About ana

Early Days of Dance, Gender Studies  and teaching Pole Dance

I started dancing as a kid and continued on into my teens and 20s . After earning my degree in Gender Studies at UCSC and following a graduate program in Feminist Theory at San Francisco State University, I found my way back to dance. I danced professionally as a contemporary dancer in the Bay Area in the early 2000s. I was thrown a curveball at 24 years old and invited into the burgeoning new world of pole dance.  At that time, it was unheard of to consider pole dance outside of a strip club. I had a lot of interesting conversations in those early days. Now it is much more understood as an art form for anyone who would like to try, and it has exploded into an international fitness craze. The athleticism of pole dancing was undeniable. I loved that! But what kept my interest was the way it transformed the people in my classes. It was a therapy for people who had felt disconnected and disempowered in their bodies. Suddenly, I saw women taking hold of their power and feeling more  confidence. My gender studies background and my dancer’s soul were living a dream. From 2005 till 2011, I taught a few thousand women in San Francisco of ALL ages and body types (and a few men) to pole dance.

Aerial Dance,  Bay Area Burlesque and Cirque Noir

Out of my interest in pole dance, I turned toward aerial dance and the burlesque world. Blending my contemporary dance background with the theatricality and body liberation of burlesque/pole and aerial was extremely satisfying and exciting!  I helped create and choreograph for the beloved Bay Area aerial burlesque company, Cirque Noir, in the mid 2000s. What a ride! So much fun and so many great memories teaching so many people and performing with some of my best friends, fellow dancers and artists in the Bay Area. I never could’ve guessed we would’ve been on the forefront of bringing pole dance and aerial arts into the mainstream in San Francisco! 

Founding the Alt Feminine

Sensual movement, improvisation, pole dance and aerial dance continue to be of great interest to me to this day. I continue to teach group classes and host workshops and retreats with my long time collaborator,  Deb Arana. Together we founded The Alt Feminine in 2017 and collectively we’ve taught over 50 workshops, classes and retreats under the banner of The Alt Feminine. We are focused on making movement  accessible, authentic and transformative for all people who feel called. We value creating an environment of inclusivity and safety.  We are both former professional dancers and together Deb and I have over 60 years of serious movement instruction experience. Our following is loyal and diverse. We love what we do and we plan to keep it up into our 90s! If you're interested in learning more: TheAltFeminine.com

Early Pilates Certifications and Trainings 

In 2006, I began in a rigorous Pilates instructor program in the Bay Area. Integrated Teacher Training (ITT) was well known for their in-depth process and focus on anatomical knowledge. I was certified on machines as well as classical mat techniques. I started the program to better understand human anatomy and provide more intrinsic strength training for my existing dance students. I completed the program and was certified in 2007. Many of the people who trained me in those early days have gone on to become pioneers in the field of movement, Pilates and biomechanics. Teachers like Madeleine Black and Jean Sullivan were inspirational and an important step in my discovery of movement and body awareness at deeper levels.