Meet Kristen (she/they/them)
Kristen Nichole is a pole dance artist, teacher, and community psychologist whose work blends creative expression with transformative healing.
Known for her approach to pole dance as a tool for self-expression and emotional resilience, Kristen has taught in cities across the United States—New York City, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Portland, Dallas—and virtually to a global community of students with Polecology. Her work uses psychological themes to offer students an introspective approach to movement. With certifications as a group fitness and pole instructor through ACE and XPERT, Kristen has been a dedicated educator in the pole dance world since 2019.
Kristen’s journey into pole dance began in 2018, when the pressures of graduate school led her to seek a form of creative release. It was through pole that she rediscovered the vibrant, athletic aspects of her identity once shaped by a childhood immersed in gymnastics, ballet, tap and jazz. While earning her PhD in applied social and community psychology, she became fascinated by the impact of pole dance and social media use on the health and well-being of women of color. Kristen has since pursued this intellectual interest by working with like-minded scholars on research projects such as The Resilient Sisterhood Project and The Sexual Health Testing Kit Project with the New York City Department of Health.
Kristen has also been selected for her expertise to speak and facilitate workshops with organizations devoted to racial equity and justice such as Black Girls Pole, Cohort Sistas, and The Praxis Project.
Kristen’s teaching philosophy is rooted in inquiry-based pedagogy, inviting students to engage in critical reflection and active dialogue. As a Black queer person with both feminine and masculine energies, Kristen’s approach is deeply shaped by her own lived experience. She integrates her background as a social scientist, valuing the importance of personal stories alongside academic research. Her presence in the classroom is one of patience and compassion, drawing on her experience as a mother who prioritizes active listening and conflict resolution.
As a performer, Kristen is a captivating storyteller, using her body to convey raw emotion and musicality. Her sensual style is an intimate conversation with music, each movement a deep exploration of feeling. Kristen has performed at International Pole Convention, Haute Velour, and Enter the Garden. She credits her growth as a pole performer to the guidance of her mentors—Phoenix Kazree, Marion Crampe, Carmine Black, Sammy Picone, Judy Gray, Natalya Nightshade, and Queerly Femmetastic—whose influences have shaped her unique artistic voice.
Kristen Nichole’s work as both an artist and educator is a celebration of resilience, creativity, and the power of movement to heal and transform.
Note: Strippers and sex workers of color are pioneers of pole dance as a cultural phenomenon in the Global North. This history is important to acknowledge because of the juxtaposition between the oppression that is faced by individuals who work in the desire industries (e.g. stripping) with the simultaneous commodification of pole fitness and dance. Learn more about racial stratification in queer and straight strip clubs here.