Andrea's pole journey began in 2021 with a Groupon and a never-ending quest to shake up her normal workout routine. She fell in love with pole dancing and the rest is history. What was supposed to be a movement outlet has become an integral part of her life, as she realized the joy that teaching pole fitness brought her. Andrea has been teaching pole since 2023, but officially joined the Ascendance instructor staff in 2024. As an instructor, Andrea focuses on helping students discover what they are capable of, helping them push through self-confidence issues to find their own authentic approach to the sport. She also had a spinal fusion surgery years ago and uses her own experience regaining thoracic and shoulder mobility to remind students what is possible.

Outside of the studio, Andrea serves on the Seattle Children’s Museum board of directors; tries to travel as much as possible; loves spending time with her husband, daughter, and friends; and probably watches too much Bravo TV.

Annalisa’s pole and aerial journey began in 2015. After taking an intro to pole and beginner lyra class, she knew it was the fitness regimen she had been searching for. She was originally seeking to gain strength, but quickly discovered a whole new side to herself. Pole and aerial dance has taught her self-confidence, perseverance, and has become her outlet. She loves the challenges of learning a new move on a pole or lyra and pushing herself to the next level. As an instructor, Annalisa uses her pole experience to empower students and to show them that anything is possible if they work at it.

Ashlee started her pole journey in 2014 after seeing a friend perform at a club and was instantly captivated. She started pole without any formal dance or movement training, and was unable to hold a plank, or do a pushup when she started pole. She believes that pole is for every body, that movement is a celebration of what our bodies can do, and not punishment for what we ate or how we look. She has dedicated her pole practice to foundations, technique, safety, self-expression, and fun. She is passionate about teaching beginners, and providing modifications for all abilities and body types. You will often find her on the schedule teaching heels technique, floorwork, pole conditioning, and movement that emphasizes sensuality & self-expression. Ashlee considers herself a forever-student. She embraces the flexy, the sexy, and flowy in her personal practice, and has a soft-spot for heels choreography. In addition to her work with Ascendance, Ashlee works in corporate sales & merchandising and is a seasoned performer.

Ashley is native New Yorker, born and raised in Queens. She started pole dancing many moons ago and hasn’t looked back since. Through pole Ashley found expression, community, and freedom.

She was part of Body & Pole’s 2019-2020 Work Study Program where she was able to train with and learn from seasoned instructors. She has taught pole, floorwork, and flexibility classes throughout New York City for the past three years.

Ashley’s family is from Trinidad and her classes are influenced by her Caribbean culture. She believes that the human body is the greatest instrument a person can ever own. As an instructor one of her goals is to inspire students to dance with intention and to stay true to their authentic self.

Ashley has her B.S. in Community Health and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Upon graduation, she hopes to use her knowledge and skills to work closely with the BIPOC and sex worker community. When she is not on the pole or writhing on the floor you can catch Ashley casting spells, geeking out on anatomy, or playing with her cats, Elmira and Kedi.

Brooke started dancing in 2015 armed with Groupon and a whim. Through pole dance she found healing and a community that continues to fuel her soul to this day. She is hoping to create a space for students to find their own journey with dance and foster the community that was so important for her in her own dance journey. She loves freestyle and slinking around in an ooey gooey style. Her number one goal is to help her students get comfortable in their own skin and find their own flow.
Outside of the studio she can be found making soap and self-care products for her business Urban Jungle Soap Co (@urban.jungle.soap), snuggling with her 3 black cats, tending an ever growing plant collection, playing D&D with friends, and a million other hobbies. She loves to keep busy and do all the things that bring her joy.

Candace began pole dancing in 2014 after an exhaustive search to find a fitness regime that would get her in shape, but also help heal her mind and soul. In pole dancing she found the piece of the puzzle that was missing in her daily life - a focus on positivity, daily success, growth, goals and community. As an instructor, she encourages her students to push through the physical and mental discomfort that this sport reveals in everyone, with the hope that it will help them harness the power of their inner voice in the rest of their lives. Alongside her work with Ascendance, Candace owns and operates Spearpoint Investigations, a private investigations agency specializing in civil rights and police conduct cases.

Catherine began pole dancing in 2016 when looking for a fitness activity that would counteract sitting at a desk most of the day. After taking a few beginner classes, she quickly realized this not only would help her gain strength and stamina, but also confidence and creativity. You will see her around the studio taking pole, lyra and aerial yoga. Additionally, Catherine is excited to take the next step in her aerial journey through teaching at our studio.

Christina has been practicing aerial since 2016. You may have seen her taking a hoop class or substitute teaching a sling class at Ascendance. She teaches Silks and Sling classes. Christina loves to incorporate splits, spins, and drops into her aerial style. She enjoys trying out new apparatuses like straps, dance trapeze and aerial chains.

Christina hopes her students will feel inspired, challenged, and have a great time in a safe environment. She appreciates the way teaching aerial makes her a stronger, more creative, and knowledgeable aerialist. Her guilty pleasures include the Just Dance Video Game and reality TV dating shows. She is excited to meet all the students and instructors at Ascendance. See you in the air!

Cynthia shows us how strong you can be in your 40s and beyond! Cynthia believes that anyone - no matter their fitness level or body size - can find strength, confidence, healing, and beauty in pole and aerial movement. She is passionate about guiding whoever she teaches to discover their flow and revel in it. Cynthia grew up dancing ballet and jazz, and discovered strength training and Pilates later in life. She recently expanded her aerial repertoire by going vertical with silks, trapeze, and aerial yoga. She loves finding new ways to move in the air.

Dani started her pole journey here at Ascendance back in 2021 with the intro to pole series. Since that first day, she was hooked and has grown a fond love of the apparatus. Since then, Dani been growing her skills on the pole along with expanding out to different apparatus’ such as lyra, silks, hammock and chair. Exploring the aerial arts has been a fun and expressive exercise for her and is excited to teach her love of the arts to others!

Outside of Dani’s aerial endeavors, she works in a quality control lab for a cancer therapy where she nerds out with fellow colleagues about science, video games, her love for aerial arts, and food.

Elaine was a student in the first ever class offered by Ascendance when it opened and has been a regular member ever since. She soon discovered lyra and is excited to introduce people to aerial arts in a supportive environment while continuing to grow as a student. Outside of Ascendance, Elaine teaches color guards and drum corps in different areas around the country. She also enjoys ice climbing as a hobby, and as a bonus, lyra is great training for that!

At a young age Elisa found movement to be freeing and allowed her to express herself in a positive way. Since then she has wholeheartedly been pursuing the art of movement in such places as the youth ballet, the prestigious National Taiwan University of Arts where she majored in dance, on the ballroom floor and most recently at aerial yoga.

Despite these busy times of career, family and responsibility, Elisa found a new passion in 2014… Aerial yoga, which for her embodies the essence of focus, stretch and relaxation.

Ever since walking through the front door of Ascendance, Elisa feels at home again and cannot wait to share the joy of aerial yoga with you

JoJo started pole dancing in 2017 after a friend pushed her to try. She has been hooked ever since! Pole dancing has taken over a large part of her life, and when she is not at the studio, she is singing karaoke or playing video games with her husband.
JoJo has an infectiously friendly energy and will make anyone she meets a pole convert. Catch her Floorwork classes - they are seriously fun!

Kate began her journey through yoga, earning her 200-hour and then 500-hour yoga teacher certification in 2010 - and ever since, she has taught yoga, flexibility, conditioning, handstands and arm balances regularly.

Kate started pole in 2017 and was recently certified to teach pole. She takes an anatomical and science-based approach to teaching flexibility with an emphasis on active flex and stability drills to work with, rather than against, the nervous system. Kate also has experience and knowledge in flexibility and conditioning for hypermobile movers, being hypermobile herself.

Kelsey began her lyra journey in 2022 and was completely hooked from her
first class. She came to Ascendance without any dance or fitness
background, but with the desire to achieve a lifelong dream. Lyra has given her an outlet to express her joy and soothe her heartbreak. As she is fond of saying “It’s hard to be sad when you’re upside down.” She is so grateful for the family Ascendance has given her, as well as the chance to share her love with her family, her friends, and her community in various performances.

Outside of Ascendance, Kelsey is a dedicated Mariners fan, an avid reader, and a long-time Dungeon Master (the un-sexy kind). She is excited to continue growing with Ascendance, trying new things that scare her, and helping her students do the same.

Kirstie began her pole journey in 2014 when she was looking for a new way of working out. Once she discovered pole dancing, she discovered a new passion and has never looked back. She has been teaching for nearly 4 years and loves to see the growth of her students.
Kirstie is a huge foodie and also runs a lifestyle blog that is also one of her passions titled

KP was a pole vaulter for 8 years before she found pole in 2015. Prior to pole vaulting, she had background in dance, so the switch to pole dancing seemed natural. What she loves most about pole is that it challenges her both physically and creatively. And that no matter what level you are, there is always something new to learn. KP enjoys teaching advanced tricks and flips and loves helping students surpass their pole goals! She occasionally competes in competitions and performs in shows but prefers to dance for herself.
Outside of pole, you can find her renovating her house, hiking, and traveling to anywhere and everywhere she can get to

LeChez began pole in 2019. She found Ascendance and joined classes on Scholarship and her incredible spirit and attitude about pole and the studio is infectious. LeChez began apprenticing and teaching in 2023 and can be found teaching Beginner Pole and Booty classes. She has been studying New Orleans Bounce and is excited to share her wealth of positivity and knowledge with all who join her classes.

I've been practicing and performing aerial silks for 9 years as well as dabbling in circus rope, lyra, dance trapeze, and cyr wheel. I started my journey in Spokane, WA and have taught classes as far away as Antarctica! I absolutely love the community and camaraderie l've found in the circus world; its support has gotten me through some of the hardest times in my life!

Liz holds her doctorate in physical therapy and has had the pleasure of working with many dancers across the country. She is an instructor in the dance department at Cornish College of the Arts where she loves to witness her students grow! She simply loves dancing and helping others dance too!

Before discovering aerial arts and pole, Maggie had a strong and diverse background in dance, with an emphasis on ballet, tap, jazz, modern and African dance. She has been teaching pole dance since 2014, and enjoys performing and mixing burlesque and pole/lyra. When she's not in the studio you can usually find her crafting intricate and sparkly costumes and props for the performance community. Maggie is most grateful for the confidence, strength, and beauty pole has given her, and looks to share those gifts with everyone who comes though our doors.

My name is Molly Foisy. I began my pole journey in January of 2018, 6 months after getting myself into a nasty accident. This accident left me with multiple broken bones, a concussion, and with many doctors doubting my future physical ability. I set off on my journey to prove my doctors wrong and oh yes, I sure did.
Pole has not only made me physically stronger, but also mentally stronger. I have found some of the best people I know because of it. My self esteem has been lifted and many fears have been squashed. We have such an amazing community.
I love pole so much I wanted to make it a full time career. I have been teaching pole since March of 2021 and performing and competing in various shows since 2018. I am trained and certified in flexibility and rehabilitation, and spotting techniques. The classes I have instructed are flexibility, conditioning, beginner pole, and Levels 1,2,3.
As an instructor I hope to always bring to students a sense of confidence and support. I hope to help you love how your body moves individually. It doesn't matter who you are and what you look like, pole is for everyone. Every individual has their own strengths and weaknesses, which makes every trick and dance combo look different on each person individually. I want to continue to encourage every student's movement to be their own and to be proud of how their body moves. Let's celebrate our individuality! I will be your biggest cheerleader!

Roxanne’s love affair with pole dance started in 2019 right here at Ascendance. Pole has a magical way of bringing up whatever it is in each of us that needs healing, and for Roxanne, that includes perfectionism, body shame, and a fixed mindset about learning new skills. Of course, pole isn't just therapeutic--it's ridiculously fun!! Roxanne wants to share it all--the joys and the frustrations--with others who are just starting out as dancers, because that process is most delicious when experienced in community. Roxanne hopes that above all, students learn to trust themselves and truly enjoy their own bodies' unique ways of moving, and to celebrate others as well. Outside the studio you can find her by the lake, in the kitchen, or doodling comics over in the corner.

Shanice began her pole journey in 2012 after she promised to take a class if a friend taught, never thinking she would have to follow through. In her first curvaceous classes Shanice found a movement that let her feel sexy and graceful, things she hadn’t really ever felt before. Shanice has continued to find new ways that dance can improve her life.

She started teaching classes in 2015, focusing on helping women learn to love the bodies they have. Shanice is a self confessed narcissist and can often be found looking at herself in any reflective surface. Through pole Shanice has also had the opportunity to model on the runway, perform in a number of shows, an MC as well. Shanice has even had the honor of teaching at the International Pole Expo in Las Vegas.

Shanice loves to show students how graceful, beautiful, and sensual they can be through this fabulous movement. Pole has changed her life and she hopes to change yours too.

When Sheryll found pole dancing in 2021, it wasn't just a new hobby; it was the beginning of a profound personal transformation. What started as curiosity quickly blossomed into a passionate exploration of movement and self-expression. Pole dancing became her canvas, and she painted her journey with every spin, slide, and ground sweep.

Her style isn't about perfection but expression, favoring the fluidity of low flow, the exploration of edgework, and the groundedness of floorwork to convey her emotions. This dance form became her unique way of processing feelings and experiences, transforming them into dance that speak for themself.

Dancing in heels added another layer to her practice, challenging her to find stability and strength in vulnerability. This became more than just physical training; it was a way to stand tall amidst life's challenges, a metaphor for her growth.

Sheryll’s story isn’t just about the art of pole dancing; it's about finding a voice in the echo of movement, a sanctuary within the spin, proving that sometimes, the best way to understand ourselves is to simply start moving.

Tram walked in the door of her first pole class in 2014 and never looked back! Many years and two kids later, pole is still a practice that grounds her. She loves that she can always find joy in pole, whether it is training or just dancing. Though her journey has changed through the years, pole has always adapted to be what she needs at that time. Outside of the studio, Tram gets regular cardio in from chasing her toddlers all day long

Yael is a pole veteran since 2007, who started with almost no dance or gymnastics background. She fell in love with pole after her first class and never looked back. She is a firm believer in pole being for anyone who really wants it, no matter their gender, size or background. She feels pole can become a lifelong journey with wonderful benefits beyond any initial expectations. No matter how long you have poled, there is always more to learn, and more ways to develop your craft. Yael enjoys teaching all levels from beginner to advanced, with a special love for inversions. You can also find her occasionally competing in local competitions or taking the stage to perform around Seattle. She also poles regularly with her daughter Grace, and specializes in doubling with a partner to create interactive, duet based aerial art. When not poling you can find Yael working full time in advertising sales, jogging, and crafting.Description goes here