About Us
Embody Pole Dance Studio was a niche movement space located in the quaint town of Warwick, NY. Finally experiencing the fame it deserves, Pole Dancing is empowering, liberating, and seriously fun. Get ready to become addicted to movement in a brand new way! Our top floor, Pole Dance sanctuary provides a safe space to express the dancer that dwells within you. Pole is dope, get hooked on dance today.
Our Beginnings
Back in 2011, lit by a passion for movement and mindfulness, Michelle Dawson opened up a yoga studio in downtown Chester, NY. Just a few years later, the community outgrew the intimate studio located on the black dirt and Dawson pioneered a renovation in a locally famous Barn in Blooming Grove, NY. Incubating Pole Dancing in the fruitful energy provided by the spacious Barn, Michelle trusted that eventually, Pole Dancing would earn a home of it’s own. As envisioned, Michelle developed a trust-worthy Pole tribe willing to launch this Sister brand with her. Embody Pole Dance was born in June 2019.
Our Space
“This studio is, pure LOVE. From the incredible design, attention to detail, hand painted wall that is inspired by Spain (as the owner, Michelle, lovingly disclosed with passion) you can just FEEL the amazing vibe of this beautiful fitness studio!”
— Jane Fish
Meet Michelle
Michelle Dawson is a traditional Henna Body Artist, turned Yogi, turned Aerialist, turned Pole Dancer.
With roots firmly grounded in ancient spirituality, Michelle's unique articulation of Pole Dance combines the essence of all that is holy from her perspective. She is the creator and curator of Body Art at The Body Art Barn, a cosmically refurbished, 200 year old Barn in Blooming Grove, NY. Always wanting a bigger, more progressive challenge and a thrill seeking rebel of Yoga, Michelle discovered Pole Dancing and became instantly obsessed. Believing firmly that Pole Dance serves as an apex of discipline, sexual liberation, and expression, Michelle cultivated a community that was ready to take Pole Dancing to the next level. Dawson's hope is to help everyone who wants to, fall in love with this gorgeous and sensual expression.
Michelle's Mantra: Dance is where we find ourselves.Meet The Tribe
Tracee Kafer
Tracee Kafer, the creator of Finding Your Freestyle®, has a lifetime of movement and dance experience and a decade of focus in the art of pole dance and movement exploration (including several of those years in the competitive circuit even winning a few titles). Tracee created Finding Your Freestyle® (FYF) in 2011, a movement and lifestyle enterprise that encourages freedom in movement, expression, creativity and community. Tracee facilitates workshops and intensives in the FYF method internationally, and has fostered a global community of “freestylers” who regularly utilize the modalities created by FYF in their own movement, creative endeavors, and life practices. A true inspiration addict, with an insatiable appetite for both the cerebral and esoteric, Tracee is a tarot and crystal healing enthusiast, Reiki practitioner, certified Floor Flow® instructor, practicing meditator, bibliophile, and digital nerd. She also works at Body & Pole in Manhattan and is their Creative Director.
Tracee’s Mantra: 'Movement is Medicine'.
Ashley Lenahan
Ashley discovered pole dance as a yoga student at the Body Art Barn. When she got into her first butterfly with the help of her teacher and classmates, she was hooked. The liberating and empowering feeling of turning upside down, and the support and camaraderie of the class was like nothing she had experienced in any other workout environment.
Ashley currently teaches level 1 pole and spin pole. Her classes focus on building a strong and safe foundation, conditioning, and helping her students to conquer their pole fears one step at a time. She loves to encourage her students out of their comfort zones and offers a hands on approach to tackling inversions and tricks.
Her mantra is ‘Everything you need is already within you’ - because pole is a modality that will get you out of your head, in touch with your body, and never cease to amaze you of all you are capable of.
Ashley's Mantra: ‘Everything you need is already within you’.
Rob Mahling
A true yogi at heart, Rob founded pole dancing while taking a yoga class at The Body Art Barn one night and it was love at first dance! It was a new and exciting way to push him out of his comfort zone and do things that he never imagined he could do. He has never felt so grounded and at peace like he does when he’s 12 feet in the air doing crazy tricks and making beautiful shapes. It’s the most freeing feeling.
He soon realized that he wanted to help make people fall in love with pole as much as he has. So with a lot of hard work and determination he now teaches Pole for Beginners and Pole Level One!
By adding fun, humor, and telling his students to “Dance like no one is watching” he helps people break out of their shells and do things they never thought they could.
Rob’s Mantra: ‘Dance like no one is watching’.