Our Instructors - Edmonton Studio

Alena Downs	Charlene Tremblay	Christina Hartikainen	Candyce Miller	Brenda Brashko	Kenna Freeman	Heather Ireland

 

Alena Downs (Founder)

 

The Owner and lead instructor of PoleJunkies.

Being termed as the "Original PoleJunkie", Alena has taken her love and passion for the pole from the stage, and created PoleJunkies to share with others worldwide.

Known as one of Canada's Top Feature Performers for over a decade, Alena is renowned for her dance style, routine ability and pole dance skills.  She helps to put a personal twist on Pole Dancing.  She focuses on safety, body mechanics and graceful movement, and by applying personal style and creativity to safely practiced pole techniques...PoleJunkies was born.

At the age of 35, Alena decided to retire from the main stage, but was not willing to give up her pole!  Turning her years of experience of stage performance of pole and floor routines into step by step instruction...adding fitness and safety factors, Alena is able to pass this wonderful information onto her students, so they may all learn the art...safely, at their own pace.

With a home base in Calgary, Alena has advanced her instruction to include Fitness and Fun for men and women of all ages...from basic swings to aerial artistry.  Whether in the studio, or online in the comforts of your own home, Alena will make you feel comfortable again in your own skin!  She personally designs classes to accommodate the needs and requirements of her students.

A warm hearted mother of 2, Alena enjoys teaching people from all walks of life.  Her ultimate goal is to see the art of pole dance attain the level of attention and respect it deserves.

Join Alena Downs in our Pole Dance Community

 

Charlene Tremblay

 

Charlene started pole dancing seven years ago on a dare.  Her friends dared her to join class with them and then was the only one to show up!  She loved it so much she was hooked and by the end of Level 1 she already had her own pole in her basement to practice on.

Taking classes for all this time helped her passion to grow even more which led her to wanting to be an instructor.  She became an AFLCA certified group fitness instructor and has been teaching pole dancing and boot-camps ever since.

Charlene loves to teach women to love themselves for who they are and to know that each person is unique.  She loves to help others to get fit and to have fun while doing it, this is why she is a pole dancing instructor.

Join Charlene Trmblay in our Pole Dance Community 

 

Christina Hartikainen

 

Christina started pole dancing in 2008 when a friend asked her to try a taster class. 

After only 1 hour she was hooked from then on.  In July of 2009, she found PoleJunkies after learning about International Pole Camp. After experiencing IPC in September that year, she knew she'd found her pole home with PoleJunkies.

When the Edmonton studio opened, Christina was thrilled to be able to share her nerdy and awkward style with others.

She is a warm hearted mother, who with AFLCA training and experience, can make anyone feel right at home on that pole.

Join Christina Hartikainen in our Pole Dance Community

 

Candyce Miller

 

With AFLCA Certified in group fitness and has previous resistance training, has remained diligent in incorporating a variety of fitness styles, weaving them through out her fitness programs.

She started pole dancing over two years ago, while watching Oprah who featured a pole dance studio owner. She knew then pole dancing was something she had to try.  It took 4 years for a pole studio to open up near her, but after her first class was hooked.

After discovering PoleJunkies in 2010,  it has truly become her family and second home. Classes became my much needed escape from the outside world, she got to only focus on herself and being a mother of 2, so learning to share her passion was the next step.   Pole dancing has changed her life in so many ways,  the confidence to embrace, empower and nurture her sensuality as a woman.  It has helped her to learn to love her own body, and it gives her the mental strength to take on the world when she leaves the studio.

Join Candyce Miller in our Pole Dance Community

 

Kenna Freeman (Assistant Instructor)

 

Kenna, one of our assistant instructors in Edmonton, has grown to love pole dance as an art form, and not just a great form of fitness.

She began her pole dance career in Fort McMurray, Alberta... teaching herself out of her own basement. With an injury setting her back, she is now full tilt eager on learning safely!  Eager to learn more in a structured and safe environment, she joined up with PoleJunkies Edmonton as a student in August, 2010, and has never looked back.

Currently training to become ALFCA certified, she is currently assisting pole classes, while leading several of the different workshops offered in Edmonton.

She hopes that she can spread her passion for pole to the city of Edmonton, one woman at a time.

Join Kenna Freeman in our Pole Dance Community

 

Heather Ireland

 

 

Heather Ireland has always been a dancer.

Her pole addiction started over 3 years ago and has been a 4 hr a day affair ever since!
After her initial intensive 6 wk introduction\instructor certification, she performed publicly and began her first classes.
Performances are Heather's passion and she has toured western Canada with her Burlesque Cirque Troupe.
Skilled in many forms of performance including; Pole stunts, Bellydance, Burlesque, Lyra and some Aerial Silks,
she runs a local performance troupe dedicated to recruiting more Polejunkies!

Having raised three children, her style of instructing is fun, patient and loving.

" I love that moment when a student finally accomplishes that move, that goal, she never thought she would get...that sparkle in her eye... that sense of pride! It NEVER gets old!"

 Heather has spent years studying, fitness, physiology, massage, herbology, nutrition, anatomy and anything that helps her to understand how to train efficiently for competition and instruct her students safely!

She plans on competing internationally representing Polejunkies!

"Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whomsoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well."

Join Heather Ireland in our Pole Dance Community