Fawnia Dietrich - Canada Nomination for Pole Dance Instructor of the Year 2010

I was born in 1975, in the small town of Kamloops, BC Canada. In 1983 I made the move by camper trailer to the beautiful city of Victoria, BC. My interests growing up included running, art (drawing), theater, and dancing. Growing up I always knew I loved to dance however I never took formal training.
In Oct, 1994 at the age of 19 I began my training and career as an exotic dancer. Learning as I went, live in front of the world I fell in love with the pole. Seeing the women on stage doing the most amazing moves on the poles inspired me to learn and create as much as I possibly could. Where was the school?
I asked the club staff where were the Exotic Dance School was located, to learn pole work. Their reply to me was "There is no school, you just learn while you are on stage." I couldn't believe there wasn't a place to go, and learn how to do pole work, walk, dance, and crawl; do everything that makes someone a great exotic dancer. Just two months after I learned my first move, "The Fire Man", I purchased a brass pole from a metal store, and started teaching. The date was Dec, 1994. While the rest of the world was going about their business, I opened the world's first Exotic Dance School and produced the instructional DVD: Pole Work, volume 1. The first of its kind, making me a pioneer of what's now America's latest fitness craze, pole dancing for fitness!
I love pole dancing. Pole dancing gave me a unique way to express myself which felt more natural than anything, the first time I set foot on stage. Though I was nervous and my jaw was shaking, I found my home. How could their not be a school? How can women just walk up there and pole dance? Where is the guidance? I had to start teaching! I never wanted anyone to go through what I did my first time. Being an amateur is frightening and for some lucky reason, I realized it was my purpose to stand behind the pole and support and guide every person who wanted to try.
Today I live in Las Vegas and I have the luxury of teaching women (and men) from around the world how to pole dance. Where would we be without the pole? Thank you Canada for blessing us with some of the most talented women and helping us all discover how beautiful and talented we really are!

Career Highlights:
Produced the world’s first instructional video Pole Work, volume 1 in 1998 and went on to produce six more titles: ‘Dance Moves & Floor Work”, “Fawnia Live in Stage”, Lap Dancing & Entertaining Your Man”, “Making Fitness Fun” (formally “Fitness for the Dancer” ), “Male Exotic Dancing”, and “Advanced Pole Work & Fire”.