuff like that, you catch me there. And how did you end up in Vegas in a pole dancing studio? Well, I started pole dancing in New York.

Um, you know, there I was working out of Gold's gym and there was uh, you know, they were offering full dance classes and I was like, "Oh, yeah. This will be this will be kind of fun and easy, you know. I mean, it shouldn't be that big of a transition. I'm in shape. I'm a dancer. I do yoga, blah, blah, blah." And I walked in there, you know, with a little bit of ego.

And then I came out completely humbled because I, you know, there was this gorgeous instructor and she, you know, she was talking and she was just climbing up on her pole and doing all these beautiful moves. And I was like, "Yeah, I could do that." And then I tried it and I was like, "Oh, no, I can't." And I was like, but but then again, I was like, I was so determined after that.

I was like, "No, I'm gonna I'm gonna get this." this and it just became a huge addiction for me. And um you know, so kind of close to the time when I was retiring from my professional dance career, I started spending more time out here in Vegas um because my parents lived out here and um that's when I discovered your studio. I was like, "Oh, I kind of wandered in wideeyed like this is great.

There's a pole dance studio here and I'm going to be here for for the summer and this is all I'm going to do. I'm just going to, you know, study pole dancing. I remember what pole you were on. You do? I do. So downstairs studio, which is no longer with poles, but downstairs studio in the middle, we have this pretend brick section, and you were on the pole, I'm pretty sure, near the middle of the room.

Oh, that's so funny. Yeah, it was like third pole from the bathroom. Wild. And you were taking I I swear you would take two or three classes in a row with us and then you would go to other fitness facilities and take two or three classes over there. Oh, yeah. I was like I I mean I think that when you're doing something you love you just you know you you just naturally get the you know get the enthusiasm and the energy and it kind of carries out through everything else in in your day.

Yeah. And you have been dancing for so long so to just do one hour of fitness a day might be a little odd. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's that that's very strange for me. I mean well I mean the funny thing is that I stumbled into fitness and and dance more as a way of healing. um you know there was a lot of I can't say like you know I well I think there's dysfunction in every family or frustrations every family right so you kind of want to find you know a way a way out of that and that's what dance was for me and you know and Paul was the same way you know it's like kind of creating a family and a community outside of you know one that you know at times was very frustrating for me so yeah that Makes sense.

You know, the gateway to a different family, a different world. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I love that. I I think that's why we have such a great, you know, community at your studio. It's like it's always been very welcoming. Um, very open-minded. We are open-minded. Yes. Which actually leads me perfect timing for the rapid fire moment. Okay. We are going to get to know Jenny um a little bit differently than we have been these last few minutes.

So, I'm just gonna lay out a few questions here, and she's going to give the answer of the options that I'm going to give. So, ready, Jenny. Spinning or static? Spin. All right. Whips or feathers? Oh, whips. I knew that. You know the answer to these questions. I know, but I just wanted to get it on the record. Okay. Top or bottom? Oh, both. Okay, if I could turn back time.

Okay. Rice or quinoa? Oh, quinoa. Coffee or tea? Tea. Morning or night? Morning. Rave or meditate? Both. Exhibitionist or voyer? Oh god. Um, getting more. That's a hard one. That's That's a tough one. I'm kind of leaning more towards the warrior because I I am more introvert I think. Okay, I like to finish on that note. Okay, I'll take it. Okay, cool. That was fun. Let's take a look.

What are your favorite forms of dance? If you could just lay out a few. H favorite forms of dance. Well, flamenco. Um obviously pole obviously, you know. Um, I'm going to make this a little stretch and say, you know, yoga because even though I know yoga is, you know, more meditative practice, I also, um, approach it, you know, from the side of movement and and dance. And I think that when you're in that meditative flow, um, you know, it could it could feel like a dance.

Your yoga is it's smooth. You got this Vinyasa and you're going and you never run out of things to say. Yeah. Well, it's like it's that whole idea like breath, you know, breath to movement and you know when you when you follow your breath, you know, you just get into, you know, that you know that meditative state. Meditative state. Now, what about injuries? How how have you made it this far?

Or have you made it this far? Well, you know, I mean, you know, as we know, the body changes. You know, I I definitely have uh you know, I feel repetitive stress, you know, injuries throughout my body, but um I feel like I'm very um I'm very much of an intuitive mover. So, um and you know, I always preach this to my students too that you know um listen to your body, you know, um you know, understand your own limits, you know, um progress is always kind of, you know, up and down.

It's not just a straight shot up. Good point. You know, and I think that's kind of the secret to the whole longevity thing, too. It's just like, you know, some days you're going to show up and you're not going to be your strongest, but don't beat yourself up. That's okay. And then, you know, um, you know, just you don't have to do the hardest, but just do something.

Yeah. Even if it's not like, you know, tricks on a pull, maybe you're just like dancing and that's still very good for your body. And then by the time you know you rested, you can come back and do the more difficult things. As far as injuries though go, I mean, you know, I mean, just, you know, if if something starts to hurt, I just don't push it.

Oh, that's a smart one. And you mentioned before we went live, um, that you hadn't had breakfast. Tell us what a day in the life of Jenny on the plate looks like. So, usually um, well, you know, it's known as intermittent fasting, although I like I told you, I was doing it way before. I I was never really a breakfast person, you know. I never really felt like I needed to, you know, start my day with, you know, with food.

And and it's not for everyone. Um but for me, I find that, you know, in the morning if I get up and I start moving, um you know, that kind of carries me through the day energet, you know, I'll have I'll have my meal. So, usually I'll um my my eating window is somewhere between 2 and 10 p.m. Okay. So, you're not doing one meal a day and fasting the rest?

No, no, no. I mean, sometimes like that'll vary. Like if I'm feeling really rund down because I do, you know, try to monitor my insulin levels. Um, you know, I'll have like a little bit of a snack. Again, it's like yeah, that intuitive thing like this is like intermittent fasting is what I do, you know, as a standard. But, you know, I mean, if I'm just like, oh, I'm really really sluggish.

I need something, you know, just have some, you know, have some nuts some or, you know, just like a little snack. Little snack. Okay. So, we're not doing the typical breakfast, lunch, dinner, and one or two snacks. No, that's like that's never really been it's too vanilla for her and me. I know. I am kind of extreme. Now, if you could summarize why do you love pole dancing?

What what would you tell someone say why do you do that? Are you want to be a stripper? You're a little old for being a stripper. Oh jeez. Um well, you know what? I think a lot of it is down to um you know personal expression. Um plus it's I mean it is such an excellent form of fitness. You can't you can't argue that like it has completely changed my body that in ways that you know a gym workout could not.

And it requires, you know, it requires coordination. Um, you know, it's it's an art form for me. Um, plus there's so many forms of it. Like I love just, you know, doing my thing, but I love also looking around and being like, oh man, that's really like looking around at other other students or, you know, or my peers like, oh, that's really cool. And I just love being supportive in that way.

Um, so yeah, it's it's everything. It's the it's it's the environment. It's the it's the It's, you know, it's a community. I love that. And do you have a pole at home? I don't know if I ever asked you. You know what? I I do. Um, but the only time I used it was during the pandemic. Oh, geez. Is it still up? It's No, I had I had I took it down because I just, you know, I just Well, you know what?

I mean, I want to put it back up just because it's like great to have a pole, you know? It's great to have a pull up. It really is. I like putting it up even if I don't use it, but it just makes me feel better having it up. It's like having a fireplace or a television. Most people No, most people don't have a fireplace, but it's nice to have one.

It is. It is nice to have one. I mean, especially when you have like, you know, friends over and guests. It's like Yes. It's like like it can't go unnoticed and, you know, and like it's actually more important than a table and chairs in my opinion. When you Which makes sense, you know, considering that you own own a studio. Yeah. When when we have people over, we do have a few apparatuses to play on.

Yeah. Oh god, I love your house. Like, you know, it's like it's like a jungle gym for adults. We might have to shoot there sometime. That would be fantastic. You should. You should. Okay. Well, maybe we'll do that. But yeah, I just, you know, I'm I'm really grateful for this journey I've been on, you know, like specifically with Paul, but like with, you know, with, you know, all the experiences I've had leading up to this, you know, going to New York, you know, finding an artist there discovering pool then meeting you and what I love I just remember when you say you go back to to New York one time you came back to Vegas shaved head blonde hair yes yes yes that is so hard to picture but maybe we can dig up a picture and Aier can put it right here yes I'll I'll I'll find one I have one that has like a little pixie cut so great oh well Jenny it's been so much fun to have you and um looking forward to seeing you on the pole again.

appreciate you.

Transcript lightly edited from YouTube captions.

Welcome to Between 2 Poles, where we meet the faces of Pole Fitness Studio and beyond. Today we're here with Brenda, and she's been with us since around 2015. I was doing some math. Well, Brenda, thanks for sitting with us today. How did you get started in dance? Um, I was about five years old and my mom said, "Let's go to dance class." Well, that was I really didn't have much of an input, so she just said, "Let's let's go to dance."

No, of course, I was dancing around the house and all that. Yeah. Um, so from 5 years old, I just never stopped. I'm 42. Oh, I love that. So, you weren't crying in class. No. Oh, no. There was definitely tears. Yeah. Oh, yeah. For sure. Especially the older you get and and the more serious you take it and then it becomes a passionate thing where you're like I want to be really good but you're like 14.

So you're like I'm really bad. You can't see the good, you know, growing up. So, and did your mom dance? Yes. And so did my grandmother and my great aunt Elanor. Yeah. So it's it's in the blood. I love that. Oh man. If we just had a baby Brenda, she'd be dancing. There is kind of one. My sister uh swallow my niece. My sister has a daughter, Olivia.

Oh, there we go. Yeah. And she uh she's a phenomenal dancer. She's 14. Really really good. Yeah, she's we're I'm not going to let that in. That's that will be in the family. The family line somehow should ever run out. Perfect. Is she coming here? When am I going to meet this woman? She's actually She comes here. And I love your socks, by the way. I just noticed.

My These are actually my favorite. I I still need to like 10 more. They really are my favorite. I wash them a lot. Okay. Be worn. Oh, they're gorgeous. Now, where have you performed with all this dance experience? Um, everywhere. I have uh done about oh god probably 30 at this point or more shows just here in the city in Las Vegas. What would be some names?

Um, Jubilee, Fal Brerier, Show Girls of Magic, Experlesque. Um, that's impressive right there in Barles. I was care about taste. Taste is the one that I'm currently in. It's so funny cuz I constantly forget about it. I do too. It's such a great show. I'm just getting ready for it every second of my life and then when we talk about it I'm like, "No, this is when I'm decompressing."

I know. And it only happens five times a year. So, you have to check us out Instagram. Taste the show. Okay. Yeah. Cuz the other day I was on this show apparently. And I forgot about my own show. Oh, good. We're doing good. Yeah. Now, where have you performed besides those shows? Have you traveled around the world a little bit? I've been to um London, Paris, Rome, Santiago, Chile, ironically.

Um I have traveled basically everywhere in the United States. We've gone to Mexico. Um yeah, I I've traveled a lot. Wow. Are there any places that you'd like to go back and see? I would go to uh Boracay, Philippines again in a heartbeat. Yeah. What was so great about there? So, we were there for two weeks. I was in a band called 5150 and we were there for about two weeks.

So we we started in Manila and uh had performance out there for Dudaton which is a giant tattoo festival. So we performed for them and we had time off. So we went to Boracay which is a just a little island and oh my god it was amazing. I will never forget this. I got a was getting massage um on the water. You can hear the ocean waves crashing in.

Oh love. And then it starts to rain. They don't stop your massage. They just climb on things and start covering you. The massage doesn't end and then when the, you know, then when it's done raining, they'll take it down so you can be in the sun again. And I think I spent maybe $10. Wow. Just because the currency is a bit different. That is incredible. Oh, if you if you could live anywhere in the world, where would you like to live?

Oh boy, that's a loaded question right now. Okay. Well, let's unload it and just deep in for you. If if the world was uh um a little sparklier right now, let's pretend it's all rainbows. Rainbows and butterflies. Yes. Um beyond the ice wall. I'm just kidding. I'm not a flat earther. Wow. I do know one man that is. I'm sh listen there's again there's so much craziness going on.

Like just bring on the aliens. Let's let's see what's Let's see what's happening. But I think um I I would want to I don't know if I'd want to necessarily move anywhere else because I really love my home here. But I do think it would be cool to and again in a perfect world take the opportunity to go to like I don't know Greenland for a month and you know Australia for a month and just go explore some places that I haven't been.

But Vegas is home. Yeah, Vegas is addicting. It is. I did try to leave and I came back. That's right. Where did you try to go to? San Diego. And well, no, it's funny because everyone goes, "Well, well, why why would you not stay in San Diego?" Like, I lived basically walking distance to the water. Well, yeah. No, that's all you get and then you're broke. And then you're broke.

It's kind of a car. You can get down to the water and that's what you can enjoy. Oh, but you had that experience. Yep. You sure did. Now, what what does a day in Brenda look like from your daily rituals to blah blah blah? I'm laughing because mine knows exactly what my daily rituals are. But you don't. What do I do? I get up and I come to Pole Fitness Studio and then I train some clients at Pole Fitness Studio and then I go home and I go to bed and then I get up and I repeat that.

That's true. But there's more to Brenda than that. There is because there's something that you do every day that you think we should all do. Everyone should 10,000% have a gratitude journal. um that that especially uh all all joking aside going into serious talk, there is so much heaviness going in the world right now that it is it's very easy to get caught in the weight of it all, especially with some recent things that have come to light.

So, it can be overwhelming and you can feel guilt and you can feel lost in it and feel how do I help? Um I don't know why it's making me a little choked up. Oh, but um if you have gratitude, then you can really sit back and go, if I can find my happiness, if I can find the light in every single day, that is my job to help other people do that.

So, I buy everyone a gratitude journal. Like, no joke. If you again, if you you get caught up in so much because there is so much. But if you can sit back and go, I always tell you this, stop and smell the roses, right? Yes. So, when you stop and smell the roses, you can go, there is so much going on, but holy crap. And I love your lat uh latitude journals.

My latitude journals. I love your gratitude journals because I I share them with you a lot. You My name is on it. My name like she gave me this journal and my name is literally on the journal. Like this big thing's in my face. Excuse me, my mouth is getting dry. So yeah. So um I I I will say for myself, maybe that's why I'm getting choked up is that the weight of the world can make you depressed.

And I was I will say I was a very depressed person. So to get up every morning and just want to go like want to want to go to the studio, want to see my students, want to help my clients just kind of scream from the rooftops, you're worthy, you're loved, you're valued, you're seen like and and not even and it's a really cool thing because it's not even sometimes within yourself or with with somebody else.

It's within yourself. You look in the mirror and you be like, just do that trick. Did did I just did Did I just invert? And so it's it's when you can take those moments and and this is why I do love the studio so much is because it is such an absolutely overwhelmingly empower empowered place. Again, you can you can start at square one and then it can be even just a fireman spin or an inversion, whatever it might be.

You don't need the gratification. You don't need the validation from your peers, but you're going to get it. I mean, you're going to get it. No doubt. Like we scream, we hoot and holler, but it is something really, really cool where you can go, "Huh, I just did that. I didn't even know what I was going to do when I got here. I just there was a pole and people are having fun and I don't want to go to the gym."

And then and then the next thing you know, you're just conquering and conquering and conquering. And there is so much pride and there is so much like self-love that comes with that because once you step outside of your comfort zone and you start to see that you can become so successful like how dare you not sit in your gratitude for a second. Like how dare you not go I just inverted.

I don't care if anyone else saw that. I just went upside down. I've been trying for six months to go upside down and I just went upside down. Like when you can stop and breathe that in for yourself, you've arrived. like and and I will say again, Pole Fitness Studio and I'm I'm hoping other dance studios just across the globe are just feeling that same that same empowerment, that same love, that same um I don't even know what the word is.

I just that that finding your way out of the the muck and finding something to feel good about. Um and I will say sitting around and not feeling your passions and not doing the things that are making you want to get out of bed, you're just spinning. You're just spinning the wheel. Yeah. I think when people come here, they feel like I've arrived. Yes. And I've I've found it.

This is it. Because people are constantly searching. Yeah. What was her name? Um Love, Love, Eat, Pray, Pray, Eat, Love. Yeah. That movie. Anyway, I should even know Julia Roberts. My god, she's slightly starish. Um, so now it is time for a little rapid fire. I didn't even warn you about this. Oh, good. Because Great. You know what? You roll with the punches. This is what you do.

So, Brenda, spinning or static? Oh, boy. Spinning, but static's easier. Okay. Almost sound like you said spitting, but I don't take you for that. No, you wouldn't spit on the pole. Oh, okay. Okay, we'll go there. How about yoga or Pilates? Neither. Neither. That's fair. Whips or feathers? Feathers. Totally shocked right now. What? Oh my god. I might need to clean this mic. Top or bottom? Top.

Vanilla or chocolate? Vanilla. Knew that. Coffee or tea? She was like, "Hears." I just spit. She's tired. What's in your cup? Both. Cat. Do not give me the giggles. Cat or dog? Dog. I knew it. Rave or meditation? You go to the rave and then you go meditate. What is wrong with this? Public speaking or stripping? Public doll. I don't know what that was. Oh, no. I'm good.

Okay. Smile. How does Barbara Walters do this? I don't know why I looked at your sheet financer. Barbara Walters moves on. She's got a huge paycheck. Okay. What classes do you teach? All of them. Seriously, I'm I'm You teach everything except belly dance. You could. No, I probably couldn't. Okay, there you go. Okay. I teach everything but belly dance. or um trappies. I feel like I could teach trappies.

Tired here. Do you need water? I don't know why I'm getting the giggles. It's me. We've cried and we've laughed. We need I have not peed my pants. We need a nap. I actually slept good last night. Well, you know when babies when they when they laugh and then they cry, it's just an emotional roller coaster. It's usually time for a nap. That's true. I think Raven tries to get the giggles on purpose and we're related so this isn't going well.

This makes sense. Makes perfect sense. So, I'm nervous for this next question, Brenda, but what gets you excited. My husband. That is so perfect. It's actually very true. You guys know I'm obsessed with that. I We And we love We love that. He also works here. Yes, he does. Casey teach a little full body workout. I love that class. Oh, you do? Yeah, you do. I do.

You go once a week and you look like you work out five days a week. in my opinion. Now, um you have a podcast. Yeah. Apparently, and I just found this out. Tell us about it. It's called The Boob Tube. Love. Where do we find it? Um so you can go on estrogenfree.com um or even just look at estrogenfree um or estrogenfree um on your Instagram and the links will be there.

It's basically everything hormones, hormones, hormones, hormones. You talk about everything from PCOS to male hormones. I mean, I was going to ask you that. Yeah. I was like, I'm trying to think. There's so much. Men have estrogen, too, and they need it. Oh, dum dum dum. See, this is why you should see this podcast. Mhm. I might have hit on a topic. She did. Now, what's next for you, Brenda?

Besides Taste, on March 18th, and I don't know when this will air, but Taste is five times a year at Taste the Show Instagram. Yeah. Um, the next big thing is Pull Fitness Sedona. Okay. She's all Is it This is really the first time we're kind of talking about it, I think, out loud. Yeah, we haven't said the words out loud. It's been on a voice memo and a texty poo.

Mhm. So, I do I we're going to start with retreats. Um, again, and maybe that's just why I was crying earlier was just because I'm so passionate about I just again I just really feel everyone should figure out what makes them happy. We know that we've got one shot in this world as far as we know anyway. Um, make it make it exactly how you want it.

Um, so I I that's a part of the retreats is coming out there seeing that you can step outside your comfort zone and be successful. Talking about those gratitude journals, everyone will get one. Um, talking about nutrition, going on hikes, having meditation, um, that kind of thing. just a space where everyone can get together and decompress, but also at the same time push themselves again out of that comfort zone to where we're not just going in and going, "Oh, I came and I went woo woo and now I'm rested."

I want you to go, "Oh, I came I woo wooed and I got rested and I came home." Um, and look at this amazing thing that I learned with these amazing things that I learned. So, I love that. How many people can go on a retreat at one time? Do you envision? Do I envision? So I would love eventually to be where we can book out ahead to where it can be anywhere from you can book it from four people if you just want to make it an intimate thing or a group setting where you and a friend can come in with other people.

So that would be anywhere from you know 8 to 10 people but I do want to keep them smaller and a little bit more intimate because the goal is eventually to open up a pole fitness studio in Sedona um after the retreats are very successful. So that way it just continues to grow the amazing thing and you and then thank you for trusting me especially with that name.

It's going to make me cry again. I need a nap. I'll clear my throat for you. Right. So um for anybody that doesn't know Fawnia is my quote unquote wifey. She's she's my best friend. Um done so much for me and so much for our community. And so when I went to Sedona on a trip and I came back and I said this to her and she walked out of the out of the front desk closet and she goes, "Pull Fitness, Sedona."

And I went, "Well, yeah." And it just has kind of snowballed from there. And I and I do She changed my life. And I And again, I think she's changed so many. Um to get up and to again feel elated. Damn it, I'm going to cry again. To feel so elated to get to love your life. I would have never ever known that if that wasn't for you.

make me cry. Yeah, we're we're doing terrible. Jeez. But uh but and and again to to know that feeling I can't not pay it forward. So thank you for trusting me to do what you've done for me to to allow to do that opportunity to do to others. And we are just beginning. I feel like Oh, absolutely. And we are all truly the first generation of pole dancers.

People always say you're the first and I'm like you know what? We are all the first generation of pole dancers. So without any crying Brenda, thank you for being here today. Thank you. I Everyone just go take a nap and then get up and write in your gratitude journal and we'll forget this ever happened. And if you're over 40, if you're over 40, meet us in about 3 or 4 minutes.

We are going to be shooting a video for people over 40. That pole dance here at Pole Fitness Studio. Oh, can I say something to that too? Yes, you may. So, there was like a hundred bazillion bazillions of um views on that post for the 40 plus post um that we we had just recently did and I have to say pole community Wow. The I think what's Oh, a thousand or more comments.

Yeah. Not one almost 300,000 views. Yeah. It's crazy. But not one not one negative comment. Yeah. That is that is a community that should should really be heard. That speaks volumes. This is freedom. This is empowerment. This is people who I don't know who you are. I don't even speak your language, but I'm here reading for you. That is Yeah. If anyone had something to say, they knew not to enter that room.

Oh, no. No. But I but I almost feel like there there was there was so much ammo that anyone could have said anything, but that the people that could have didn't. Yeah. And not even I don't even think I think it's honestly because there is so much love. There is so much love and whatever. They may have thought if there was anything chang. Yeah. I've just got to go take a class.

So whether you're male, female, or from another planet, it's highly recommended to try it. Thank you, pole community and dancers for for being rock stars to each other. I absolutely it wasn't always this way. It wasn't. So we are going to sign off here. So please um like and follow, subscribe. Apparently that's a popular word. And share this with your friends. We'd love to see you on the next Between 2 Poles.

Bye. Like Jenny, everyone everyone eats breakfast. You should be. It's called break your fast. Oh my god. It's my favorite thing when I'm like, "Stop saying you don't eat breakfast." Everyone eats breakfast. Everyone does sooner or later because they you're going to break your fasts.

Transcript lightly edited from YouTube captions.

Welcome to Between 2 Poles, where we meet the faces of Pole Fitness Studio and Beyond. Today we're here with Kevin Adams, and Kevin's been with us since around 2017. Kevin, how did you find pole dancing? And thank you for being here, by the I thank you. You're welcome. Yeah. Yeah. How did I find porn dancing? Where did you find pole dancing? Um here in Vegas or just just in general?

Okay. So, I was dating this guy that um he lived in Hungary. So, at the time I was doing cruise ships. And so, after every contract, I would go to Hungary to go visit him. And he lives in this small village. And um I would just sit there and watch the trees grow. And so, he felt really bad because I wasn't doing anything. and I was so active to begin with.

So then we decided to go into the city one day to take a workout class and it so happened that the workout class was a pole dancing class and um yeah, I've been doing it ever since because I loved it so much. Wow, I'm fascinated. I have never asked you that question and I'm so glad I did. Yeah. Wow, that's cool. Now, what are some of the craziest pull tricks that you've been doing lately?

So, there's this one. It's a flip. It's a flip onto the pole and um it goes into an iguana. And an iguana is when you basically have your your head is facing down. Okay. Your arms are behind you holding you and then your legs are facing up and it's parallel to the pole. Yes. Okay. I know that one. Yeah. So, I would I'm starting upright. Okay. I grab on with my inside hand, which would be the hand that's closer to the pole, I guess, for folks.

And um I grabb him with my inside hand and then I step on my outside leg, kick my inside leg up and then head is going back as I grab behind me. Amazing. Yeah. And it's pretty cool because like once you get it, it's so like satisfying because it's just like Oh, it's like an invert. Yeah. Right. But it's just a little bit more. It's kind of like inside out twisted.

Yeah. Yeah. Holy. And where do you feel that in your body when you're doing that trick? Um, you know, I kind of like lost the skin on my on my ankle because I kept kicking my my foot with my other with my other foot and then like I didn't clip my nails. So then like I would just like peel the skin the skin off. So I guess like that was the hard part.

But an invert we do all the time so it's not like stressful on the body and then like being upside down and reaching behind you is not very stressful on the body too. So it's just like oh as long as you have good shoulders. As long as you have good shoulders and you have the flexibility I guess to get behind you because I forget sometimes like you know you can't people some folks can't really reach behind.

No these things we take for granted. Yes. Yeah. So it's if for everyday life you know reaching behind might be just one degree but for you you're putting all your weight on your shoulder joint going behind. It's some crazy stuff. We're going to be posting that right here if we didn't already do that. Um what are so you're taking classes at other studios I know you've done a little bit of traveling in our time um so when you've gone to other studios in other states what what did you experience?

So, it's strange because like I take for granted being in Vegas and taking class with everyone is as co-ed all the time and um I'm a flight attendant or I was a flight attendant and um part of my goal was to go to all these different states and take classes and see what it's like um while I was in Florida. And I guess Florida just a special place to be because um I call up all these like studios and was like, "Hey, you know, like can I come and take class?"

And first of all, they didn't have a lot of classes going on. So, it didn't work out with my schedule. But the time that it did work out with my schedule, it wasn't co-ed. And so, they were just like, well, you know, we do care about our clientele that we have here, and they may not feel comfortable with a male being in class. And so, I mean, I get that part of it, but I was just like, see what?

Yeah. Toll on the extra flavor. Right. Right. And yeah, they weren't buying it. So I ended up like not taking classes because I was makes me really mad. Yeah. There was no room for it. That's crazy. I remember when you first told me that I was like I almost created this whole website, a place where it's a safe space and you know at the end of the day everywhere should be a safe space.

I didn't make that website. But this is very good to know and hopefully those studios in Florida have changed their tone because you are a human and you have money. You deserve to give them money cuz studios need money and you deserve to have a good time. Work out. Yeah. Yeah, you have a body. And your studio was so different, too, you know, like people are different everywhere and it's just it's I just felt like it was I missed out and they missed out big time on like forming a new connection there.

Yeah. And I think that if the studio owner is somewhat stuck in the I don't even know what year that would be, but if they're kind of stuck in the past, um then they're holding everyone else back as well, right? So, if the studio owner says, you know, this is okay. I feel comfortable and obviously I've screened this guy over the phone and I get a good energy from him, then the rest of the tribe is going to feel the same.

Everything's going to be fine. That's craziness. Now, you've done a little of other forms of dance. Tell us about your dance background. So, dance background? Oh my god. Um, I've been dancing since 14 and now I'm 48. Mhm. What? What's the math? It's like 30 years. Don't ask me. Wow. Yeah. So, I've been dancing for 30 years now. And um I started off with ballet. So, ballet is like my first love because it was my getaway from everything, you know?

It's like my coming to America thing because it was I came into this country and it was just so brand new and there were no like trees in New York. Where did you come from? I came from Jamaica. Okay. Jamaican. So, you know, Nanu Nanu, where are you from? What planet are you from? You come in peace. Okay. So, you came from Jamaica. I love Jamaica. Yes.

Yeah. Heathenis and all of that stuff. Yeah. Um, but uh yeah, so when I first got here, it was it was it was a transition for me and then to assimilate into the whole thing and ballet was that thing for me. So, it has always been my my safe space. That's very cool. Now, what are some of the stages you've performed on around the world? Performed on all over the world.

So, um, San Francisco. I was in San Francisco ballet school for a while. Um, and from there I went to Oakland Ballet and with all the dancing places in New York, it was is so many. Um, Ballet Academy East is where I I started and I my foundation started there and then I went to Pennsylvania um at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and um that was dancing in a barn.

So we didn't have a barn. Dancing in a barn. We didn't have anything around. It was just a barn. So it was just that was on purpose. That was No, that was just what you got. It was just what what we got. Okay. Okay. Um I was like this could be cool. Yeah, it was like a whole bunch of like Amish people out there. So, wow. The best part about it was just it was dance.

Like we were there for dance, so it's like, okay, well, we're going to dance all day. You need nothing to dance. You need nothing to dance. But we need a barn, apparently. Yeah. And some earth and some gravity. And some earth and some gravity. Um, but the best training that I that I that I got was was from Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Um, from there I went to San Francisco.

Um, went back to New York. um danced there a whole bunch. Then I got hired. Well, I thought I was quitting dancing because I was like, I'm done. Because dancing is just like a lovehate relationship. Oh, okay. You know, you love it. And then it's just like everything is so painful. You look in the mirror and you're supposed to be like I know for me, we're supposed to be like this standard, right?

Um like 58, 5'9. Um you want to be I guess flexible, you know? You want feet, you want all the things, natural attributes, the perfect body, and looking in a mirror all the time. And you know, if that doesn't add up, then it's like, are you five five and a half? 5'5. Are you 5'5? I might be shrinking though, but I'm not I'm sure. Oh, wow. Yeah, you are not cut out for ballet.

Yeah, apparently not because like, you know, ridiculous though. Yeah. So, I danced on the fringe like side. Not on the French side, but like on the on the outside of that, like I did dance, you know, with some companies, but And you did do the Nutcracker recently. And I did do the Nutcracker recently. Yes. Doing the Prince and Nutcracker. Um, so then and that's where the Love Hate, right?

because like I love it so much but then wanting to do really well at it and doing so well at it but never really like I feel like getting the chance because it was more like oh well you're in the ballerina the same size and when she does go on point she's a lot taller than you are and then you know I'm on my tippy toe like joint part of me is just not fun when it's hard when it's you need a small girl which is some which is where my most of my injuries come that's 13.

12. What? 10. Maybe 10. Maybe 10. Yeah. They haven't gone through like their growth birth yet. So, yeah. So, that would work for me. But then you guys wouldn't dance in the same tribe, would you? No. Unfortunately. No. Yeah. Because they're But here, we love you. Thank you. And we love your lines. We love your pointed toes. And And we're just going to get right into a little bit of rapid fire.

So, I'm going to ask you some questions and then say the first thing that comes to mind. I don't even know if I warned you about this or not. So, so Kevin, spinning or static? Spin. Okay. Yoga or Pilates? Oh my god. Both. Okay. Okay. Pilates. Top or bottom? In between? I don't think that's a You know what? I'd love to see you in the bedroom. I just don't know where it's going to fit right now.

Okay. Which fit it figure it out. Coffee or tea? Coffee definitely. Okay. Cat or dog? Oh my god. Cat. I know you've been converted. I got converted. Okay. Leash or be leashed? Oh my god. Uh, leashed. Okay, I'll remember to bring mine. Um, summer or winter? Summer. Okay. All day. Summer. Ballet or contemporary? Uh, yeah. It has to be ballet. But contemporary is so freeing. But ballet.

It is. It's a little theater, isn't it? Okay. It's okay. It's okay. You know what? There was contemporary right there. I know, right? A little contraction. It was contracting some Graham. And then do you want to do a little rave or meditation? Oh, meditation. Yeah, I love all the rave I can do. Okay. Well, enough of that. That was fun. Now, let's get into your workout. What do you do to stay in great shape here?

Uh, besides class, oh my god. So, I live um in a school bus and yeah, love it, love it, love it, love it. And here's a picture of it right here. We're going to show some pictures as we're talking. And um so I do have a shower in there, but in the winter time it's it's cold. And my heater, it just takes forever to heat to heat up.

So after classes here, I go to the gym to take a shower. And because I'm at the gym, I might as well work out because you can't just go to the gym and not work out. Yeah, they know. I've done that once. Yeah. Yeah. And it's a little bit I don't know. I feel a little bit embarrassed about it, too, because I'm like, no one's no one's watching, you know?

I know no one is watching. But aren't they though? Aren't they always watching? Always somebody watching, right? I mean, someone's watching right now, right? Anyway, so yeah, you do a little bit of this, you do a little bit of that. Yeah. Um, a lot of stretching here. a lot of people watching there, too. Um, so I feel like I'm working out a lot. Majority of my time, I'm working out.

Um, and then showering, of course. And then once I'm showered and I'm clean, I head back to my bus to hang out with my cat. And then we meditate together, I guess. Like, I love that. Tell us about your bus, though. Let's see. Okay. How did that all happen? What was the transition? What did you have to do to the bus? Where did you find the bus?

How does one live on a bus? Oh my gosh. So during CO, you remember when we were doing the whole CO thing? Um, so glad that's done. But I loved CO because everybody was in their apartment like doing stuff to themsel like I don't know. I don't know what they were doing either. Yeah. But a lot of kids like popped up from nowhere, right? Okay. And um so my apartment was just getting too much.

Um I hated being there. I hated like having to pay rent. Right. And then someone coming into my apartment and telling me what I can and can't do because at the time like my bed was on the matt was just on the floor. My mattress was on the floor and they were like, "Oh, you can't have your mattress on the floor." I'm like, "Well, why were you in my apartment?"

Like I didn't give you permission to go in my apartment. So then I decided like this is the time to like move out, take control of my life a little bit and just be off-rid. And it had been percolated in my mind uh for a few for a few years, right? Because that's partially one of the reasons why I moved to Vegas because it was like, oh, I can just travel around the different states and explore the states and just be free because I just coming off came off of a cruise ship.

I had tons of money and I didn't have to work. What were you doing on the cruise ship? I was dancing. Why don't you tell people this? Oh, now you know. He's really good, you guys. If you haven't seen Kevin dance Uhhuh. Yeah. I spent 10 years on a cruise ship dancing. So, I guess I was going there, but then I forgot. You totally forgot about the cruise ship.

No, I Well, I was going there, but then we went someplace else, but like we went on the bus. Yeah, when we went on the bus. Okay. Um, and so yeah, so co was just like now is the time to just make a whole different lifestyle change. And I went online and we were teaching here too. I remember I was teaching a class and I'm bidding on like different school buses because I'm like, "Okay, wait, wait, guys, wait guys.

cuz I think I'm going to get this bid. I'm I'm going to win this. I'm going to win this. And uh do your other side. Right. Right. Do your do your other side, please. Um cuz someone is always watching. And so I got I got the bus and it was in Washington. It was a state. I I showed you the bus. It was like you're like I know this place.

Um Washington state up Seattle in Seattle. And so um I d I drove up there with my friend and uh picked up the bus and then drove it back. And during co I ended up gutting the bus um learning how to I guess plum, how to be electrician, just learning how to build. And so I I ended up like building it out. Um and it was the most like it was the most fun summer that I've had.

But I remember like having to call you up because someone had stolen my catalytic converter from underneath the bus and then the cops were like, "You can't be building out your bus on the in the on the streets here." That's right. I remember that. Yeah. And then you moved into my backyard. So I moved into your backyard and it off. I'm so happy we had that space for you cuz it kind of hid beside the house.

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. We used to have Andre Agassi's old house and that had a huge yard with tennis courts and grass and a little side driveway where you parked your school bus and renovated it. Yeah. So, thank you. You're welcome. I think that was 2021 winter. Was it? Yeah. Because I moved into the house that year. I have a long story with that house, but we'll save that for another time.

Um, now, where in the world would you like to live if you weren't on a bus? Oh my god. Or where could you drive your bus anyway? Um, I can drive my bus anywhere in the United States, but not now because gas prices is just like way too ridiculous. Yeah. Um, but I feel like I love traveling, hence this is why I did cruise ships for so long.

Um, and being a flight attendant and I feel like every country that I go to, I'm just like, I'm moving here. I'm moving here. And so it started out, it started out in Hawaii cuz I really want like I love volcano. I feel like I'm a water sign and I need to be next to water and but then like I need like that fiery like ground beneath me and so Hawaii was that.

That's right. We had a huge conversation about it. Yeah. Yeah. I gave you like a 5-year plan. Yes. Yes. And then like … started to happen. And so I'm just like okay well I guess that's not going to work because Hawaii is just way too expensive and then the taxes are just like ridiculous. So then I went to um Colombia and I was like Colombia is fantastic.

I have to move here. Medellín was just like the perfect temperature. It was like 78 degrees all year long. Um, and what what I loved about that city is that I'm Jamaican as I said before and so I get to see all the tropical like trees. I see bananas and I see mangoes and I it reminded me of home a little bit. Um, a little bit safer and so wanted to move there but that was a little bit kind of expensive too.

And my recent trip was in Guatemala. And I just love I just love the Guatemalan people. Um they have the volcano that I need. Um everyone needs a volcano. Everyone needs a volcano. Okay. So I have that fire underneath my feet, right? And it's close. It's close enough to the coast to where I can go and get my water in at the same time. And then just the fruits and vegetable because I think deep down I'm a farmer inside and that's my ultimate like goal is to have afford an affordable piece of land on really rich fertile land to grow my own food.

I can picture you long gray dreads down to your butt topless gardening. Yes. And looking hot as ever. And then there's a stripper pole between the corn. Yes. from your lips to god ears. Yes. That's how it's going to work out. Yeah. I love that. Well, thank you for giving us a piece of your life and your story and shared everything that you shared. It was very fascinating.

Oh, thank you. Thank you for having me here. Having this like I appreciate it. I feel like we might need to do this again. Okay. Cuz I just love talking with you. Yeah, me too. So fun. So fun. We have a lot of fun together. Um, well that was fun with Kevin Adams. You have to check him out. We have his Instagram posted. I think it's pole dancing yogi in there somewhere.

Pancing yogi. And so go ahead and like this video if you like it. If you don't, that's okay. We do not care. And you can share and subscribe. That's a hot word. All the things. We'll see you next time on Between Two Pulls. Peace.

Transcript lightly edited from YouTube captions.

Welcome to Between 2 Poles, where we meet the faces of Pole Fitness Studio and beyond. My name is Fawnia and we're here today with Jonny Manzanares, Jonny Boy. Hey, Jonny. Hi. How are you? Thank you for having me. Yeah, you're welcome. Jonny's been with us at Pole Fitness Studio since approximately 2014, give or take. Uh 15, I think. 15. Okay. Cuz I moved to Vegas in 2015.

Oh, okay. Well, then that would make it 15. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Now, I didn't know that you had just moved here. Where did you move here from? From Los Angeles. Ah, okay. That I might have known. All right. Well, we're going to get right into it. This is such a fun interview today. Jonny, you are taking over Pole Expo. Yes, I am. I'm so excited. Yeah. When is it?

When is it? So, it's May 3rd, um on a Sunday, and I'm so excited to share everything that I've been working on for the past year and a half. Um I decided to take it over because of my camp, Las Vegas Pole Camp here in Vegas. Um it happened to like grow and we started adding more instructors and have uh more signups. So, I decided to add an extra day to the camp and I thought it would be such a great idea to add an expo um on on Sunday because usually that's our Sunday funday.

Um and I asked you, hey, what do you what are your thoughts of me um maybe taking over Pole Expo since it's been on a break? And you're like, I would love that. Like, I would love to see my baby come back alive. And yes, and I'm like, well, I would love to make that happen. Oh my god. If we're not going to have a real baby, Jonny, we might as well have a pole baby.

We might as well have a pole baby. Yeah. I'm really excited that pole expo is coming back. And this is May 3rd, 2026. Yes. Okay. And I'm hoping this happens every year going forward. Oh, yeah. Me, too. That's so cool. Definitely. Now, who's teaching at Pole Expo? Oh, gosh. Where are they coming from? Oh, they're coming from all over the world. from Europe, South America, Asia, Australia.

We have about 25 instructors that are teaching over 50 workshops at two different studios. We have workshops from beginners to intermediate, advanced, and we added a new category this year, elite. I don't even want to know what that is. Is that like Olympic or unnecessary moves? You're like, why? Basically, that's a whole I've been seeing that a lot lately. every every I would say every 5 to 10 years it gets more crazy.

Oh yeah, I've seen it as well. Well, I've started Poland 2013 and within 5 years it started blowing up and every 5 years like you said it it just gets harder and harder with more flexibility and uh more people with different backgrounds join like gymnastics backgrounds and contortion background and they all like culminate on the pole and they just become this super pole star. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm thinking now when you look at these people, they may have been doing gymnastics for a very long time and a lot of them might have started pole when they were 10 years old or younger.

Yeah. That's amazing. I wish that can happen in the United States. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I think Russia is one of the leaders with youth being in pole. And plus, it's considered a sport by some of their um I don't know if it's governments or jurisdictions, but it is considered a sport over there. Absolutely. I'm glad, you know, at least they're taking the initiative and I feel like Europe also has that standard.

There's a lot of uh youth pole dancers, so that's fantastic. I would love to see that more in the United States. Yes, you heard us. USA, let's go. Now, what about vendors? Do you have vendors this year? Oh, yeah. We have 14 vendors. We have a um gold sponsor from the Ukraine and we have 12 other vendors. Oh, that's awesome. And now these vendors, where are they coming from?

How did they find you? um through Instagram marketing. Um me reaching out. Um uh yeah, I reached out to a lot of the old pole expo vendors and some of them are coming back. Um I'm so excited. That's awesome. Now, let's see. I'm using my Q cards because there I feel like I have so many things I want to ask you. At Pole Expo, are you going to have a competition?

We are. It's going to be a pole classic and a Exotica with a K. Now, if you could describe exotica, what would that be? Exotica, it's um basically a blanket for all sensual dancing um from old school um stripper dancing or uh hard style heels. It It's just a blanket covering any exotic style of dance. And I think we should put a little snippet of what that looks like right here.

Um some people they might even categorize it as Russian exotic. It can be. Yeah. It's just a blanket um covering all sensual style of of dance more so flow flow and more so like character work versus um hard like pole tricks. Yeah. So pole classic could be like what we had back in the day which we can show an example of it here. Um and you competed in pole classic as well.

I did. I competed in 2019. 2019. That was our last year. That was Yep. Wow. I'm so glad you snuck one in there. Now, moving along. So, what how do people get involved? How do they find information on Pole Expo? Uh, they go to poleexpo.com. Okay. Or they check out our Instagram page. Our Instagram page pole expo as well. Same name. Pretty easy. Are you on Facebook or Tik Tok?

Um, I'm not. Only Instagram. Only Instagram. Yeah. So, if you don't have an Instagram page, you might want to sign up for one immediately when this video is over. So, yeah, you heard it from me. Um, is there anything that you want to share regarding Pole Expo that we haven't talked about yet before we dive into the world of Jonny? Yeah, absolutely. Pole Expo is located at Substance on Fremont Street.

It's the address is 450 East Fremont Street, sweet 270. Um, and it's on the second floor and uh, it's a really cool venue. Super cool. Um, it's mostly a nightclub on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And we're taking it over and transforming it into Pole Expo. And that's in Las Vegas. If you're not sure where do I find Substance H, you got to come to Vegas. Absolutely. Now, do you have a pole at home?

Absolutely. I've uh within the first 3 months of pole dancing, I decided to buy a pole and put it in one of my rooms because I wanted to be committed to training all the time. Um as a new student, sometimes you don't have access to like studio space. Um so I decided to buy a pole and put it in my room and have access to a pole so that I could train.

Sometimes I get ideas. We're like, "Oh my god, I want to try this, but I don't have studio access cuz it might be at midnight." Um, so I decided I think it's going to be a good idea if I bought a pole. So 3 months in, I bought a platinum stage pole and they don't exist anymore. I was going to ask you what kind of pole you got, and I cannot believe that's the one you got.

Yeah. How did it handle you? Oh, great. Yeah, they're one piece. They used to Well, they're one piece still. Um, and it it worked really good, but without the stage. Without a stage. Yeah. Okay. You know, that that was a terrible company name, right? Cuz even me, and I know what that all means. I pictured you on the white box. Oh my god. No, it was a fixed pole.

I I knew that I was always big and heavy and muscular. So, I thought I can't have a stage pole as my first pole. I want to be safe. So, I decided to buy a fixed pole. So, we measured the ceiling head to toe and we got a custom fit pole that fit in my room. And we have, I think, two platinum stages poles still in studio, too.

Yeah, you do. Yeah, they're old school from the downstairs. I love them. I love that you can just take a pin out and yeah, they become spinner static. Yeah, it's so easy these days. If you haven't checked out pole technology and you're curious about getting your own pole, you can even hit me up. I'll send you some links. You don't even I did the work for you.

So easy. And we're going to get into a rapid fire moment with Jonny. I'm kind of I don't even know what questions I have here because I just kind of pulled this up in my notes and Jonny has no idea what's about to go down. Are you excited, Jonny, for your first rapid fire? Okay. Whatever comes off the top of your head. All right. Spinning or static?

Static. Oh, okay. Yoga or Pilates? Yoga. I've never done Pilates. Okay. Top or bottom? Top. You've done those. Okay. Coffee or tea? Tea. Okay. Cat or dog? Ooh, that's a tough one. I grew up with cats, but now I have a dog. Unfortunately, it's like a 5050. Sorry, Moxy. That's my dog's name. Yeah, if you're watching this, I'm so sorry. Leashed or be leash or be leashed?

Probably leashed. Did you add an ed on the end of that? I didn't. Like, I got it. You're the leasher. Okay. Summer or winter? Summer. Okay. I thought this said baller and I think it does. That's not what I meant to write. Ballet or contemporary? Contemporary. Okay. Rave or meditation? Rave. I knew the answer to that one. And Raven, that's how you got your name. Oh my god.

So much fun. So, what is your background in fitness? Do you have one? Um, so it all started when I was in middle school. I did track and field and then that carried on to high school. I did cross country track and field. Then um I always knew I'd like fitness. Uh I started exploring u weightlifting. So I found a coach to train me how to lift weights.

So I did that probably from like right out of high school till 23 24. And I knew that I love lifting weights, but I knew that I also didn't want to be a bodybuilder. I didn't want to be too bulky. Mh. Um so I was trying to figure out other activities that I could do in the fitness world. And I took one yoga class at a gym, fell in love with it, decided to go um full throttle with it.

So I started training every day, five, six days a week in yoga. And then after 6 months of training it, I decided that I wanted to teach it. I decided that um yoga was my passion in life. So I did a 200 hour course in Vinyasa. And then as soon as that finished, I still needed more information. So I did a 300 hour course in Hatha and I used to drive 90 minutes each way to training for it.

Um and both of those trainings took about uh one year to complete. Then once I completed that I started teaching full-time and I loved yoga but it was a little slow for me. I needed a little bit more um um I needed to be upside down more. I needed to be contorted more. I needed to be off the ground and I needed to be upside down more.

So, I found um pole dancing and shout out to Elizabeth Blanchard or Elizabeth Bit on Instagram. She was my first pole mom. I called her. I Googled um pole studios near me and I found her studio in Orange County and uh she's like, "Yeah, come on in." And as soon as I touched a pole, I fell in love with it. I knew that this was for me.

Um, and like I mentioned earlier, 3 months after I decided to get my own home pole and I was training at home, training at her studio, um, then about a year and a half into my training, I decided to go to Los Angeles to train different styles and, um, I found a Chinese pole coach there. Chinese pole is mostly like acrobatic on a pole. Um, they don't really focus on the artistry such as like sensual movement or anything.

It's more like just tricks, tricks, tricks, tricks. And did you touch a t a Chinese pole? I did. Yeah. So tell us what is it? Diameters, texture. What is it like? It can range from like a 50 mm to maybe like a 58 mm depending on the pole. And it's usually back then it was wrapped. It was pole wrapped. Now they have sleeves where you can just put a pole in a sleeve and make it a Chinese pole.

It's made out of rubber or almost like it feels like a tire and you had to wear pants. Absolutely. You you had to wear at least two layers otherwise you rip your skin. So I found a Chinese pole coach up there. His name is Kujo. Shout out to Kujo. Um he taught me my gainer. I never was able to flip on the floor, but he taught me how to gainer.

He taught me how to back tuck. What is a gainer? A gainer is uh you start on a shoulder mount position with your legs in a straddle. You swing back and then you push off. As your body is going forward, you're moving backwards. So, you're doing a flip in the air. You're doing a flip in the air. Moving forward, landing on the feet. Yeah. I think I've seen you maybe do this on a regular pole.

You can show a video up here for reference. Yeah. I'm going to be watching this interview. Wow, that's wild. Yeah. So, then after that, I spent about 18 months uh in Los Angeles, West Hollywood. I trained at CHO house um and then beast fun and then I started to cross trainin in Vegas. I would come over to Vegas to have a train cation um for a few days and I noticed that I would gain so many new skills with so many acrobats and hand balancers and contortionists and um Jamila um I would take privates from her and Swaset was here is still here.

Yeah. Um, so I would cross train with them and I just loved the training. And after a few months of coming to Vegas to train, I decided to move to Vegas. Um, I decided to move here for one year. Um, I decided to set some goals up for myself. Um, and I did. Uh, that year flew by. I decided to extend uh to for another year. And that year flew by and I was just learning so much and I was so happy.

I started to create a beautiful community around me with friends and acrobats and beautiful people such as yourself. And um I after the second year I decided to extend for two more years. And after four years I'm like I think I give up. I'm just going to live in Vegas. Like I love it. I'm not going to keep extending. I'm just going to live. Because you had a place in California too.

I did. Yeah. Oh man. Yeah. Well, we I had a business in California. I I let go of my place in in California. I did have a business and then I let that go after a year of being here. Um it was just too hard to manage a business there and manage uh training here. What was your business over there? Um it was it's called Genesis Party Supply and uh we did event rentals, we did bounce houses, we did um tables, chairs, canopies, silverware, glassware, um we did uh linens.

So this is a side of Jonny that many of us do not know. He's a very smart businessman. Thank you. We ran it for 6 years. Um, it was a business that was going out of business and then I bought it right before they went out of business. Then I ran it for 6 years and then I moved to Vegas and I decided to just let it go.

It wasn't my passion. I knew I always wanted to run a business and like manage a business and organize a business. It's just it comes very natural to me. Um, but I also wanted to keep my acrobatic career forward. Yeah. And talking about acrobatics, you know how to do a mad handstand. Who taught you how to do a handstand? Who taught you how to stretch? Ooh, okay.

So, handstands came from yoga. Um, so I have a hand a yoga handstand. Um, that's where that's that's my base. Um, then coming to Vegas, uh, a lot of the acrobats didn't like the yoga handstand technique, so I started adjusting my style. They're looking at you and they're like, "Oh, no." Yeah, exactly. They're like, "That banana back, that doesn't work for acrobatics." And I'm like, okay. So, I started adjusting my style.

Um, I'm mostly self train uh trained in handstands. I have taken a bunch of different classes from a a bunch of different people, but it was never enough to like have a real handstand coach. I've probably taken maybe 30 to 40 handstand classes over the span of from 2011 to now. So, it's not very many. It's not that many. So, I wouldn't say I had a coach.

I did take a bunch of classes. Um, mostly private lessons actually. Um, and contortion. I learned contortion in 2014 from Fit and Bendy Christina. Oh. And we trained for about a year at her studio. And then I moved to Vegas and then I started training contortion with a Mongolian uh, coach. That's the word I was waiting to hear. The word Mongolian. Yeah. So I started with her in 2015 and we I trained with her till 2017 and um the first four to five years I trained six days a week um two to three hours a day.

Wow. And then um she's like Jonny I need a break. Like can you just come over five days a week? And I'm like sure. So then um for the next three four years I did five days a week with her. Um, and yeah, I loved it. Um, she taught me a lot of amazing skills that I will always uh carry with myself, which I appreciate. Is there anything that you learned that you wish that you did differently in the world of stretching?

Like was there any injuries or do you have any advice for someone who maybe wants to be a contortionist or be able to do do the splits? Anything at all? My advice is to find a good coach. a good coach that has a reputable name, a good coach that has a lot of experience. A lot of new coaches um are not very seasoned and uh stretching can be very dangerous, especially if you're contorting.

Um so I would advise find a coach that has lots of experience that has students that have have had results. Um are you teaching contortion or stretching in some? Absolutely. Yeah, I teach stretch and contortion. Absolutely. So, hey, you found your coach, everybody. You can just hit up Jonny. Jonny, what is your Instagram? Uh, J O N Y B O I E. There it is. Now, if you don't speak English and you have no idea what we're saying this entire time, we are about to redo this entire interview in how many other language?

Four. Okay. What languages do you speak? Um, I was raised bilingual. Uh, so English and Spanish. Uh, my aunt uh loved languages, so she introduced me to Italian and French. I never picked up French. Uh, but when I was 15, I went to Italy with her. She was studying abroad. We went over for 6 weeks, and I just instantly fell in love with speaking another language. So, when I was 20, I decided to go back to Italy and spend a whole year there and learn Italian and work there and just live like an Italian.

Um, and then when I was 23, I moved to Spain. Um, I was supposed to go to Greece, but when my best friend uh wanted to go to Spain, so he convinced me to go to Spain, even though I already speak Spanish. So now my Spanish has a slight Spanish accent. Um, then when I was 28, I decided that I wanted to learn Portuguese. So I wanted to go to Brazil.

Um, I moved to Brazil for three months and I learned Portuguese in six weeks. And I'm so sorry that's insane. And my next and then my next language is f French. I want to learn French. I want to learn all the Latin languages. I just have to find 3 to 6 months time to live in France. I feel like if you want to learn a language, you have to live in the country.

Yeah. Um it's it's very important to be immersed. So Wow. And do you maintain this information or does it slip away somewhere? I maintain my Italian because one of my best friends lives in Italy still. Um so we talk on a regular basis. So, I talked to her in Italian. Uh, my Portuguese is not as strong as when I was living there, but I can still understand it and still have a conversation.

That's incredible. Now, being a guy who's pole dancing, uh, has it been interesting in the sense of this is a woman's world. Um, have you been rejected in any places that you've gone or given the sideways sideways eye? Yeah. Um, so because I started pull early 2013, maybe not so early, but you know, years ago, 13 years ago, hole was even smaller than what it is now.

It was more like a taboo type of thing. And um and when I started, I would go to studios. Wherever I would travel, I would reach out to studios and I would ask if I could take classes because that would be nice to travel to a new city and check out a new studio. And um most of them were friendly, but there were a handful that rejected me in California, in Florida, in Vienna.

And um I just was shocked by why would someone reject a man because he wants to pole? Like pole is supposed to be universal for everyone. That's just my experience and or my thoughts. And um yeah um I have an experience that I'd like to share. here. I'm not going to name the studio, but it was in Florida and uh one of my friends was teaching a workshop there and I was just going to sit in the workshop and you know, she's my bestie, so I'm just going to sit in.

And the studio owner was like, "No, we don't allow males." I'm like, "But I'm a pole dancer, too." What did your what did your bestie say? She was shook. Wow. And um we contacted the owner. We posted on Facebook. Back then I had Facebook. anymore and Instagram and she changed her policy with within 24 hours. She said that um that yeah that's we want to be inclusive and we did get a lot of messages from Instagram and Facebook saying like you know p a pole studio should be for everyone not just for females.

So you had some backup. So we had some backup. Yeah. Lots of people backing me up in the pole community and they changed their policy within 24 hours. Wow, that's crazy. Especially when we look at the history of pole dancing. Okay, the recent history as we think of strippers, but it goes far beyond, right? You're saying Chinese pole. Was there many female Chinese pole artists? No, it was mostly men, right?

To men's. And then what about Indian? I I can don't even know how to pronounce if it's Miccom, something like that. Yeah, I don't know how to pronounce it. We can spell it. It's right here. Uh we're giving our video editor some work, but um I actually have a Miccom pole in my bathroom. It is not 12 feet high and it's not made of teak, I don't think, but I had a replica made for the first pole expo because we showed the generations of poles from India and China all the way to Little Minkx, which was the first one modern here in America.

Oh wow, that's amazing. And then Platinum Stages, I think it was the next pole. And now we got Lupe and Italian and it goes on and on and on. So many pole brands. Yeah. Wow. Well, I'm so glad you're free to dance on any pole. I think it's um it's an honor to have you on our pole. So sweet. Yeah. No, it's the truth, Jonny. Oh, I'm so excited that Jonny is here today.

It took took a lot of work to get him in the studio. And Jonny, thank you so much. High five to you. We hope that you had fun with today's video. Go ahead and like it, subscribe, and I just double dog dare you to share it with 10 friends, male, female, and maybe a little alien. We'll see you soon. Bye bye. Love and how I see

Transcript lightly edited from YouTube captions.