VeeNiz (Principle)
VeeNiz is an LA based pole instructor, mother and wife. When she’s not dancing she is a keen advocate for foster youth and educating the world about Vitiligo (a skin disorder she has that results in the loss of pigment).
In 2004 after a major accident at work left Venus unable to continue her first love of martial arts, she was depressed and left without direction. Soon after a friend introduced her to a new exercise and movement craze, “The Art of Seduction”. Her training and love of dance continued to evolve and she found the world of pole and aerial. Over the last 10 years she has utilised a mixture of strength, grace and sensuality to teach, compete, and perform all over the world. She has performed in multiple Kelly Maglia productions, LeighAnn Riley’s “Pole Show LA,” and was a teacher and cast member with Kelly Yvonne’s award winning studio and pole show, “Girl Next Door”.
Her recent awards come with great pride and tenacity as she was told after a major pole accident that she would never “fly,” again. Defying the odds in 2017 she came back after a 2 year hiatus to win 1st Place in the Pacific Pole Championships as well as Pole Theatre USA’s Drama Division.
Her passion is using pole dance as a platform for storytelling to highlight social issues such as breast cancer and domestic violence.
VeeNiz is the principle instructor at the Barcelona Yoga & Pole camp.
POLE & ENTERTAINMENT CREDITS
- 2017: 1st Place Pole Theatre USA’s Drama Division- Pacific Pole Championships.
- 2016-2018: Pole Coach & Trainer to over 30 women resulting in over 20 plus 1st place titles and medals- Pacific Pole Championships.
- 2013: 2nd place amateur winner- National Aerial Pole Art
- 2010-2014: Principle Dancer “Girl Next Door: A Pole Dance Soiree
- 2012: Winner “Sexiest Diva”, “Best Contemporary Pole Piece” and “Best Group Piece” whilst cast member “Girl Next Door Show Awards”
- 2004: Voted “Top Ten College Women in America” Glamour magazine’s (whilst completing 2 masters degrees)
- 2000-2005: Featured dance performer on TV’s longest running dance show “Soul Train”.
- 1996-2004: Combat Photographer- US Air Force
BEAUTY PAEGENT AWARDS:
- Winner, judge & competitor at multiple high profile beauty pageants including Miss America and Miss Black United States.
- Winner- Miss America Interview and Community Service Award
- 2004: Miss Black United States
- 2003: Miss Black California
- 2002: Miss Los Angeles County
- 2001: Miss Central California
- 2000: Miss High Desert
VIDEOS:
Raphaella (Yoga)
Raphaella Rose, has practiced yoga for more than 18 years and taught regular classes since 2005 when she completed a 200hr ISHTA yoga teacher training with Rachel Zinman in Byron Bay, AUSTRALIA. The training focussed on asana, meditation, anatomy and yogic and tantric philosophy. Following this she studied a 500hr advanced yoga teacher apprenticeship. This covered yoga therapy, Sanskrit, and ayurveda.
She is passionate about helping individuals working intelligently with their bodies, to ‘listen’ and tune in so their muscles and emotions can guide them in finding their own beauty power through the breath and movement. She teaches in a friendly and accessible way for students of all ages and levels.
Raphaella has a Bachelor of Communications in Media Production and spent several years working in radio, TV and On-Air marketing. Australian born, once a competitive rhythmic gymnast, she spent time in America teaching yoga to teenagers before moving to London in 2006, where she taught ISHTA yoga, Pregnancy and Mums & Baby classes in Central London at various studios including Earthlife Kew, Go-Yoga and the Life Centre in Notting Hill. Currently Barcelona based Raphaella teaches classes in both Spanish and English. She annually organises the Barcelona Yoga & Pole Camp and is the founder of Yoga Ishta Style.
VIDEOS:
Enrico Bandirali a.k.a “KIKE” (2023, 2019)
Kike is an international dance instructor from Italy and has taught master classes in Barcelona, Italy and the Canary Islands. He has lived in Spain since 2013.
He will join the Barcelona Pole Camp in 2023 to teach Aerial Hoop and Advanced Pole Workshops.
In 2016, he became a teacher at the Polercise school in Tenerife and later moved to Barcelona to teach at the Feeling Woman academy. He has been giving regular Pole Dance classes, exotic Poledance, aerial silks, aerial hoop, and flexibility for more than 5 years.
In pole dance, he loves dynamic tricks that incorporate flexibility and strength, earning him the nickname “the king of the splits.” He enjoys dancing to various music styles and finds joy in creating harmonious choreographies with an elegant and provocative personal touch in exotic dance.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
He started his professional training in the Canary Islands and two years later, he performed for dance companies in numerous shows.
WORKSHOPS with FOREIGN INSTRUCTORS:
Kike continues to strengthen and deepen his skills often travelling abroad to take workshops with teachers that inspire him.
VIDEOS:
Dmitry Akimenko
Dmitry Akimenko is an international dance instructor from Russia and has taught master classes in Bulgaria, Estonia, Austria, Thailand, Switzerland, Germany and Hungary. His workshops include Jump Technique, Floor Work, Contemporary Pole, Acro Yoga, Jazz, Modern Jazz and Contemporary.
Dmitry is one of Russia’s top Modern Jazz and Contemporary dance teachers. Currently Dmitry teaches at the largest dance schools in Moscow: Model-357 and the STAGE. He also teaches at the Russian University of Theatrical Arts (Gitis).
ACHIEVEMENTS:
Whilst a choreography student at Moscow State University of Culture and Arts (where he graduated in 2010), he appeared in the musicals: “The Witches of Eastwick”, “Bremen Town Musicians”, “Master and Margarita”.
Headliner of major Russian and foreign youth projects: the District Festival “Student Spring-2014” (Khanty-Mansiysk), the Youth Forum of the Ural Federal District “Morning-2014” (Chelyabinsk), “Summer choreographic School-2014 and 2015 “(Bulgaria).
WORKSHOPS with FOREIGN INSTRUCTORS:
- Amy Hazel-Pole Tricks
- Bethany Finlay-Pole Acro & Pole Tricks
- Rick Odums-Modern Jazz
- Geraldine Armstrong-Modern Jazz
- Erika Silgoner-Contemporary Jazz
- Matt Cady-Contemporary Hip-Hop
- Artem Volos-Contemporary
- Evgeny Karjakin-Contemporary
- Talia Favia-Contemporary
- James Carless- Jazz
- Silvia Martiradonna -Contemporary
- Chaz Buzan-Contemporary
VIDEOS:
Contemporary Pole- Smoke with Daria Mandrik
Contemporary Pole
MARLO FISKEN (2016)
Marlo , the 2010 American Pole Fitness Champion, and 2011 Aerial Pole International Champion, has 23 years of dance training, and is a Wilhelmina Fitness model. We are thrilled to host her as a special guest teacher in the upcoming Pole & Yoga Retreat in Barcelona. It will be her first time teaching in Spain and she’ll share Flow Movement® classes and signature Pole workshops. Marlo joins our 2016 camp.
Her credits include commercials for Nike, L’oreal, and Sobe Adrenaline Rush. She has performed with artists such as Diddy, Nelly, Pharell, Kid Rock, Wyclef Jean and Fabulous on MTV and VH1. For the past 10 years, Marlo has been leading group exercise classes for major health clubs and presenting at fitness conventions such as IDEA, The South Beach International Festival, and Festival de Fitness in Rome. She is certified many times over (ACE, AFAA, AAAI, NSCA, KANE), is a graduate of Leslie Kaminoff’s Anatomy of Yoga advanced study course and has extensive knowledge of alignment, strength and flexibility training. Marlo started pole dancing about five years ago out of curiosity, and developed a style that draws from contemporary dance, yoga, hip-hop, dancehall, and acrobatics. Her pole skills have taken her around the world, and landed her a full page spread in The New York Times, appearances on America’s Got Talent, America’s Got Talent, choreographed by Mia Michaels.
When she is not performing or teaching internationally, Marlo trains and lives in New York City. She teaches at Body & Pole, contributes to Self, Vertical, and Fitness magazines and is Founder and Master Trainer for the elevated. Marlo is the creator of the innovative dance and fitness brand, Flow Movement® Teacher Training program.
MAGNUS LABBE (2018)
Magnus Labbe will be a guest instructor in Barcelona in 2018. From Denmark, he currently travels, teaches and performs around the world to share his passion for pole dance.
He has 10 years of dance experience and is trained in Jazz, Contemporary, and Hip Hop. He has been teaching dance since 2008, but he fell in love with Pole 5 years ago. The new way of dancing in the air and combining dance and aerial arts was fascinating and Magnus had to explore this new way of dancing.
His unique style has made him a respectable and world known Pole Dancer in the Pole community, where he have been a judge at Pole Art France, Pole Theatre Sweden and Pole Dance Competition Denmark.
Magnus Labbe was a finalist in the TV-show Denmark Got Talent and the current U.S. Aerial Champion.
In his spare time he loves long walks and exploring the earth’s wonders.
AWARDS
- 2016 U.S. Aerial Championships 1st Place
- 2015 Pole Classic at Pole Expo 3rd place
- 2014 Male winner of Pole Art Cyprus
- 2014 Pole Art Winner of Pole Theatre Paris
- 2014 Winner of Copenhagen Pole Competition
- 2013 Danish Champion
CRYSTAL GIBSON (2013/2014)
Crystal is a mother, wife, a pole instructor from Los Angeles, CA.
Most known for teaching at The Choreography House & S Factor. Crystal has taught pole artistry workshops worldwide, and in countless online videos with Cleo’s Rock-N-Pole as an online instructor. Since 2010 Crystal has been a Principal Dancer in the very popular Girl Next Door: A Pole Dance Soiree & SEVEN, a Kelly Yvonne Production. Recently Crystal has made it into “The Academy of Villains: as a pole dance performer under the wings of the world famous “Pharside and Phoenix” (from SYTYCD).
Crystal says her biggest pole accomplishments have been in a group setting, while performing for Leigh Ann Reilly’s ‘Pole Show LA” in both L.A. and Las Vegas.
Crystal was preselected into the Pro Division at the California Pole Dance Championships in 2013-2015 always ranking Top 5 and taking home the Miss Congeniality award in 2013. She placed 2nd in the 2013 Pacific Pole Championships.
In May 2015 Crystal was nominated for The Representing Award by Pole World News as The Pole and Aerial Community’s Most Positive Role Model.
Crystal got her start in the administration side of the pole world as the founder of Poles on Tour, and International Pole Touring Company. Which lead to her wanting to know more about the industry.
Crystal signed up for an intensive training course with the IPSF and became a certified judge for the International Pole Sports Federation and has sat on the panel of some of the most high profile pole competitions in the world, including the International Pole Championships (IPC), Pole Theatre UK, All-Stars Australia, Paragon USA, Pacific Pole Championship, IPAAT and Capital of Texas Aerial Championships (CoTAC).
Crystal Gibson Pole Credits:
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- 2015/16: Pole Division Specialist for S Factor:
(Los Angeles, Encino, O.C., Houston, New York City, Chicago & San Fran) - 2016: Nominee for Most Positive Role Model in the Pole and Aerial Community: Pole World News
- 2015-2016: Pole Show L.A. & Vegas – Pole Performer
- 2011-2016: Pole Dance/Fitness Instructor at “The Choreography House”
- 2014: 4th Place in California Pole Dance Championship Pro Division
- 2013 – 2014: Writer for Vertical Magazine: Diary of a Pole Dancer
- 2013: International Pole Championship: Singapore – Judge
- 2013: Performance of the year – Girl Next Door: A Pole Dance Soiree, Hollywood, CA
- 2013: International Pole Dance Fitness Association: Awards Panel Judge
- 2013: International Pole Sports Federation: Certified Judge in all Divisions
- 2013: California Pole Dance Championship: Finalist Pro Division
- 2013: California Pole Dance Championship “Miss. Congeniality”
- 2010-2014: Principle Dancer “Girl Next Door: A Pole Dance Soiree
- 2014: Soloist Dancer in “Seven” a new pole show by Kelly Yvonne
- 2013: Runner-Up at Pacific Pole Championship (level 3)
- 2012: Runner-Up Best Comedic performance for “Girl Next Door Show Awards”
- 2012: Finale Spot for final show of the year in Girl Next Door: A Spooktacular Event
- 2013-2015: Glastonbury Music and Arts Festival performer, Glastonbury, England.
- 2015/16: Pole Division Specialist for S Factor:
JAKUB KOLASA (2017)
Jakub is a Pole Dance artist, Pole Sports athlete and contortion enthusiast. Before starting Pole in 2012 at the age of 20, he spent 6 years training in Latin Ballroom and 3 years in Contemporary dance, which has helped to influence his unique, eye-catching style.
After just 6 months of training he entered his first competition, the Polish Championships 2013, and placed First. Since then he has gone on to enter numerous other competitions including the IPSF World Pole Sport Championships in 2014, and has taken titles such as the European Pole Art Champion 2015.
In 2016 Jakub was invited, by Felix Cane herself, to compete in Australia at the Felix Cane Pole Championships! The competition involved 20 of the top pole performers from around the globe. His performance at the competition earned him Runner Up. Considering that Jakub has only been competing for around 3 years, he has gained an impressive competition record, taking First Place in three national competitions and one European competition. In 2014 he was a competitor in the IPSF World Pole Sports Championships and placed in a very respectable Fourth Place.
We are thrilled to include Jakub as our guest instructor for the 2017 camp.
Jakub’s titles include:
- Felix Cane Pole Championships 2016 – Perth, Australia (2nd)
- Polish Pole Sport Championships 2015 – Bydgoszcz, Poland (1st)
- European Pole Show Art Championships 2015 – Zagreb, Croatia (1st)
- World Pole Sports Championships 2014 – London, England (4th)
- Hungarian Pole Sport Open 2014 – Budapest, Hungary (1st)
- Polish Pole Dance Championships 2013 – Skaryszew, Poland (1st)
