ABOUT THE STUDIO

Dizzy Stardust (they/them) was inspired to take their first pole class at Steel and Grace in fall of 2019 after watching their friend perform in a student showcase and feeling a strong connection with the movement styles and expression of pole. They are a certified L1 pole instructor with over 2 years of performance and choreography experience, frequently seen performing in Santa Cruz local Dual Demons queer variety shows and more.
They love finding creative flow in free movement and developing choreography, often taking a silly and/or sensual approach to their thematic acts. Inspired by smooth, slinky movement coupled with impressive tricks and flows on spin pole, Dizzy Stardust enjoys playing with various dance styles and is passionate about helping students find their own inspiration in their pole and dance practice.

Dizzy Stardust

POLE/HEELS CHOREOGRAPHY & beginner/intermediate Pole & QUEER POLE classeS

Kiki Sterling (they/them) brings a lifelong passion for dance to their pole journey,which began two years ago at Steel and Grace. With a rich background in various dance styles and previous performance and teaching experience, they discovered pole dance as a liberating medium for artistic expression and personal empowerment.

As a certified L1 pole instructor, Kiki has developed a distinctive style that seamlessly blends smooth, flowing movements with bold and crisp accents that
pop with personality. Their approach is both sassy and sensual, creating dynamic choreography that invites dancers to celebrate their individual expression.

Kiki Sterling

Beginner POLE/Queer pole jam

EM (she/her) began training pole in early 2016 and in the process of recovering from trauma, found pole classes to be the perfect combination of sensual gymnastic-style movement, music, flexibility, and community support to re-connect with her body and all its capabilities. 

Her fun, approachable, heart-lead classes aim to facilitate her students coming home to their physiology; incrementally gaining strength, flexibility and connection to their bodies and the present moment. She has devoted her life to creative expression in all its forms, and her experience working in strip clubs gives her a unique flair and accessibility as an instructor today. EM has studied under Maddie Sparkle, Michelle Shimmy, Carmine Black, Micah Walters and many more.

EM

flexibility, strength conditioning, beginning Pole

With a background in climbing, yoga teacher training, and triathlon, Marli (she/her) began her pole dancing journey in 2018 in Humboldt, California, and started teaching and performing in Maui, Hawaii in 2021. Nowadays,
she works full time as a botany/ecological consultant in the bay area and devotes the rest of her time to pole dance as well as dabbling in fire and flow arts. She enjoys trying pole classes everywhere she goes, setting up her stage pole or flying pole in nature, and of course, sharing her love and knowledge of pole dance as a teacher. Her laid back energy mixed with a dynamic, challenging curriculum seeks to get students stoked on what their creative and physical abilities and feeling connected as a class.

Marli

INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Pole & SPIN POLE

Andy (he/her) took his first pole class in 2024 and immediately became bit by the pole bug. As a lifelong athlete, he became a fan of strength based feats. As an artist, he dove into

movement, expression, embodiment, and sensuality. Andy blends these two aspects of pole into a style featuring aerial tricks alongside smooth motion. As a trans teacher he hopes to help all genders feel at home in the pole studio.

Andy

beginner pole

Imani (she/her) took her first pole class in 2011 and started teaching in 2015. She's been rock climbing since age six, has traveled the world to climb, worked in climbing gym management, and in 2016 developed the first pole program in a climbing facility.

Now a certified Rolfer, she focuses on helping pole dancers, aerialists, and climbers reduce pain and move better. Off the clock she enjoys time with her dog Tycho and has a strong affinity for BBQ, tinned fish, and tropical plants.

Imani

beginner and intermediate pole and in house body worker

Caitlin (she/her) is a movement artist and instructor known for blending sensuality, strength, emotion, and deep embodied presence. With 10 years of pole dancing experience and 8 years of teaching, she brings a seasoned, intuitive approach to guiding students in their most expressive and empowered selves.

She has taught and trained extensively across the Bay Area and Bali, studying contemporary pole, exotic flow, intuitive freestyle movement, and yoga with internationally recognized teachers. Her signature style weaves slow intentional transitions with musicality, grounded strength, and sensual expression.

Caitlin's classes invite students to reconnect to their inner fire, explore movement as medicine, and experience their bodies as a source of creativity, confidence and healing., Outside of the studio she is passionate about somatic psychology, nervous system work, and creating spaces where students feel supported, free, and deeply alive.

Caitlin

sensual pole flow, sensual flex

Erica (she/her) joins the Steel and Grace Instructor team as a certified S Factor instructor after spending 2 years as a student of S Factor at the studio navigating through all levels (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced) attending all offered specialty workshops at the studio and attending other S Factor studios to learn from other teachers and dance with different bodies. Her signature dance moves tend to be low flow, very slow, slinky, and sticky; deeply emotional; or soft and delicate. Erica is also a trained Ballroom dancer with Arthur Murray Dance Studios. Her favorite styles of dance are Waltz, Tango, and Salsa.

Outside of dance Erica enjoys photography. On her spare time she is regularly commissioned as a Stills Photographer to capture Behind the Scenes and marketing images for film productions and enjoys traveling, cooking, jazz music, and being immersed in the beauty and sounds of the ocean.

Erica has stated that she loves the practice of S Factor as what you get here you just won't find anywhere else out in other movement practices in the world so targeted to building and defining a healthy self concept and your own personal femininity through body-led, pleasure filled movement, and her hope is that, as a teacher, she can help guide individuals in being able to have a similar experience that enlivens and empowers them in how they navigate their life and the world.

Erica

S Factor

Simona (she/her), a Czech native now residing in Capitola, is an Occupational Therapist serving Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. From an early age, Simona was captivated by acrobatics and fitness which led her to a youth cheerleading league. She then became a ‘flyer’ and progressed to competitive cheerleading into high school and college.

Her pole fitness journey began in 2012, marked by notable achievements including a 1st place win at the 2017 GGPC Entertainment L4 and a 2nd place at the 2016 PPC Entertainment L3. She also participated in multiple duet showcase performances. Simona excels at both static and spin pole and especially enjoys dynamic moves, flips, drops, and tumbles. Outside of pole, Simona has been exploring other aerial apparatuses such as hammock, rope, trapeze, and lyra.

Since Steel & Grace's opening in 2018, Simona has taught a variety of classes, from beginner to advanced. Known for her annual Holiday lights class and other themed sessions, Simona is passionate about helping her students unlock their potential and have fun in the process.

Simona

beginning to advanced POLE