Love Thyself With Free Expression
About Elevate YOU
“Love Thyself With Free Expression" is our motto and our mission.
As women, we wear a multitude of hats: wife, mother, caregiver, provider, and career woman (just to name a few). It's easy to get caught up in it all, and if we're not careful, we can lose ourselves in the process—providing for everyone's needs except our own. Elevate YOU offers women the platform to focus on themselves, conveying our expression through fitness and dance.
Elevate YOU is designed to help women succeed in their fitness journeys through expert coaching, instruction, and prestigious customer service. We currently offer all levels of pole as well as strength conditioning.
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​We are a diverse community of women in South Jersey. We are Black, white, Latina, Asian. Some of us are in our teens, some of us are in our 50s. We have students who had never done any kind of dance before they joined us, and students who have been practicing pole for years. Our diversity is our strength. Whoever you are, you are welcome, and you belong.
Team
Meet the women of Elevate YOU!
Owner/Head Instructor
Thelma
Where it all started! Head Instructor Thelma is ready to get you ELEVATED for all of your fitness needs and goals! Whether it be tightening and toning for the summer or getting ready for that wedding dress, Thelma is the one to call! Thelma teaches pole classes at all levels.
Instructor
Samiyah
Samiyah moves with style and grace in her Intro to Pole and Open Pole classes, incorporating a sensual tone to the pole spins and moves. Looking to find yourself again? She is the instructor for you! Feel good about yourself and sexy at the same time.
Instructor
Keisha
Keisha has been learning and teaching fitness classes for 30 years. At Elevate YOU, she teaches Sexy Strength classes and Liquid Motion workshops. If you want a good burn in a fun environment, you should come to her class! And if you want to supplement your pole practice with core and booty development, you should come and work out with "Killer" Keisha!
Instructor
Deseria
Deseria has been pole dancing since 2019. She's a former Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader with a dual BA in psychology and performance arts & dance from Rowan University. She holds a master's degree in business administration from Georgian Court University. She enjoys going to the gym and reading. At Elevate YOU, she teaches Pole Level One, Pole Level Two, Tricks & Transitions, and Flex & Mobility.
Instructor
Zami'Ra "Fairy"
Zami'Ra, mostly known by her pole family as "Fairy," is a multidisciplinary artist and model born and raised in Tampa, Florida. In her classes, she always emphasizes the confidence that comes with honoring your body, slowing down time through movement, becoming more graceful, and activating your own inner fairy! Join her for her Flex and Pole Flow class.
Instructor
Amanda
Amanda aka “Chocolate_Polerina” is a bubbly, energetic, supportive teacher. She started Elevate YOU as a newbie to pole 3 years ago. Since entering, she has established herself as a dedicated student, cheerleader, and friend. Her dreams of becoming a teacher took flight after learning under Thelma and Deseria. She then took and passed her certification to teach levels 1 and 2. She got her feet wet in the industry when she was encouraged by owner Thelma to lead her first aerial invert workshop and the rest is history. Come and shake a trail feather and join her classes on Mondays at 7pm. You owe it to yourself to mold those inverts and grow in strength at Elevate YOU Pole Fitness!
Instructor
Belynda
Belynda, also known as "Limelight," began her pole journey in early 2023 at Elevate You after a friend invited her to "try something new." From that moment, she was hooked. Determined to challenge the stigma that can sometimes surround pole dancing, Belynda became a dedicated student. As one of the few curvy women in her class, she set out to find other curvy pole dancers to see if "tricks and transitions" were attainable for her body and discovered that she could make the moves work for her. Belynda developed a passion for showing other curvy women that they too can succeed in pole dancing and she now teaches Curvy Girl Pole Fitness class on Wednesday nights.
Instructor
Raushana AKA "Shug"
Raushana, known by her pole sisters as "Shug", has been a student at Elevate YOU since 2021 while she was engaged in a weight loss journey. She has lost over 150 pounds since joining. She says, "What I like most about Elevate YOU is the fact that I am in a judgment-free zone. I can be myself and embody whatever technique my body is most comfortable with, while doing it with grace and confidence." She wanted to share that experience with others, which led her to teach Curvy Girl Pole Fitness on Wednesday nights.
Instructor
Carolyn
Carolyn is a passionate pole artist dedicated to the art of movement and flexibility. Known for her slow, sensual, and splitty style, Carolyn combines fluidity and flexibility to create captivating performances. Her love for pole stems from its power to merge strength, grace, and self-expression, inspiring her ongoing journey in this dynamic discipline.
Instructor
Neka
Joining Elevate YOU in 2023, Neka also teaches at Flaunt Fitness, but still considers herself to be a student as well. Constantly learning and moving, she brings this mindset to her Beginner Heel Flow class. You can also find her performing at aerial experiences in Philadelphia.
Administrator
Rissa
Beginning as a student in 2018 and joining the staff in 2020, Rissa continues her pole practice in classes at Elevate YOU while helping with the website, our booking app, and other behind-the-scenes work to keep the studio running smoothly. Outside of Elevate YOU, Rissa is a writer and editor.