Meet Kristen (she/they/them)
Hi, I am Kristen Nichole, a pole dance artist and teacher who also practices as a community psychologist. I am most known for my research-based methods of teaching pole dance as a creative outlet for self-expression and adaptive coping. I have taught in New York City, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Portland, Or, Dallas and virtually to students all over the world. I am certified as a group fitness and pole instructor through ACE and XPERT and have been teaching pole fitness and dance since 2019.
I discovered pole fitness and dance in 2018 while seeking ways to cope with the stress of graduate school. Pole allowed me to reactivate the ballet, jazz, and gymnastics aspects of my identity that had become dormant in academia. While studying applied social and community psychology, I also began to develop an intellectual curiosity about the influence of pole on psychological well-being. In my 6 years of independent study of pole dance, I have both experienced and observed how the pole dance community can support the mental health of BIPOC women, femmes and non-binary individuals.
My teaching pedagogy is inquiry-based to invite critical reflection into the teaching and learning space. My methods are also influenced by my perspective as a Black queer human who is both feminine and masculine; a social scientist who centers lived experience in research; and a very patient mama who values active listening and conflict resolution.
As a performer, I invite the audience to witness my body’s raw expression of emotions catalyzed by an intimate relationship I have with music. My sensual movement style is deeply influenced by the following artists (my teachers): Phoenix Kazree, Marion Crampe, Carmine Black, Sammy Picone, Judy Gray, Natalya Nightshade, and Queerly Femmetastic.
Note: Strippers and sex workers of color are pioneers of pole dance as a cultural phenomenon in the Global North. This history is important to acknowledge because of the juxtaposition between the oppression that is faced by individuals who work in the desire industries (e.g. stripping) with the simultaneous commodification of pole fitness and dance. Learn more about racial stratification in queer and straight strip clubs here.