East Coast Regional
Gabrielle Valliere, NY
Gabrielle has always been passionate about health, fitness and dance. She has been dancing for 27 years and was an NFL cheerleader for many years. She has been pole dancing for 5 year and is currently an instructor at NY Pole Dancing. Her passion for health and fitness expands beyond her love of dance: she is a practicing vegan and is currently pursuing a Nursing degree. She loves integrating pole dancing into people’s lives to augment their health and well- being.
Lauren Goldstein, NY
Lauren has been pole dancing for three years. She has taught for Xpose Fitness, and currently teaches for New York Pole Dancing. She is thrilled to be participating in her second USPDF competition, and share her passion with the pole dancing community!
Kyra Johannesen, NY
Kyra began choreographing and dancing professionally in 1999. In 2006, Kyra discovered pole dancing. She quickly embraced this new form of dance and shortly after was asked to develop the pole dance program for Crunch gym. Kyra has appeared on national television, and numerous media outlets, to show and discuss her style of pole dancing. She has taught in Europe, and is excited to bring her style of pole dancing to the world.
Erica Shergold, VA
www.efitdance.comErica added Pole to her list of favorite dance styles 5 years ago. She has an extensive background in the Performing Arts, Social and Ballroom dance, as well as studying Flamenco, and now the Aerial Hoop and Silks. Erica finds endless joy teaching, choreographing and performing Pole, Burlesque, Social dance, and Ballroom dance at Shergold Studio, a family owned business based in Charlottesville. “I am thrilled and honored to share the stage with such an amazing group of performers!”
Tara Leigh Moore, VA
www.divafitonline.comTara has been pole dancing for three years and teaches as a pole dance instructor for Divafit. She has an extensive performing background in musical theater and a day job as a speech language pathologist. All 4’11 and 90 pounds of Tara is honored to be chosen as a competitor for the USPDF. She is proud to take the stage alongside such talented athletes. She would like to thank and send her love to Ryan and the Divafit family for their support.
Jessalynn Medairy, MD
www.polepressure.comPole Dancing has taken her everywhere and there is nothing she would rather do! Jessalynn performed in the 2008 & 2009 Pole Unity Show in England, is an International Pole Dance Instructor and Performer, a Top 12 US Pole Dancer in Winter of 2009 (USPDF National Competition), and was the October 2008 Centerfold for Pole2Pole Magazine. Jessalynn has since been in nearly a dozen Pole2Pole Magazine issues and promotes Pole Fitness everywhere!
Allison Cox, FL
www.VixenFitnessOnline.com
Allison Cox started her aerialist experience as a Junior Olympic gymnast. It was not until a move to Orlando that she discovered the art of pole dancing. After dedicating months to self- teaching from videos, she became an instructor in under a year and has been training others ever since. Her new website, www.onlinepolelessons.com launching at the first of the year, is designed as an outreach and instructional site for others interested in joining the aerialist sport of pole dancing.
Takeila Fox, NC
Takeila Fox has been pole dancing for about two years. She had the ability to teach herself and is now teaching private lessons. " Already having a passion for fitness, dancing and music, it was easy to fall for pole dancing." She is honored to perform for the USPDF and feel that this is only the beginning.
Eksupar Tongsri, NY
Ever since she tried her first pole dancing class a year and a half ago, Eksupar has been addicted and dedicated to this art form. Compared to playing tennis and lacrosse in her youth and habitual gym workouts since, she finds pole dancing to be the most rewarding but physically challenging sport. She has lived in NYC for the past 9 years, since graduating from UVA. Although Eksupar is currently a practicing optometrist, she hopes to use her Fashion Design degree from Parsons to open a fashion boutique
Karol Helms, NC
www.polepraxis.comKarol Helms is famous in the youtube community for her incredible pole stunts. Her love of movement started when she took gymnastics as a child and continued through high school where she was an active member of her dance team. She has seven years of experience as a professional pole artist and has won the title of Miss Poleapalooza Charlotte for two consecutive years. As an instructor, Karol loves teaching others to find confidence and strength through pole dancing.
Katheryn Bouchillion, FL
Philosophy "Do what you love, and love what you do". Kat started as a USGF gymnastics coach and discovered pole 10yrs ago. In 2007 she founded Nashville's 1st Certified Pole studio & won Nashville's Pole Queen. In 2008 she joined Art of the Catwalk where she leads the Pole Fitness Program. She loves being a mommy to her 3 children, choreographing & performing pole and trapeze (She's a full-scale Aerial-Performer) and educating and empowering women to improve their self- image.
Rhonda Chamberlain, PA
Residing in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, Rhonda discovered pole dancing four years ago. She began studying dance very young and competed in the South East. Rhonda respects the true art in pole dancing and realized she found her passion and began to teach herself. One year ago Rhonda became a pole dance instructor for The Dirty Bunny, this year she opened her own business called PoleKatz. Rhonda feels it is an honor to be a part of this competition.
