Instructors
Bendy
Bendy Kate is the creator of ‘Bendy Studio’ & also Bristol’s World Pole Champion and 3 time UK Champion. It’s been a dream of Bendy’s for the last 10 years to open a studio but was waiting for the right moment in her life and here it is!
Bendy specialises in pole, hand balancing, acrobatics, gymnastics, flexibility & floorwork
The Studio was built by Bendy and her fiancé Tom, you will notice so many handmade touches in the studio everywhere you turn!
For more info check out here.
Ana Cerrato
Ana is a multidisciplined aerialist originally from Spain. She has been performing and teaching all over the world for over a decade. Ana will be teaching aerial hoop classes at Bendy Studio, her style on the hoop is transitional, bendy & unique, she will always push you to reach your maximum aerial potential. For more info click here.
Ana also runs a circus company ‘Mimosa Performance’ incase you were looking for unique performances with a Spanish twist. Click here to view more.
Jude Whitburn
Jude is a woman of many talents and has many strings to her bow, originally a dancer, now an aerialist, hand balancer & yoga teacher.
Jude will be teaching dance classes & handstand classes at Bendy Studio. Click here for more info.
Rach
Rach has studied circus at Aircraft Circus & Circomedia and is now one of Bristol’s most unique aerialists and instructors.
She has also been working closely with Bendy on the Bendy Brand for several years now.
Rach co-owns Cirque Du Bahe who run events and festivals all over the UK.
She teaches weekly aerial silks classes at the studio and is available for private sessions too
Jack
Since graduating Circomedia in 2011 Jack has been working professionally within the circus industry. Touring around the world with companies such as Pirates of the Carabiner, The Invisible circus and Arcadia. His circus disciplines include hat juggling and handstands with a particular affinity to aerial rope. His style demonstrates dynamic movement as well as slow strength based control. After a year long knee injury Jack was inspired to investigate different ways of training and creatively exploring ground based conditioning for aerial.
Jack will be teaching aerial rope, straps and conditioning at Bendy Studio.
Anna Frost
Sedusa
Since discovering pole at 16, Sedusa knew she had found her true passion, and has been obsessed with her craft ever since. Transfixed with the magic of stripper style pole since she began her journey, she has fallen in love with the raw sensuality that one can freely express through pole and is passionate about enabling others to experience the power and beauty of this. Her intense passion has led her to delve into the world of performing and competing, placing first in Advanced category of SWUPC 2020 and this year winning the semi-professional category of the Bristol Pole Championships and this is only just the beginning!
Frankie
Frankie found pole seven years ago when she attended her first class with her some of her friends. She fell completely in love with it and has been hooked ever since.
She has a background in dance and has found so much joy and inspiration in her time teaching watching her students having fun and gaining confidence through movement.
Frankie enjoys all styles of pole but her favourite has got to be spinning!
Suzy Pegler
Suzy teaches beginners, improvers and intermediate/adv. Improve your strength and hoop repertoire in a fun and encouraging environment.
Class includes all styles of hoop to make you a well rounded hoop athlete. From technique and strength work, to building routines, flow and dynamic hoop.
If you’re unsure on what level you need please email Suzy, at suzyptraining@gmail.com
Click here for her performance work.
Olivia Daniell
Olivia has been upside down and dancing almost as long as she has been walking! Originally trained in ballet and other dance styles from the age of 2 ½ and then moved on to train and compete as an artistic gymnast. Over the years, her passion for dance and gymnastics is what lead her to breakin’ which she found combined her explosiveness and artistry perfectly. Olivia originally started breakin’ and battling with her crew Just4Funk and is also part of a female breakin’ duo “Exception-Elle” based in Bristol composed of Olivia & Lauren who have performed at the London 2012 Olympics, for the BBC & at Glastonbury. Exception-Elle will be running adult Breakin classes here at Bendy Studio focusing on toprock, footwork, powermoves & freezes.
Ruth
Ruth teaches Beginners Pole at Bendy Studio. As well as pole Ruth also enjoys aerial hoop & rope – she’s a big fan of being upside down. She also has done – and still does! – classical ballet for nearly 20 years.
You may already recognise Ruth as she’s been an assistant at the studio for over a year, as well as attending a lot of classes! She’s found a lot of self confidence and joy from doing pole & her main aim as an instructor is to help her students feel the same way.
Alexa
Alexa is an aerial performer from Bristol, specialising in aerial hoop. Since graduating Circomedia in 2018, she has worked within the performance industry internationally; as an aerialist, a circus teacher, a stand up comedian and a stage manager.
Having never touched an aerial hoop until she was 23, Alexa is proof that you do not need prior experience in gymnastics, ballet or dance to find yourself a home within the circus arts. Practicing inclusivity and kindness in all of her teaching, Alexa has worked with children and adults for Circomedia, Circus Stars, Linda Virgoe Dance Studio and Camp Lohikan.
Alexa also teaches regular kids classes at the studio!
Tee
Tee began her pole journey at university in 2018, and four years later graduated with a Masters in Mathematics – but it was pole that made the real impact! Since then, Tee has performed at events across the country including Boomtown Festival, Blackstage, and The Pxssy Parlour!
Discovering heels was a game changer for Tee finding her style, and she takes a lot of inspiration from strippers who made pole dance what it is today. Tee loves to embrace her sensuality on stage and hopes to share this confidence with her students through her signature slow and emotive movement.
Jade Loftie-Eaton
From the age of 15, Jade found her passion as a pole dancer. Being trained, taught and inspired by all the talent around her, it influenced her to do the same with other pole athletes. Through her love of movement, flow, the & body connection associated with pole, Jade became a qualified instructor at the age of 18. She is know broadening her knowledge as a Sports Therapist & Personal trainer too to help people grow more on their pole journeys. Jade will be teaching Spinning Pole Classes on Thursday evenings.
Kelly Courtney
Kelly first discovered pole around 9 years ago at university. Having finally found a sport that she enjoyed, she was instantly hooked and began to discover new passions such as hand balancing and flexibility. Pole fuelled a confidence that she did not know she had and helped her move in ways she didn’t know she could. She is always striving to improve and looks forward to helping others do the same. She loves the welcoming nature of the pole community and is proud to be a part of it.
Kelly will be teaching beginners pole at Bendy Studio on Wednesdays
Shell Toll
Shell will be teaching acroyoga at Bendy Studio! She is a leader of the Bristol acroyoga community, you can find her happiest when upside down in yoga, acro or in the air! Passionate hobbies that have been pivotal in finding inner strength and overcoming fears, learning to trust herself and the ground beneath her. Shell’s acro classes are influenced by all of her disciplines offering an exclusive acroyoga practice. You can expect to feel invigorated, creative and playful in these classes, truly getting a chance to release your inner child safely! Classes will be on Thursday evenings starting in June.
Rhiannon
Rhiannon is a true believer of authenticity and sensuality when it comes to pole, from stylistic choices, to how you move and express yourself. She is a seasoned performer, competitor and instructor and has been pole dancing for 10 years.
Rhiannon has won several national competitions and has taught the tricks of her sensual trade all over the world. She loves authentic stripper style dance, forever inspired by its originators.
Jess Howard
An ex-acrobatic gymnast, Jess studied at Circomedia in Bristol before going on to attend Ecole National Du Cirque in Montreal, Canada, where she specialised in hand to hand as a flyer. Now back in Bristol, Jess performs hand-balancing & duo-acro as well as teaching hand-balancing.
Jess breaks down handstand exercises to the basics to help students gain an understanding of the technicalities of balance and engagement.
Jess will be teaching handstands at Bendy studio.
Suzi
Suzi is a pole dancer from Bristol and has been doing pole for 8 years. She wants to finally take her love for pole to a higher level and also start competing! Since joining Bendy Studio, she’s also found a new interest in other forms of aerial arts. She’s a newly qualified beginners pole instructor and can’t wait to show new pole dancers how amazing pole can be!
Hannah
Hannah discovered pole over 10 years ago and has been teaching on and off since 2017. She is originally from Bristol and has a background in classical and modern ballet but with a true appreciation for all dance styles.
She learnt everything she knows about flexibility from Bendy Kate, having admired her as an artist and instructor – before becoming lifelong friends.
Hannah has 2 young daughters but has made it her mission to ensure that pole is still a part of her life and is excited about coming back to teach. Hannah will be teaching Intermediate 1 on Tuesdays 6pm from Feb 2023.
Aimee
“I started training pole around 7 years ago, with hoop and flexibility training following soon after. These disciplines gave me a new appreciation for my body and what it can do, and now I couldn’t imagine my life without pole and circus!
I love everything flexy and flowy, and I get so much joy from sharing this style with my students and helping others to discover just what they are capable of. I am not naturally bendy, but through a holistic approach to flexibility training, including mobility work, active drills and the Alixa Flexibility Method, I discovered a safe, progressive approach that was a game changer for my own body and for my students. I can’t wait to share this with the Bendy Studio crew too!
Amy Pennell
Amy is an XPERT certified pole instructor who has had a passion for movement from an early age including ballet, modern dance and gymnastics. She took her first pole class in 2014 and instantly fell in love with all the different styles pole has to offer.
Amy is a creative dancer and a supportive teacher who enjoys encouraging her students to build confidence and create their own unique style.
Eloise
Eloise has worked in the fitness industry for 24 years. Formerly a fitness manager and personal trainer she left after having her 2 girls and took the plunge into teaching group exercise full time.
She stumbled upon pole accidentally in 2008 when one of the studios she worked at introduced it to their timetable. She quickly fell in love with it and shortly after began teaching beginners and hen parties. 16 years later she is more in love with pole than ever, she particularly enjoys spinning pole and splitty tricks and feels incredibly privileged to share her passion with her students.
Eloise is a Spin city qualified instructor and teaches beginners through to advanced. She will be teaching mixed ability daytime pole so there will be something for everyone!
Frankie
Frankie found pole seven years ago when she attended her first class with her some of her friends. She fell completely in love with it and has been hooked ever since.She has a background in dance and has found so much joy and inspiration in her time teaching watching her students having fun and gaining confidence through movement. Frankie enjoys all styles of pole but her favourite has got to be spinning!
Ari
Ari started her pole journey at the end of 2021 and instantly became obsessed with it. The challenge of improving her strength, the exploration of different movement styles mixed with the supportive atmosphere of the Bristol pole community motivated her to train more intensively than she had done with any previous sport.
She has come to see pole as her main creative outlet and confidence booster, discovering a love for choreography and performance she didn’t know was in her.
In early 2024, Ari received her Spin City Beginners Pole Instructor qualification. She is now looking forward to teaching others, excited to share her passion for the discipline in an energetic and encouraging way.
Dukes and Savage
(Shell & Will)
Together, as @dukesandsavage, Shell & Will have a combined 20 years experience coaching and performing in a multitude of disciplines. They not only perform at events nationwide, they teach at multiple studios around the beautiful city of Bristol.
Shell is from a self taught circus performance art background and has recently attended Teaching Training with the globally renowned @partneracrobatics team in Spain.
Will, Accredited with the @acroyoga International team, has been working with people from all walks of life and as such has developed a wide and varied ability to communicate.
They started training as a duo in 2017 calibrating and cultivating their practice together. Having survived through the pandemic they now embody the mantra “It’s not what you do it’s how you do it“ as they teach and perform acro.
