about us
Embody is a pole dance studio where systematic progress meets an individualized approach.
We offer a variety of class formats so that everyone can find the option that best suits their experience level, schedule, and personal goals.
Our main format is closed groups of up to five participants, following a monthly training program tailored to each group's level and objectives. This approach ensures structured, consistent, and measurable progress. We also offer open classesfor those who value greater flexibility and variety in their training schedule.
We welcome students of all experience levels, including complete beginners with no previous pole dance experience.
At Embody, you can pursue a wide range of movement and pole dance goals—from dance and creative self-expression to developing strength, technique, and body awareness—all at your own pace and in the class format that suits you best.
Class types
Heels Pole Dance
Heels Pole Dance (also known as Exotic Pole Dance) is a dance style performed on the pole in high heels, combining strength, fluidity, and expressive movement. While it is often associated with sensuality and femininity, heels pole dance is incredibly versatile and can vary greatly in its character, energy, and artistic expression.
Pole Tricks
Pole Tricks is a discipline that combines strength, technique, coordination, body control, and expressive movement. In these classes, we learn a wide variety of pole tricks, including grips, holds, entries, transitions, spins, strength-based elements, flexibility tricks, and static poses. We gradually combine them into combinations, progressing step by step from fundamental techniques to more advanced skills.
our team
Diana Paramonova
Studio founder and teacher
A choreographer, pole dance coach, and founder of EMBODY Studio in Riga, Latvia, with over 14 years of teaching experience.
She began dancing at the age of four, training in ballet and show dance before continuing her education at the Riga Ballet School. Diana later graduated from the Latvian Academy of Music named after Jazeps Vitols with a degree in Choreography and Dance Education. Throughout her studies, she explored a wide range of dance styles, including jazz, contemporary, tap dance, Latvian folk dance, hip-hop, vogue, and many others. This diverse background continues to shape her movement language and teaching methodology.
Diana discovered pole dance in 2016. Just six months after starting, she placed at the Pole Emotion competition, which led to an invitation to join Feel Good Studio as a pole dance coach.
In 2023, she founded EMBODY Studio in Riga—a space dedicated to conscious movement, artistic expression, and high-quality education.
As a coach, Diana focuses not only on technique but also on movement quality, musicality, body awareness, and helping each student develop their own authentic style. She believes that pole dance is both an athletic discipline and a powerful form of artistic expression.
Recent Competition Results
1st Place – Czech Exotic Open 2023 (Pro/Star Category)
3rd Place – Fusion 2023 (Star Category)
3rd Place – Exo Queen UK 2024
Alyna Smirnova
Studio coach
In 2014, she tried pole sport for the first time, despite having no previous athletic background.
In 2017, she won 1st place at the Latvian, Baltic, and international championships in the Amateur category. After that, she began teaching pole tricks at Pole Dance School.
In 2018, she became the World Champion in Pole Sport.
She completed Natalia Tatarintseva’s flexibility course, as well as Kristina Dumanskaya’s Basic and Advanced Pole Sport training courses.
In 2023, she won 1st place in the Professional category at the POSA competition in Slovakia.
Alina is a certified LTTC Category C Gymnastics Coach and a curator of the online tricks school MyPoleSpace.
For Alina, it is important to guide each student carefully, step by step, and thoughtfully toward their desired results, paying close attention to even the smallest technical details. This approach allows students to progress at a comfortable pace while enjoying the learning process.
Yulija Antonova
Studio teacher
At the age of four, Julia began training in ballet.
At a dance studio in Daugavpils, she explored a variety of dance styles, including jazz, modern dance, contemporary, and later gymnastics, Latvian folk dance, oriental dance, and Jewish folk dance.
At the age of 14, Julia enrolled in the dance program at West Thames College, where she received professional dancer training.
While living in England, she discovered even more dance styles, including afro, hip-hop, house, twerk, heels, fusion, and vogue.
Julia is a certified yoga instructor (Erica Rintovich).
She received her massage therapy education at Campus Broshim.
To deepen her expertise in teaching Heels Pole Dance, Julia completed a mentorship program with Diana Paramonova.
Julia believes that dance gives people the opportunity to fully express themselves—first in the dance studio, and then in life itself. This is exactly what she found through dance, and what she now shares with her students.
Laura Egle
Studio coach
Laura started training in pole dance in 2020. In 2023, she competed in her first competition—Fusion Pole Championship—where she won 2nd place in the Pole Art Amateur category.
Six months later, Laura competed at POSA, where she earned 3rd place in the Pole Sport Amateur category.
Laura is currently undergoing professional training and development as a coach. She has completed a Pole Dance Instructor Course with Alyna Smirnova and continues her education at the Latvian Trainers' Further Education Center (LTTC).
As a coach, Laura strives to create an environment where students feel comfortable and confident, can clearly see their progress, and achieve results step by step. She structures her classes in an engaging and organized way, paying close attention to details and providing an individual approach to every student.