old-Committee Members

JULIE FOWLER

Julie is the founder of Vertical Vixen®, co-founder of the Pole Sports Federation of South Africa and owner of the brand Aerial Yoga.

Julie started her career in fitness in 2005. On returning from the UK she signed up for pole dance and Bikram yoga classes hoping to shed some unwanted weight gained during her travels. 8 Years later, she is still hooked. She found her passion in pole dance, aerial yoga, and fitness. In 2011 Julie decided to turn her passion into a full time endeavour.

This year she travelled to the IPSF World Pole Sports Championships as a coach to South Africa’s first ever Junior athlete, Kyra Ayling, who placed 7th in the World! She is a certified IPSF Judge and has judged on many panels.

Julie was the winner of APAC 2016 Professional Art Division, she also took 1st place in the Pole Classique division of Pole Theatre South Africa 2015.

Julie is committed to sharing her passion for dance with her students, and states that her most satisfying moments as an instructor include watching the transformation her students undergo as they become more confident, more self-assured and happier within their bodies.

TRACEY SIMMONDS

Tracey Simmonds is a Pole Fitness Instructor and Pole Performer originating from the UK with over 10 years experience. Tracey now lives and works in South Africa.

Tracey is the co-founder of the SA Pole Sports Federation (SAPSF). The SAPSF strives to uphold and promote a positive image of Pole Sports through education, events, performances and pole fitness competitions in South Africa.

Tracey is the creator of four Pole Fitness instructional DVDs. The trilogy ‘A Comprehensive Guide to Pole Dance’ from 2009, and now the 2012 FIPO Basic Trainer DVD. All DVDs are sold internationally.

Tracey frequently travels within Europe for advanced workshops, as well as under her role as the international Master Trainer for and representative for the Ahlsport Fitpole.

MELANIE MARTIN

Melanie has been poling since March 2011, her passion for the sport and art of pole, fitness and dancing is her life!! After joining a pole studio and being a student she realized that this sport was something she could see herself teaching others and decided to become a qualified instructor, after qualifying in December 2011 and teaching for 2 years she decided to open her own studio, and on the 9 November 2014 The Poling Station was born. Melanie is not only qualified as a pole instructor, she has qualifications and many years’ experience in the following: group instructor fitness, hi/lo impact, aqua aerobics, step, katabox, spinning, stretch & tone and personal training. She decided to compete before going to her first pole class and took to the stage for the first time at the Miss Pole Dance SA in 2011 Intermediate Division, after dancing for only 6 months. She competed again in 2012 and won the title of Miss Pole Dance SA Intermediate division.

Melanie joined the South African Pole Sports federation in 2016 so that she could help grow this incredible sport in South Africa.

She is also a pole coach to athletes competing in national art and sports pole competitions throughout South Africa

She is the founder of Acro Pole Art Classic which takes place annually each November, which offers acro, art and classique divisions incorporating all age divisions and levels

Her background stems from gymnastics, diving, swimming, netball & several disciplines of dancing:-modern, ballet, high energy, rock n roll, and she has been a group fitness trainer since 2001.

Melanie firmly believe that the only limitations you have in life are the ones you set yourself. Hard work, determination and fun are the aspects she incorporates and instills in her students and her own training and classes. She began teaching pole in 2011 and decided to open her own studio, The Poling Station, in November 2014, it has been the most exciting, and fulfilling adventure of her life thus far:

“sharing this passion with others is where my heart truly lies, My Pole journey thus far has been such an astounding one, I have learnt so much about myself, I have made profound friendships and have had the opportunity to travel overseas and compete and meet world class athletes. Pole has been life changing, not many people get the opportunity to live their dreams’’

LINDSAY FINNEMORE

Lindsay has been in the pole sport and choreography industry since 2009. She teaches pole conditioning and dance classes, as well as attends numerous aerial workshops and classes. Her love for dance started at just 6 years old, when she donned her first pair of pink ballet shoes. She went on to have a long love affair with modern jazz and contemporary dance, and completed all her exams including the advanced AIDT syllabus. After doing her AIDT modern teachers exams, she took a break from “floor” dancing, and took up pole and lyra.

Because of her modern, contemporary dance background, Lindsay has a keen eye for the expression of dance, the nuances and musicality of a routine.