MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

At the age of three Leah was enrolled in her first ballet class and from then on she grew up with a bun on her head and pointe shoes thrown over her shoulders. It wasn't until four years past academia that she found herself on stage singing and acting along with her dancing. Overnight she became a "triple threat", starring in the production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show as Janet. Not just a "triple threat" anymore, she decided to run away with the circus and currently performs with the Bay Area company the Vau De Vire Society. In May of 2013 Leah saw her first pole show and fell in love with the apparatus. A particular performer inspired her to use the pole as a playful and powerful dance partner and to break the negative stereotypes associated with the history of pole dancing as a symbol of sex. She has won several Pacific Pole Championship awards and performs regularly throughout the Bay Area. Leah is a performer by night and a photographer by day. She owns her own company, Elle Aime Photography, and loves to capture women as their most glamorously beautiful selves, specializing in boudoir photography.

Ifn Whendy is a performer and MC from San Francisco and has been taking her clothes off in public since 2009. She's danced and yelled into mics from the Lagunitas Beer Circus to the Tiki Oasis Midnight Burlesque Showcase and she's the cover girl for the Burlesque Coloring Book! Her study of Self Defense techniques started in childhood due to having 3 older brothers, and she began studying in earnest at age 18. She has taught her Knuckle Sandwich: Self Defense 101 class twice at Burlycon, at St. James Infirmary in San Francisco and in private lessons. One of her greatest joys is empowering people of all genders to uppercut punk-asses safely.

Frankie Fictitious is a world renowned burlesque dancer who has been captivating audiences with her sultry moves for a decade. She combines a tantalizing blend of classic and modern elements, featuring elaborate costumes and intricate choreography that leaves audiences spellbound. Frankie's dynamic performances have earned her numerous awards and taken her to stages all over the world, including Miss Exotic World and Miss Viva Las Vegas. Frankie challenges societal norms and celebrates diversity and body positivity by inspiring others to embrace their unique beauty and individuality.

Cheetah Biscotti is a staple of the Bay Area performing arts scene. They are well known within the OASIS community for their appearances in shows including SQREAM (2022), The Rocky Horror Show (2021), Princess, and Reparations. Cheetah is everyone's favorite clown, drag royalty, dancer, actor, singer, and performance artist extraordinaire.

Betty Von Betty is a lifelong performer who made her burlesque debut in 2019. She holds a BFA in Acting from Boston University, and has studied physical acting and clown at the Accademia Dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy. Betty’s movement style is influenced by her extensive training in ballet, jazz, and tap, as well as her love of classic Broadway and movie musicals. As a choreographer, she has had the pleasure of working most recently with Dark Garden Corsetry, A Very Jewish Christmas Spectacular, and Kind of Blue Revue, of which she is an associate producer. Betty is serious about the importance of artistic community, inclusivity, prioritizing joy, movement as a means of preserving the soul, and cats.

Qu'in de la Noche is a freelance multidisciplinary artist specializing in live event production and the art of the tease! With roots firmly grounded in the latter since 2008, her work as an artist has since evolved to incorporate an honest passion for marketing psychology in addition to her love of sex-positive entertainment. Originally from Sacramento, she relocated to accept a Summer contract as the first Afro-Latinx cast member of the internationally acclaimed Empire Strips Back and quickly fell in love with the diversity of our dear San Francisco. When she isn't busy with marketing work, Qu'in can be found managing monthly productions while in partnership with Hubba Hubba Revue and DAM Circus, and hopes to continue working, traveling, and elevating her fellow artists at every opportunity.

Edie Eve is a San Francisco based published model, burlesque performer and stripper. Yes a Stripper! Originally from San Diego, Edie dived into the world of burlesque while working at the famous Lusty Lady Peep Show in North Beach. Tired of not seeing models and performers that looked like her, Edie Eve is one badass and proud Indigenous Latina and loves to show the beauty of her culture and background with each performance and photoshoot. She has modeled for several major brands most notably Dark Garden Corsetry, Secrets and Lace and Harlow and Fox just to name a few. She has also graced the pages and covers of numerous magazines including Bombshell Magazine, Campout Magazine and most recently Car Kulture Deluxe. She has performed for close to a decade with the Bay Area being her home base. She is also the main stage manager for the popular Sunday Brunch show Womanopoloy SF at the acclaimed lesbian bar Jolene’s.

Kirsten Gerding has been teaching Pole since 2009. She is the Artistic Director of the Bay Area's all pole company, Flux Vertical Theatre, and is a principal soloist, known as "Mz.K", with the amazing Vau De Vire Society. In 2014 Kirsten got drawn into the world of pole competitions and has won several national awards including an international title for Pole theatre Mexico Classique (2018) . Not only a Pole Artist, Kirsten has toured with Jesus Christ Superstar, A Chorus Line and Cabaret. With such an extreme background in dance, theater and Pilates, her teaching style tends to be both challenging and fun, emphasizing the importance of core strength as it relates to creating a strong and resilient body with flow and grace. She is extremely grateful to be blessed with the opportunity to share her knowledge and experience with others every day doing what she truly loves to do!

A lover of all things slinky, Sade Symone had been dancing all her life. Poling for 6+ years and performing with Flux since 2019, she brings musicality and flow above all with killer style and unique technique. Sade’s main goal is to bring out the sexy in everything she does, come along and find your inner seductress.

Barbie Bloodgloss is a multi-talented burlesque artist, stripper, and sex worker based in the Bay Area. She grew up in a small town in central California, where she developed a love for ballet and musical theater. Later, she pursued her passion for the arts at San Francisco State University, earning a Bachelor's degree in Communication and Theater Arts. After co-founding San Francisco's renowned burlesque troupe, HEX, in 2016, Barbie quickly became a fixture in the Bay Area's thriving burlesque scene. Her performances have taken her to festivals across the country and around the world, where she dazzles audiences with her classic striptease routines, feather fans, glamorous costumes, and sassy attitude with a kinky twist. In 2021, Barbie also started working as a stripper in San Francisco, gaining valuable experience and insight into the world of sex work. She shares her expertise and perspectives on the industry in her podcast, Champagne Room Secrets.

Bio Coming Soon