Heather Day
Owner & Instructor
she / her. Heather is the owner and founder of Awakenings, which she first established in King of Prussia, Montgomery County PA in 2008. Heather has an extensive background in teaching fitness and dance with a specialty in Pole Dancing. She has been a certified group fitness instructor since 1989 and is an award winning dancer, performer, and choreographer. She has been an international fitness presenter, a continuing education provider for fitness and pole dance professionals, winner of Miss Fitness Philadelphia, and star of numerous internationally distributed fitness videos.
Heather holds many certifications including: Buti-yoga, Mat Pilates, Zumba, Box-aerobics, Step, and a 200 hr Yoga teacher training certification and of course, a Pole Dance Instructor certification. As a seasoned fitness professional, Heather developed and implements a safe and effective, progressive pole dance curriculum that is unique to Awakenings.
Heather is known for her innovative style of teaching and she enjoys making students feel like they are having fun while working out. “I love seeing students achieve goals that they never thought they would upon walking into the studio the first time.”
Instructors
Sara
she/her | POLE, FLOORWORK, HEELS
Sara (without an H) has been teaching with Awakenings since 2010. As a Certified Pole Dance Instructor, she loves sharing her passion for pole through teaching all levels from beginner to advanced, and performing.
IG @withoutanhsara
Tiel
they/them | ACRO, POLE, BURLESQUE
tiel@awakeningspolefitness.com
Tiel is a classically trained dancer, professional burlesque performer, acrobat, fitness professional and a veteran sex worker. They began teaching at awakenings in 2011 and have a deep rooted passion in helping their students find their power and strength.
Tiel is currently a pole, acro, and burlesque instructor at Awakenings as well as the Director of Events and Parties.
IG @theflyingsquirreltiel
Jenna
she/her | POLE, AERIAL YOGA
jenna@awakeningspolefitness.com
Jenna loves that pole is a sport and an art all at once. As someone who is not very good at sitting still, the combination of movement, creativity, and challenge that pole has to offer is the perfect fit for her. She holds teaching certifications for pole dancing, aerial yoga, and yoga and loves the opportunity to learn new things as well as sharing that knowledge with others.
Jenna is currently a pole and aerial yoga instructor at Awakenings as well as the director of the Aerials Department.
Diane
she/her | POLE
Dianne is a native of the Main Line and a certified Pole Dance Instructor through Discoveries Dance. Continuing on her dance path, Dianne tried a pole class at Awakenings and has been hooked ever since. She quickly discovered how pole art dance combines dance, grace, strength, flexibility, movement, sensuality and self-expression all into one package.
Lo
she/her | HAMMOCK, HOOP, SILKS
Lo has been training aerials since 2014, and began teaching with Awakenings in 2017. Seeing her students of all shapes and sizes attempt aerials for the first time, and then watching them evolve into strong and confident aerialists, has brought immense joy to her life. She specializes in performing and teaching aerial hammock, silks, hoop, and chains.
IG @flying_lo
Amanda
she/her they/them | HAMMOCK, SILKS, HOOP, FLOW
Amanda loves sharing her enthusiasm for all things aerial with everyone - from beginner to advanced practitioners. When she’s not coaching you can find her performing at various events and showing off her passion for being airborne. Whether you’re interested in learning lyra, silks, hammock, chains or all of the above Amanda is here to assist you on your gravity- defying journey!
IG @sillylittlebug @f.ae_f.atale
Theresa
she/her | POLE, FLOORWORK, HEELS
Theresa has been pole dancing since 2012, making Awakenings her home in 2021. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in encouraging playfulness and joy for movement through pole dancing because all bodies can do extraordinary things.
IG @girl_meets_pole
Maria A.
she/her | HAMMOCK, HOOP, SILKS, HANDSTANDS
Maria has been teaching at Awakenings since 2017. She is a speciality cirque performer and certified aerial/acro instructor. Maria loves sharing her passion of the aerial/acro arts with anyone who is interested!
IG @mariaartim
Jovana
she/her | HAMMOCK, HOOP, SILKS
As a certified aerial instructor Jovana loves to share fun, enthusiasm and beauty of hammock, hoop and silks. She will encourage and cheer you on every step of the way. And randomly bust a dance move.
Eugenia
she/her | FLEXIBILITY, HAMMOCK, HOOP, SILKS
Eugenia is from Caracas - Venezuela and she is excited to share her passion for the aerials with you! Come and she will teach you aerial silks, hoop, hammock, flexibility, acrobatics, aerial yoga, arm balance and a little of Spanish. She has been teaching with Awakenings since 2018.
IG @eugeniarincon
Mel
she/her | POLE, FLOW
Mel, a Cuban American from Miami, is an interdisciplinary artist in the fields of dance, cheer, and acting. She is equipped to combine all talents and encourage her students to foster their own talents and expand their confidence. Mel began her journey in pole in 2020 in addition to the previous decade of experience in the arts. She inhales her devotion and exhales her love of performing and pole dancing with every student she encounters.
IG @melxjz
Claire
she/her | POLE
Claire has been poling since 2015 and comes from a gymnastics and pole vault background. She loves the big dynamic tricks. She is here to spot you physically or emotionally on your upper level tricks journey.
IG @rowancopperhead
Cara
she/her | POLE, FLOW
Cara has been teaching at Awakenings since 2022. She loves sharing her passion for dance in this unique form of art.
Brittany
she/her | DANCE, POLE, FLOW
Brittany is a professional dancer with 20+ years of experience and a dance educator teaching ages young as three. Sharing her expertise with dancers of all levels of experience in her Heeling Love choreography class brings her so much joy. A constant mover and life-long student, she encourages her students to push their limits.
Madison
she /her | AERIAL YOGA
Madison began her yoga journey when she was 16 to help manage her anxiety and added in Aerial Arts when she was 22. She enjoys finding a balance between discipline and fun in her daily practice. On top of yoga and aerial, Madison regularly does journaling exercises and arts and crafts to keep herself centered.
IG @matchingsetsonly
Emily
she/her | HAMMOCK, HOOP, SILKS
Emily has been training aerials at Awakenings since 2020. She found her love for dance and movement as an adult and is thrilled to be able to share it with anyone who wants to learn.
IG @emilyy__ann
Rachel
Rachel has been training and performing aerials since 2009. Rachel fell in love immediately and now has the privilege of teaching the art to others. Rachel has been teaching officially for a year and a half and counting. Rachel also teaches yoga, mediation and creative flow embodiment approaches to aerials.
Amber
she/her | POLE
Amber started pole dancing in 2017 as a way to meet people in a new city. The physical, mental, and social growth that she experienced over the years encouraged her to share her journey in hopes to inspire others. Her goal as an instructor is to remind students that learning is limitless, and you can do anything you put your mind to.
Brisa
she/her | POLE, FLOORWORK, FLEXIBILITY
Brisa comes from a ballet and lyrical background and has been doing circus arts since 2017. She is passionate about teaching, and believes everyone can achieve their goals with the right approach. With an eye for detail, she guides her students through the learning process, helping them become confident in the abilities.
Susan
she/her | COMPETITION COACH, POLE
Susan is excited to be teaching at Awakenings. As a Certified Dance Instructor , she has a special interest in educating dancers with the skills needed to maintain longevity in Pole. Susan also brings twenty five years of teaching experience as an attending doctor in a local health system to the Awakenings studio.
IG @drsuedances
Sam
she/her | POLE, FLOORWORK
Sam has been a student of aerials since 2019, and has been teaching pole and choreography since 2021. As a cheerleader and instructor in one, watching her students succeed has become her favorite part of aerial fitness.
IG @spin.sam.spin
Lee
she/her | HAMMOCK, HOOP, SILKS
Lee began her aerial arts training 13 years ago, studying at PSCA and NECCA. She is a founding member of Tangle Movement Arts, and has been teaching, performing, producing, and directing, aerial arts for over 10 years. She also is a corrective exercise fitness professional.
She specializes in Silks, Lyra, Sling, and invented apparatus.
Catherine
she/her | HAMMOCK, HOOP, SILKS
Catherine ran away with the circus in 2006, and recently graduated Circadium School of Contemporary Circus in 2023. Ever since she’s been teaching and performing circus around the East Coast. She’s worked with Cirque Us, 7 Textures, Alterra Productions, American Tightwire, Airplay Entertainment, and more.
IG @catherinedoveland
Christina
she/her | POLE, FLOORWORK, AERIALS
Christina has been dancing her whole life and has been exploring the world of pole since 2019. She loves expression through movement and guiding people on their own journey of dance, strength, and discovery.
Interested in Joining Us?
We’re always on the lookout for friendly faces to join the fam. Swing by for a class and introduce yourself or email us at info@awakeningspolefitness.com