Today we’d like to introduce you to Poundcake.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started pole dancing in 2014. I always wanted to try it but like many, was scared. A group of friends found a groupon for $7 classes so I figured, what do I have to lose for such a great deal! I took my first class and had a blast! It was such a fun, sexy and amazing workout. That night I was so sore that I could barely pick my infant up (luckily mom was in town helping out, lol). I was immediately hooked. I was so surprised at the strength it took. I wasn’t even aware that I was struggling with embracing my sensual, feminine side and I enjoyed that pole dancing was bringing that out of me.
As I continued with it, I found out that there were pole sports competitions. This spoke to the ex-athlete, competitor in me. I went on to enter my first three competitions and took 1st place in each one of them. That’s when I knew I had a gift that I needed to share with the world as a plus-size pole dance instructor. In 2020, I became an instructor and immediately caught the attention of popular Instagram pages like The Shade Room, Plus Size Is Beauty, and BecomingJai (of Dear Skinny Friend). It has been an incredible ride since then!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Being a plus-size pole instructor comes with many challenges. You of course have the internet bullying, fat-shamers which I’ve had to learn to ignore, reminding myself that they have unhealed parts that they were projecting on me. One month after becoming an instructor, I was hit with the pandemic therefore it was difficult to continue to grow as every pole studio had shutdown. But the biggest challenge to date was being diagnosed with Osteoarthritis in my knees. My doctor told me that I would need two knee replacements over the next 40 years and that I needed to stop dancing and wearing heels. To this day, I am not able to bend my knees beyond 90 degrees. I cried for hours and wanted to give up. My friend Elisa sent me some info on how to overcome it so that I could keep going and I am so grateful to her. I took her advice, and here I am, over a year later, still going!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
NAUGHTY GODDEXX
The world is slowly accepting that plus-size people exist and need more access to basic things like clothing, roomier seating, etc. however, the pole dance world still seems to be a little slow to catch on. The largest size most pole clothing companies carry is X-Large, so one question I get asked a lot is “where can I find pole clothes?” Eventually, I got tired of not having a good answer for everybody so this year, I decided to launch my own clothing line, Naughty Goddexx. Naughty Goddexx is a size-inclusive pole wear brand that caters to sizes small – 6x. We’re most known for our garter shorts and fun prints but have sports bras and are in the process of launching bodysuits.
What I love most about Naughty Goddexx is the reviews we get from folks who say they love the way they feel in our clothing. That our shorts are “magical” because they come with a garter that gives the booty a nice little lift. They feel super sexy. We’ve even had a few rave reviews from some very satisfied boyfriends/husbands who love to see their significant others wearing it. Just knowing that my brand plays a part in building up someone’s confidence is everything!
POUNDCAKE
As a plus-size pole instructor, I specialize in turning curious minds into sexy, confident pole dancers. As pole dance gets more exposure as a means of exercise, there are so many people who want to try it but don’t feel strong or confident enough. I think when people see that I can do it at my size, they are a bit more willing to try.
I pride myself on creating a safe and welcoming environment for all different types of people (men, women, non-binary, LGBTQ, skinny, plus size, you name it) who come together to celebrate each other. When you come to my classes, it’s really a vibe. You leave out different. More confident, empowered and just in an overall good mood. Some people are living daily with stress and trauma, and when they come to my classes, they get to escape it for a bit and feel nothing but love and support from the others in class. I literally just live to motivate and empower others in both my teaching and my clothing brand. That’s what keeps me going!
I teach every Sunday at Studio 216 in Van Nuys
12:00pm – Intro To Erotic
(for those who want to tap into their sensual side and learn sexy choreography)
1:15pm – Beginner Pole
(for those who want to learn a mix of choreography, pole tricks and climbing)
Both are beginner-friendly and all levels are welcome!
I also do private lessons for those who might not be ready for the class environment and for those who want to train for performances and competitions.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I think there’s a certain amount of being in the right place at the right time that comes into play with how I became a pole instructor.
I was so scared to become an official instructor so instead of reaching out to studios for employment, I decided to host my own pole workshops. After the first workshop, I reached out to Studio 216 to see what their rates would be for me to host a workshop there. Kendrick, one of the owners, responded with the rates and asked if I would come teach there. I thought he was just playing at first, lol seeing as how he hadn’t seen anything other than my Instagram page, so I thanked him and didn’t give it a second thought. When I reached out again about hosting a workshop, he reiterated that he wanted me to teach there and in my mind, I thought “Nah, he’s not for real… but let me entertain this real quick just in case” lol. A few days later, I was on the schedule as an instructor and I’ve been their top instructor ever since. So, luck and running my mouth at the right time most definitely played a part in my success!
Pricing:
- 25% off Pole Classes for New Students at Studio 216
- 10% off Naughty Goddexx for Voyage LA readers; code “VoyageLA”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.naughtygoddexx.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/poundcake.official?utm_medium=copy_link (FOR POUNDCAKE’S PAGE) — https://instagram.com/naughtygoddexx?utm_medium=copy_link (FOR NAUGHTY GODDEXX PAGE)
- Other: https://instagram.com/studiotwoonesix?utm_medium=copy_link (FOR STUDIO 216 PAGE – TO BOOK CLASSES)
Image Credits:
CaptureMeKen
