Halea Waters is the founder of Hidden Gems Movement, a space inspired by her journey of unlocking her own personal magic through movement. A lifelong dancer since the age of 9, Halea has competed with Dance teams, Cheer teams, and at Pole Sport Organization. Halea began teaching group fitness classes in 2014. Halea holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Visual and Performing Arts Education from UCLA and a Master’s Degree in Leadership with a focus on Innovation from the University of the Pacific. Halea’s greatest joy is helping students discover confidence, self-love, and inner strength through pole fitness, yoga, and movement. She is passionate about creating a fun, loving, and supportive space where her students can connect with their bodies to find inner guidance, balance, and joy.

@haleainwonderland

Jasmyn Hamblin is a queer dancer, tattoo artist, choreographer and teacher. They are passionate about playful exploration, community connection, and the cultivation of inclusive art spaces. In their creative process, they are curious about the mixing of movement with other artistic mediums including painting, drawing, digital art, projection, and writing. They received their BFA in Dance from CSU Long Beach and have performed internationally in Mexico, Switzerland, Ecuador, and Italy. Their choreography has been presented at Queer Mvmnt Fest, ACDA, Summer Series at the Vine Theater, CSULB, and San Diego Mesa College. Jasmyn has had the honor of dancing for various choreographers and companies, including Zaquia Mahler Salinas, Alyssa Rose, Mojalet Dance Collective, Blythe Barton, and Rebecca Bryant. After moving back to Sonoma County from Southern California in 2024, Jasmyn fell in love with pole dancing and the empowerment they feel from the style. They are excited about exploring how their movement backgrounds, including contemporary, improvisation, jazz, and ballet, can blend together with pole dancing.

@jasmynh_

Shauna's work behind the scenes helps to ensure our students have a great experience. Shauna is a dancer, endurance runner, and speculative fiction writer. She is endlessly fascinated with the ways pole dancing allows us to explore hyper-stylized and seemingly otherworldly movement. When she began pole dancing in 2021, it was a way to rekindle joy and trust in her body after a serious health struggle. From her first day learning the craft, Shauna has aimed to balance the gentleness and strength required to support healing and creativity. Also, her experience in endurance running (starting in 2010) helps inform Shauna’s approach to a consistent, sustainable, and long-term movement practice.

@workingtitleshauna

Letty Garcia began her pole dancing journey over two years ago and quickly fell in love with the strength, creativity, and self-expression it brings. For her, pole is more than just a workout it’s a transformative practice that has helped her build confidence and reconnect with a sense of play. She believes movement is a powerful tool for self-discovery and empowerment, which led her to deepen her knowledge by earning her Pilates Comprehension Certification in December 2024. With a background in both pole and Pilates, Letty focuses on mindful movement, body awareness, and strength building, helping students feel more in tune with their bodies. She loves creating a welcoming and supportive space where students can explore, grow, and celebrate their progress no matter where they are in their journey. Whether it’s through fluid dance sequences or strength-based tricks, Letty encourages everyone to embrace their unique movement style and find joy in the process.

@lettyyg

Christina is a heels dancer and wine enthusiast! With 25 years of dancing under her belt, a BA in Theatre Arts and Dance from Sonoma State, Jazz Director at The Dance Center Santa Rosa and Dance Captain for the Vixens Heels Company in Orange County, she is excited to get back in the studio after a couple years off! When she took her first heels class back in 2018, she fell in love with it! The confidence it brought out of her that allowed her to walk taller in her everyday life was priceless and she hopes to give that opportunity to others, to find that confidence in themselves!

@christinakitchenn

Kim brings years of experience to the pole as both a performer and instructor. Her movement style blends bubblegum Barbie sweetness, rowdy cowgirl confidence, and slow, honey-dripped sensuality. No matter your vibe, Kim creates a supportive space where you can explore your own style and have fun doing it. She’s danced in clubs, taken home gold at Pole Sport Organization (PSO) competitions, and loves performing throughout Sonoma County. When she’s not dancing, you can find Kim leading tours at Safari West.

@peedypole

Hannah Kaighn is a 500-hour certified yoga teacher with 5 years of dedicated practice and 2 years of teaching experience. She guides students through breath-centered movement helping them cultivate balance, self-awareness, and alignment both in body and mind. Her yoga classes promote strength, flexibility, and a deeper sense of well-being through intentional sequencing and movement. To complete each session, Hannah incorporates the sounds of crystal sound bowls, enhancing the practice with a meditative and restorative element that leaves students feeling centered and refreshed. 

@_hannahkaighin_

Janelle is a lifelong enthusiast of all things movement, dance, and fitness. She is passionate about using movement as medicine to improve physical and emotional well being.  Janelle holds a masters degree in social work, bringing to the team a background in behavioral health. Her pole journey began in 2022 where she was immediately hooked. Once a dedicated trickster, her pole evolution has shifted to a focus on flow, embodiment, sensuality, and cultivating joy through dance. Janelle strives to help people reclaim parts of themselves that feel suppressed, allowing people to express and experience themselves wholeheartedly.

@orijanellefitness

Taylor Needham discovered her passion for pole dancing over three years ago. With a background primarily in weightlifting and traditional gym training, pole dancing opened new doors for her in dance and self-expression. She enjoys exploring the intersection of strength and grace through powerful tricks and aerial passes. In her classes, Taylor emphasizes building upon existing skills to help students feel strong in the air and explore their individual styles. An avid hiker and mountaineer, when she isn’t in the studio, you can find her at a peak taking pictures with her adventure pup, Yeti.

@taylor.needham.92

Palmer’s identity as a dancer started as soon as she could walk, from choreographing to Britney Spears to naturally picking up hip hop movement. She trained and competed in jazz and hip hop through high school, building a strong foundation early on. She found pole in 2021 while pursuing a career in women’s sexual health, and it quickly became a space to explore sensuality, self-love, and emotional expression. Palmer brings a unique style to her choreography, blending embodiment, breath, and feeling with creative movement that keeps dancers learning and growing. With a background in acting, aesthetics, and nursing, she draws inspiration from many places. Her classes invite you to explore your own sensuality, style, and power—and we’re so excited to have her on the Gems team.