MEET THE PHOENIX FLIGHT STUDIO TEAM
Phoenix Flight Studio classes are taught by a team of passionate & well qualified instructors. We all love what we do & believe that pole and aerial classes are more than just a workout! We keep classes small, so you will get plenty of individual attention and get to know your instructors & classmates well! Our focus is always to give you the best experience in a safe and injury free environment. We all have experienced the many benefits of pole and aerial including feeling strong and empowered. Let us show you that too.
CHARISMA BLUE
Charisma acquired Phoenix Flight Studio in 2017 from its previous owner Jen Cichon who started the studio in 2010.
Charisma fell in love with pole dancing as an alternative way of getting fit. She was getting bored with her current workout and turned to pole dancing as a way to break free of the monotony. She was instantly hooked with her first class at Phoenix Flight Studio in 2011 and has been pole dancing ever since. After taking a year and a half break to have a baby, she turned back to her passion of pole dancing to get back in shape and to have some “Mommy Me Time”. Taking her passion for pole to the next level, Charisma became a certified pole instructor in early 2016 and found a new reason to love pole. She loves to see her students succeed and to provide the encouragement to try something new and different. Charisma was a dancer and theater background and applies her theatrical flair to all of her performances and routines. Recently, she took home 2nd place at the Central Pole Competition in 2017 for her Level 2 Dramatic Division performance and 3rd place at the MN Pole Competition in 2015 for her Novice Level Artistic Division performance. She was also a certified Sports Massage Therapist in 2008 and applies the self-care principles to her training and teaching style.
DAKOTA WOLFE
Dakota has been teaching pole dancing for almost a decade and dancing for 15 years. Her signature style is classic pole with a show of amazing flexibility, graceful flow, and awe-inspiring drops. You can find her performing several times a year at multiple aerial and variety shows in the Twin Cities.
Most recently, Dakota took home the gold at Central Pole Competition in 2017 in the Doubles Division and placed second at the Pole Princess Competition in 2015.
MISTY
Misty has been a fitness instructor for over 20 year & has dedicated her life to health, healing, & fitness.
She is a NETA certified group fitness instructor, certified Spinning instructor, and certified clinical Pilates instructor. Misty is a performing arts physical therapist, with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, a master’s in physiotherapy, & a doctorate in hand & upper extremity therapy, and has comprehensive mat & equipment Pilates certification. Misty offers teacher training through Vertical Art Athletics. She is the ’09 North Star “Miss Fitness” winner.
LAURA
Laura stumbled upon pole dancing when classes were offered at her yoga studio. As soon as she started dancing, she was hooked! After training hard for three years at Phoenix Flight Studio, life intervened and she had to step away from coming to class, but continued to pole at home with her own pole. Life eventually calmed down and after taking several instructor training courses through Pole Art Athletics, she was finally able to realize her dream of becoming a Pole Fitness Instructor! She loves helping students discover how fun fitness can be through pole dancing.
Third Place – Minnesota Pole Competition Intermediate Entertainment 2019
TASHA
Tasha has been poling since October 2015 and started teaching March of 2017. She is dedicated to learning and getting stronger so she can continue to grow in strength and agility and to help guide her students in their pole journey. She competed in 2016 at the Minnesota Pole Competition and recently tied for third place in the Level 2 Dramatic Division at the Central Pole Competition in 2017. When she is not at pole class, she is an avid cosplay costume designer and attends conventions across the country. She is also a self-proclaimed Cat Lady and the proud parent of Pumpkin and Vader.
JENN
Jenn started aerial on lyra in 2015. She quickly fell in love with this new and challenging way to move and appreciate her body. She has since trained on silks, trapeze and pole. Every apparatus presented different challenges and helped her grow her understanding of movement and the human body. She studied under many aerialist around the Twin Cities in the years to come.
She brought that new found love of movement and started teaching in 2017. She strives to find ways to help all of her students feel accomplished and proud of their bodies.
SUNNY
Karin is a home-grown pole talent, having started her own pole journey as an intro student in August 2018. She fell in love with seeing exactly what she was capable of and has been a fanatic ever since. She is especially enthusiastic about encouraging others to try pole to see if it is right for them, and loves working with beginners. Her personal style evolved from a passion for the sexy side of pole which manifested in a 3rd place finish at the 2020 Minnesota Pole Competition in the Advanced Exotic category.
LINDSEY
Lindsey is a passionate instructor whose approach is widely focused on freestyle. She started learning pole here at the studio in 2012 and became an instructor in 2018. Through the years, Lindsey has gained both club & studio experience. Lindsey is a Social Work student and has years of experience in Human Services. She believes her life experiences contribute to her communicative, fun, and approachable demeanor as an instructor. You won’t leave her class without a good laugh, a new song, or a new move! You can find Lindsey teaching ‘sLow Flow’ and Trick based classes on our schedule! She also offers private lessons for those seeking more support or a tailored experience.
CAL
Cal (she/they) has been in love with circus since 2017 when she hopped on a lyra for the first time on her birthday. Ever since then, she has been training every chance she can get – if you go to any of the aerial studios in NE Minneapolis, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll catch a glimpse of her! These days, Cal mainly trains lyra and lollipop pole, spending her time making sequences that are as weird as possible.
Cal’s primary focus as an aerialist and teacher is on artistry and choreography, and she loves collaborating with others to discover new pathways and shapes up in the air. When it comes to teaching philosophies, Cal believes that creativity on an apparatus can occur at any level. Even beginners can find ways to perform with a personal flair. Having started her own aerial journey with no significant movement background to speak of, Cal found inspiration and drive through working with a wide variety of instructors while starting from square one. For this reason, she is passionate about working with students at all levels and backgrounds to find their individual styles as they grow and to be as much of a hype person as possible throughout her students’ journeys!
Certifications:
Vertical Art Athletics Foundations Course
ELISABETH PERRY
Elisabeth has been dancing in some form for the majority of her life, including extensive training in ballet, jazz, contemporary and tap. She found pole and aerial arts in June 2017 and started instructing with Phoenix Flight Studio in Winter 2018. Elisabeth holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and is a current instructor with Vertical Arts Athletics. She enjoys helping her clients and students have the most successful, safe and fun experiences in all movement forms.
Certifications
Vertical Art Athletics Foundations
Vertical Art Athletics Pole Mobility
Competitions
1st place PSO Chicago 2018 Level 2 Dramatic Junior
1st place PSO Gateway 2018 Level 3 Entertainment Junior/Senior
1st place MNPC/LOL 2019 Advanced Performance Theater
1st place MNPC/LOL 2019 Doubles
2nd place PSO Triangle 2019 Floorwork/Low Flow Level 2/3 Junior/Senior
3rd place PSO Triangle 2019 Doubles
1st place PSO Chicago 2019 Level 4 Entertainment Senior
1st place PSO Space City 2019 Doubles
1st place PSO Space City 2019 Level 4 Entertainment Senior
STEVEN ELIJAH
(pronouns: he/him/his)
Steven will be celebrating his 5 year pole-aversary in June 2019! They have been an independent pole performer and entertainer around the Twin Cities and MN since winter 2014. Steven has been a member of various local performance troupes, and currently is a member of The Vigilantease Collective. Since spring 2016, they have been instructing pole students from brand new to advanced levels, and making group pole choreography. He is a Certified Shiatsu and Massage Therapist, and had their own bodywork practice 2013-2017. Steven has a background in movement arts such as gymnastics, modern dance, contact improvisation, and Wu Chien Pai martial arts. Pole dance has helped Steven embrace sensuality and assertiveness, and move towards being and becoming their most authentic self. Witnessing people play and heal through somatic practices such as dance gives them life.
Awards:
-2016 MN Pole Competition, 1st Place, Men’s Division
-2018 MN Pole Competition, 1st Place, Men’s Division
-2019 MN Pole Competition, 1st Place, Elite Artistic Division
Certifications:
-2014 Shiatsu and Massage Therapist Certification from CenterPoint Shiastu and Massage Therapy School
-2017 Pole-ates Foundations Course from Vertical Art Athletics
STELLA
Stella started her aerial journey in fall of 2018 after seeing a circus group perform at an outdoor event. Immediately afterwards she looked up places you could learn aerial arts in MN, signed up for a hammock intro class and fell in love. She started performing live aerial shows in spring of 2019 and then took up pole in 2021. By 2022 she started teaching aerial and pole parties at Phoenix Flight and has been an aerial and flexibility instructor since January 2023.
Certifications:
AFAA – Group Fitness
AFAA – Integrated Flexibility Training
AFAA – Hydration: Through the lens of fitness
Vertical Art Athletics Foundations Course
SEEBIE SPARKLEHAUS
Seebie Sparklehaus (they/them), have trained lyra in private and semi-private lessons with many local instructors, including Lynn Lunny, Kristen Zyra, Cheryl Birch, and whoever is passing through! They are committed to ongoing training and study from science-based materials published by Jen Crane (cirque_physio), Catie Bier (physioflex), and Emily Scherb (thecircusdoc) to keep up our ongoing learning. Seebie did lyra teacher training with T Lawrence Simon, previously at NECCA and currently in Boston at the Commonwealth Circus Center.
Working with Jane Grey, they have developed a dynamic curriculum in fundamentals, skills, and artistry. They feel strongly about instilling all students with excellent training habits and empowering everyone to safely explore artistry and expression.
BRANDY JANE GREY
Brandy Jane Grey (she/her) has trained lyra in private and semi-private lessons with many local instructors, including Lynn Lunny, Kristen Zyra, Cheryl Birch, and whoever is passing through! Together with Seebie Sparklehaus, they are committed to ongoing training and study from science-based materials published by Jen Crane (cirque_physio), Catie Bier (physioflex), and Emily Scherb (thecircusdoc) to keep up our ongoing learning.
Brandy did her lyra teacher training with Paper Doll Militia in the Born to Fly program.
JOSIE
SIERRA BANG
CHELSEA EMBER
I started pole in TN back in 2014, I first fell in love with the workout I could get outside of a box gym. I’ve performed live, competed once, and have been teaching since 2019. Learning chair dance helped me find myself, and if i can share even part of that self-love and confidence with my students I’m thankful. My classes are always based around slow, easy, feel good movements. With spicy options available:)
LE PETIT MORT
Le Petit Mort (they/them) took flight in early sobriety (2014) by way of single point trapeze and aerial silks in Boulder at Frequent Flyers. They kept chasing the high at Aerial Cirque Over Denver before returning to the land of ten thousand lakes in 2016. Mort danced from Lyra (gratitude to Seebie, Lisa, Cheryl) to hammock (gratitude to CoCo) to rope (gratitude to Lisa and Alissa) and back, anchoring with Lyra, playing elsewhere when they find more time. They train handstands with Lynn when they can, for that seamless head to toe balance. A poet with little movement background, Mort loves spinning magic with students, building strength and trust in their bodies, all while cultivating the wisdom of how to keep each other safe in the air and in our hearts. They performed duo for Queer Circus in 2021 and look forward to many more collaborations in community.
BELLA BEEFCAKE
JEWELS
Jewels took Intro to Pole in February 2022 and became a brand ambassador with Phoenix Flight later that spring. She started pole dancing as a way to safely build strength and stability with hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), as well as to heal and grow in her relationship with her body and sexuality. She has been hooked ever since. She also has a love for yoga and pilates, and her extensive personal experience with physical therapy makes her passionate about finding ways to push herself safely while keeping her overall health at the forefront. She has begun to dabble in performing and you can catch her performing as EDSexy around the twin cities.
ANGELA
ANNIKA
Annika took her first pole class in November of 2021 at Phoenix Flight and immediately fell in love! Pole has been a way for her to appreciate her body’s abilities, find new ways to challenge herself, and most importantly for her, enjoy a community of support and belonging. Tricks are Annika’s forte, but she loves the challenge that floorwork and heels brings and is excited to continue growing those skills as well. As a teacher, she strives to create a safe environment where each student can feel accomplished and successful, however that may look for them.
JEANETTE
SEE HOW WE WORK
PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED INSTRUCTORS
All our instructors have been trained by Vertical Art Athletics, recognized by the Pole Safe Federation! We offer Pole Tricks, Pole Dance, Aerial Tricks, and most importantly, Fitness classes to help advance your pole and aerial training in a safe and very effective manner. Check out our classes today!