Our Instructors
Each of our seasoned Pole Series instructors has been certified by a program that is sanctioned by the Pole Fitness Association (PFA), approved by the Pole Dance Community (PDC), and recognized by both the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the Aerobics & Fitness Association of American (AFAA). In addition, all of our instructors are First Aid / CPR certified.
Michelle Heller - Pole & Aerial
After Michelle's initiation into Pole in 2010, she became a Certified Discoveries Dance Pole Instructor, PDC Approved 3 Star Instructor, PFA Registered Pole Fitness Instructor, National Council on Strength & Fitness Member, & a founding member of Men's Health Fitness Council. She is also a former Ambassador for Pole Sport Organization (PSO), United Pole Artists (UPA), Black Eccentrics Poledorant, & Figure Slim. While Michelle focuses her teaching on the technical side with a high consideration for safety, she also loves the art of free dance feeling the music as she moves. With a B.A. in Education & a passion for teaching others, Michelle has competed with PSO as well as performed with Viva La Pole Show (Chicago). She regularly performs for Conquer/Lake County Boxing & Blarney Island (Antioch) & has also performed at local venues such as Austin's Fuel Room (Libertyville), 210 Live (Highwood), & Lucky Bernie's (Antioch) & judged competitions in IL, MI, & CA.
Mahjabeen S (Mahja) - Pole & Aerial
Mahja has been pole dancing since 2010. She has two Master’s Degrees and works in the Healthcare field. After a stressful day, she enjoys dancing and yoga to relax her. Mahja is a Pole Moves Certified Pole Fitness Instructor (PFA & PDC approved) and believes that pole dancing is a confidence booster that allows women to learn more about themselves. She also believes the art of pole dance is all about being strong and sensual, traits that harbor inside every woman. Mahja continues to train and educate herself on pole dancing and enjoys spreading the joy of pole!
Languages - English, Urdu, and Hindi
Lorie B - Pole & Aerial
Lorie has been taking classes at Flight Fitness Studio ever since the studio's Grand Opening in 2014. She was hooked from day one. Since then she has taken almost every class such as Pole Dance and Fitness, Pole Strength, Pole Flow, Aerial Hoop (Lyra), Aerial Silks, and now her new passion that melts two of her favorites into one… Pole Silks! When she’s not at work making puppies cute and fancy for their owners, she can be found here at the studio working on one crazy thing or another or helping her pole sisters with something. Her goal is to share her love of all pole and aerial fitness and it's benefits with all of her students.
Hannah G - Aerial
Hannah began practicing Aerial Arts over ten years ago and has been coaching since 2013. She has taught at various places in Chicago, Southern California, and El Paso and has performed for years in Chicago. Sharing her knowledge and love of Aerial Silks to both adults and children alike is her passion!
Erin H (Aerial Amazon) - Pole
Erin took her first Pole class in 2011 and fell in love with the strength, grace, and sensuality of pole dance. She took a few breaks while establishing a career in technology but always gravitated back to dance. Now she is an avid dancer and has partaken in heels dance, latin dance, chair dance, Aerial Silks, and primarily, Pole Dance. At 6' tall, she believes that Pole Dance is for everyBODY and is excited to help others develop confidence and tap into their inner pole goddesses!
Melissa C - Pole
Melissa has been a Poler-in-Progress for almost ten years! What started as a “sure why not try it with a friend” turned into a passion. Pole has been the place to build herself and breakdown many personal barriers. Melissa is passionate about sharing the strength and confidence Pole provides. She believes Pole is full of possibilities, progress, and positivity. If you’re looking for results, be prepared to sweat! Melissa utilizes her dance background in ballet, jazz, and tap to jump your heart rate, test your endurance, and teach grace for those slow flow moments. No matter what your goal is, Melissa will take the time to listen to help you to achieve your goals. She’s always down for a Pole Party and is your very own Pole cheerleader on a daily!
Languages - English, Spanish, and minimal ASL
Renee K - Aerial
Renee's love of circus arts started in 2018 when she found her home in the Chicagoland circus family. She was trained by some of the most talented and well know coaches in the area where she grew her circus knowledge, then joined a local circus. In addition to being the act leader for lyra and trapeze at Triton Troupers Circus, she has performed aerial and fire at many Chicagoland events. Her circus skills include: trapeze, aerial hoop/lyra, mini hoop/pocket lyra, aerila loop straps, aerial sling, and acro. Renee also loves to be creative by combining equipment to create new apparatuses and also dabbles in hula hoop and fire fans while roller skating. Circus is her happy place as she loves the feeling of being able to spin, create shapes, and have fun. Renee enjoys teaching others, so that they too can find the same joy as she believes that circus is meant for everyone as it benefits both mental and physical health.
Philavanh B (Phil) - Pole
As a full-time Finance Analyst and a mother of four, Philavanh knows importance of self care and self love as well as having an escape from the mundane. Philavanh has always believed that youth only leaves you when you allow it to and that sexy is not on you, it’s in you. She was first attracted to pole dance for the fitness applications but fell in love with the allure of being free in the moment, both mentally and physically, and hasn’t looked backed since 2014. Her passion for pole dance can only be rivaled by her passion to share what she has learned throughout her pole journey. Though her main focus is pole, she also has experience in Chair Dance and Burlesque. Philavanh loves to laugh and believes in the notion that “if you’re not having fun, then what’s the point?” So come laugh, learn, fall and get back up, and most importantly, let’s dance together. Lanuguages - English, Lao, and Thai
Kendra G - Pole
Kendra began her pole journey in 2021 when she signed up for her first Pole Series on a whim. She was looking to try something out of the norm to shed the dreaded “Covid 15” and escape to socialization again. Being a busy mom and working in the home healthcare field, she often put her own wellness on the back burner and was due for a change! Pole classes were the perfect excuse to give her time for herself, get in shape, and make new friends. She gained confidence, strength, and energy through pole and quickly turned her whim into a passion! Starting in her late 30’s, she discovered moves she never thought she had and was achieving tricks she never dreamed possible. She put in the work, but she knew she couldn’t have done it without the expert guidance, encouragement, and support of her instructor. With a new zest for life, she suddenly knew she wanted to spread that same joy to others through teaching.
Gianna L ("G") - Aerial
G is a self-taught Aerial Silks artist who has been intensely practicing since 2019 and coaching/instructing since 2020. Coming from a family of gymnasts, G has a great deal of body awareness as well as an understanding of her physical strengths and limitations. She’s currently enrolled in school working towards a Psychology degree in hopes of forming her own mental health practice. G is always looking for outlets of expression and performance, so she plans on attending ISU to join the Gamma Phi Circus. G loves being able to share her ideas and experiences to inspire and encourage her students to work hard, believe in themselves, and practice growth mindsets. Her overall focus is to help people obtain healthy attitudes that will allow them to not only flourish in Aerial Silks, but to grow everywhere else in life. G's other pastimes include practicing Pole, spending time with family, and attending heavy metal concerts.
Daniela T (Dani) - Aerial
Dani has been an Aerialist since 2017 dabbling with both Silks and Lyra and even Pole! She fell in love with being in the air and challenging her body in ways she didn't know were possible until Aerial Silks became her main passion. She loves to share her passion with others as she believes Aerial Silks is a beautiful way to move your body and find a new type of confidence within yourself!
Languages - English and Spanish
Karina O - Pole
Karina has been Pole dancing since 2021 after taking an Intro to Pole class and falling in love with the sport. Growing up Karina has always been passionate about art, dance, and sports. As the years went on, she searched for new ways to build strength and confidence all while having fun, and Pole Dance was exactly that! She loves the empowering feeling, strength, beauty, and confidence booster she has gained from Pole Dance. Karina believes that strong is sexy and wants to help everybody achieve their full potential. She enjoys both dance and tricks and spending as much time as she can moving in heels!
Languages - English, Spanish, and minimal ASL
Amber V (Violette Vixen) - Pole
Amber first encountered pole dancing at her bachelorette party in 2017. She took a break until 2020 when she began taking the 8-Week Series at Flight Fitness Studio. Ever since, she's been hooked! Pole dance has become her favorite hobby and go-to fitness activity. Amber loves that pole is not only a workout but also a competitive sport and performance art. Mostly Amber loves the creativity that pole dancing allows, as well as the feminine way it makes her feel. As a former teacher, Amber is overjoyed to bring her classroom skills to Flight and considers herself a storyteller through her performances. Amber is a competitor and performer, and her favorite tricks involve climbing and inverting. Additionally, Amber has performed as a burlesque dancer and wishes to share her passion for sensual movement with or without the pole. Pole dancing & performing has brought nothing but positive energy to Amber's life, so she hopes to bring the same positive vibes to someone else's pole journey!
Julia T - Aerial
Julia has had a love for aerial since her early childhood. She grew up watching two of her aunts perform annually in a local circus for years and has forever chased her dream of joining that very same circus. Julia first satiated her circus arts hunger as a young gymnast. Many years later, Julia took her first aerial class in 2021 and quickly fell in love with aerial hammock. She continued her aerial journey learning lyra and also dabbled in pole. In 2023, Julia finally achieved her childhood dream of joining the local circus and performed on lyra, Spanish web, and teeterboard. She is looking forward to passing on her love of aerial to others by teaching aerial at Flight Fitness Studio.
Diana B - Pole
When Diana took her first Pole class in Poland in 2022, she felt defeated and left the studio downhearted. She used that experience to give her motivation and decided to give herself a few more weeks to understand if this was her sport. During the next month, she fell in love with Pole Dance and each year she falls more and more in love with this sport. Diana believes that persistent and regular training will lead to amazing results. Since she knows how to both fail and how to rise back up, Diana loves working with beginners and to meet students at their level. Diana's classes are spicy and challenging, but at the same time, she knows how to make it feel effortless and fun!
Languages - Polish, Ukranian, some English, and minimal Russian