Up the Pole S3E1: Closing Portland Pole + Dance with Amy Bond, Jena Lux & Iris Sparrow
On this special episode of Up the Pole Podcast, our host and CEO of Pole + Dance Studios brings on P+D management team members Iris Sparrow and Jena Lux to talk about the decision to close one of their own studios, Portland Pole + Dance. They chat about their reasoning, what they would have done differently, and the surprising amount of money lost in total. The team also discusses the unique circumstances of Portland's economy, habits, and studio landscape that challenged the Pole + Dance mod...
8 Jun 2026
Up the Pole S2E8: Nicole from Pole Trix
Our guest this week has been in the pole industry for 20 years! Her studio, Pole Trix in Victoria, BC, started as a kids dance studio. Hear the story of how her business grew and grew (even with 50mm brass poles!) as she chats with host Amy Bond on this week's episode.
1 Jun 2026
Up the Pole S2E7: Jamie Elchert
Host Amy Bond talks with Jamie Elchert, founder of the Memorial Pole Championship in Ohio. Jamie is a seasoned pole competitor who created this competition with two missions: to provide access to a quality pole competition in the Midwest with paid, industry leading judges and to raise funds for her sister’s memorial scholarship fund. Jamie and Amy talk about the wild adventure that is running a live event where everything that can go wrong, inevitably does go wrong. They discuss the business ...
25 May 2026
Up the Pole S2E6: Natalya Nightshade
Host Amy Bond talks with industry maven Natalya Nightshade about her background in ballet and skripping, about being a serial entrepreneur, and building her Tampa, Florida pole studio. Natalya Nightshade is an award-winning, international pole performer, instructor, and business owner. She is the creator of Nightshade Designs, Nocturnelle Pole Show, and most recently Studio Nightshade, a local pole studio + intensive destination. As an instructor and studio owner, she strives to create a spac...
18 May 2026
Up the Pole S2E5: Dan Rosen of Pole Destroyers and Pole LOLs
Up the Pole host Amy Bond talks with Dan Rosen of PoleLOLs and Pole Destroyers, and formerly an IRL studio owner, about being a traveling polebrity, his decision to sell his studio, and how he built his online pole conditioning business. We ended this interview early due to technical difficulties, but expect to hear more from Dan soon! We're releasing this mini-episode as a preview for their future full-length conversation.
11 May 2026
Up the Pole S2E4: Kristy Sellars
Host Amy Bond talks with world renowned pole artist Kristy Sellars about how her studio, PhysiPole, expanded from 8 stage poles set up in a rented martial arts dojo to over 20 locations across Australia. They chat about the struggle to find the right booking software, which Kristy is working to remedy with Groovio, her latest business baby. This pole world powerhouse has so much more to say in our latest episode of Up the Pole Podcast.
12 Nov 2025
Up the Pole S2E3: Emily of Altius Pole Studio
Emily of Altius Pole Studio in Bend, Oregon, talks with host Amy Bond about how opening her studio in the middle of the pandemic was a surprisingly good idea. They discuss how trauma-informed teaching can make students feel safer. Can you ever truly create a safe space? What makes for a good pole instructor? How do you even know if you can afford to open your own pole studio? Emily and Amy dig into all these questions in Episode 3 of Up the Pole Podcast, Season 2.
29 Oct 2025
Up the Pole S2E2: Vikka Wrexx of Wrexx Dance
Amy Bond, host of Up the Pole, chats with Vikka Wrexx of Wrexx Dance in Allen, TX about her experience moving from Russia and opening a pole studio in the US. They discuss the term "russian exotic," the sink-or-swim style of training pole in Russia, and what kind of community Vikka wanted to build with Wrexx Dance.
14 Oct 2025
Up the Pole S2E1: Crystal Song of Songbird Dance
Crystal Song of Songbird Dance in San Francisco chats with host Amy Bond of Pole + Dance Studios about the realities and surprises of running pole studios. Does Crystal regret getting the pole-a-way system? Can you be friends with your instructors? She also gets into why her $5-a-day virtual assistant didn't work out and why she's taking a step back from hosting a lot of guest workshops.
7 Dec 2024
Up the Pole S1E10: Milissa Marshall
Amy Bond talks with Milissa Marshall, who took the reins of her struggling pole studio by accident, now thriving as owner of Dazzling Diva Fitness.
7 Dec 2024
Up The Pole S1E9: Hannah Mico
Amy Bond talks with Hannah Mico, co-founder of Midwest Movement Collective, about how pole dance has fostered her passion for inclusivity and diversity in movement and community-building.
31 Aug 2024
Up the Pole S1E8: Taylor Starke
NY based Pole Position Dance Studio owner Taylor Starke (@starkestruck) talks with host Amy Bond about the delusion required to jump into becoming a studio owner, creating a studio culture that feels authentic, and more.
31 Aug 2024
Up the Pole S1E7: Lorae Lyn
Posture and movement specialist Lorae Lyn talks with host Amy Bond about working with pole dancers' bodies, opening and expanding her own practice, and more!
25 Mar 2024
Up the Pole S1 E6: Griselda Beck, the "Latina Boss Coach"
18 Mar 2024
Up the Pole S1 E5: Sarah Longpre of Saskatoon Pole and Dance in Canada
8 Jan 2024
Up the Pole S1:E4 - Sergia Louise Anderson of The Vertitude Santa Rosa, CA
4 Jan 2024
Up the Pole S1:E3 - Cari Leigh and Victoria of Mora Pole & Aerial in Lynwood, WA
Cari Leigh started her business as a tiny pole studio in the back of her dad's coffee shop, and Victoria was her student. Years later, they had the opportunity to become partners and, as their new business boomed, open a second location. Amy Bond, CEO of Pole + Dance Studios, talks with them about why it's so important to have help when you're building a pole studio, and so much more.
3 Jan 2024
Up the Pole S1:E2 - Kirsten and Sharon of Incredipole in Brooklyn, NY
After meeting at a yoga studio that had a few sensual pole classes, Kirsten and Sharon decided to partner up to open their own pole studio with their personal savings account. Amy Bond, CEO of Pole + Dance Studios, talks with them about everything from partnership to hairballs to wearing a thousand hats as a small business owner.
3 Jan 2024
Up the Pole S1:E1 - Kelly Campbell of Rise Pole Fitness in Sacramento, CA
From eight foot ceilings in the back of a sex boutique, to hourly rentals of a shared space using stage poles, to 10-person waitlisted classes, Kelly Campbell of Rise Pole Fitness chats with Pole + Dance Studios CEO Amy Bond about her journey becoming a pole studio owner in Sacramento, CA.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Contact Up the Pole
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Up the Pole?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
