Rising Stars: Meet Kamrin “Killa Kam” Coffey of Wheat Ridge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kamrin “Killa Kam” Coffey.

Hi Killa Kam, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In 2024, I started Pole Den—a grassroots project built to create the kind of studio I always wished existed. One that celebrates all bodies, honors the true origins of pole dance, and supports the people and cultures that made it what it is today. A space where movement is about connection, expression, and coming home to yourself—not just fitness goals or aesthetics.

Pole Den is for everyone. We embrace the art form’s roots, supporting strippers and sex workers through representation, education, and philanthropy. We hire culturally relevant instructors who bring authenticity to their teaching. We keep dance accessible and affordable. Most importantly, we center community—not whiteness, thinness, or perfection.

Getting here took time. I’ve been part of the Colorado pole scene since 2018—teaching weekly classes, hosting workshops and parties, and helping build community. But over the years, I saw patterns I couldn’t ignore: studios distancing themselves from pole’s origins, marketing only to a narrow ideal, and overlooking the people who built this culture.

I also watched as some spaces profited from an art form born from strippers, sex workers, and Black and Brown dance traditions—while publicly supporting leaders and policies that harm those same communities. The disconnect was impossible to unsee.

So I chose to do something different. Pole Den was built from that decision—to make space for all of us. It’s more than a studio. It’s a sanctuary. A statement. A homecoming.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It wasn’t smooth, easy, or straightforward. I thought opening a pole studio would be like starting any other small business—get a loan, find a space, sign the lease. But the reality hit fast. The unconscious bias was loud from the start.

I spent eight months searching for a location. Eight months of roadblocks, red tape, and arbitrary decision-makers—grant holders, lenders, landlords—all committed to misunderstanding what I was building. Every door that should’ve opened came with another hoop to jump through. Even with a proven track record—successful events, community support, and a business plan that impressed everyone who actually read it—funding just wasn’t available.

But Pole Den exists anyway. Built on resilience, community, and clarity of purpose.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Pole Den Dance Studio specializes in offering pole dance, aerial arts, and movement classes —all with an emphasis on sensual and embodied movement.
But what we really specialize in is creating an environment where people can show up and feel good. Our students aren’t here because they want to become professional dancers or meet some fitness goal. They’re here to have a good time, learn new moves, and connect with their bodies in a way that feels joyful, not judgmental.
I am very proud of having an incredibly diverse team of instructors who are not only wildly talented but deeply committed to their crafts and to honoring the cultural roots of the dances they teach. They don’t just go through the motions—they bring their whole selves to every class, and students feel that energy.
Im also proud of the community we are creating – the students have a culture of care that I never had to enforce. They take care of each other. New students are welcomed immediately. Everyone celebrates each other’s wins, no matter how small. There’s no competition, no hierarchy, no cliques. Just people showing up for each other.
I think what sets Pole Den apart is that we’re not interested in sanitizing pole dance or making it palatable for mainstream acceptance. We honor where it came from. We center the bodies and communities that created it. And we’ve proven that when you build something with integrity, rooted in real values, people don’t just show up—they thrive.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I’ll be honest—I’m worried.

The political climate right now, the way people are overworked, underpaid, stressed, and depressed? It’s taking a toll on small businesses, especially dance studios. People need what we offer more than ever, but they have less time, less money, and less energy to prioritize it.

And here’s the irony: a 2024 study proved that dance is the most effective mood booster and stabilizer—even more than walking, other exercise or medication. Dance is literally what people need right now. But I fear it’s becoming an art that’s being taken away, not by choice, but by circumstance. When people can barely afford rent, dance classes feel like a luxury they can’t justify.

Meanwhile, pole dance is waning in popularity. The next fitness trend is Pilates and Lagree. Which is fine—people should move however feels good to them. But pole offers something those modalities don’t: it’s not just exercise, it’s liberation and self discovery. When people reconnect with themselves through dance, entire concepts can be transcended. That’s powerful. And I worry we’re losing that.

I find in knowing that people are craving community more than ever. They’re seeking third spaces—places that aren’t work and aren’t home. They want to take care of themselves. They need connection. And I genuinely believe that the cure to all this craziness lately—the antidote to the heaviness—is joy, pleasure, leisure, and human connection. Dance offers all of that.

So my hope, small but growing, is that people find dance and joy again. That they recognize movement isn’t a luxury—it’s essential. That dance studios become recognized as mental health infrastructure, not just fun extracurriculars. I think the studios that survive the next 5-10 years will be the ones that understand they’re not just selling classes—they’re offering sanctuary. Community. A reason to keep going. And I’m committed to making sure Pole Den is one of them.

Pricing:

• $125 Unlimited Classes (Monthly) – Our Founders Deal – limited time!
• $25 Drop In Class
• FREE Intro to Pole on Saturdays (currently, shifting to monday in Dec)
• We’ll have a build your own package
• A variety of packs too!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.poleden.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.pole.den/