“Probably the biggest bonus [of Body & Pole’s pre-professional training program] is that you get to choose your mentor. I chose Donna Carnow, a dancer, yoga instructor, anatomy geek, pole champion and an overall amazing person. I have a weekly private with her. For our sessions, Donna concentrates on a variety of spotting techniques, how to develop class outlines, run warm-ups, etc.”

— Body & Pole Instructor (New York, NY)

“Donna’s positive fun and funny attitude to class has encouraged me to keep going and remembering to breath through all online platforms IG, Zoom, and Vimeo ! Additionally even through zoom, Donna has been able to notice and point out improvement opportunities which help with tackling new moves!”

— Online Student (Raleigh, NC)

“Donna is a gifted choreographer, aerialist and performer. She is my spirit guide. Donna is fearless and that has enabled me to be fearless. Audacious, unafraid of experimentation, moved by those nearest to her, Donna uses her instincts and her heart to help guide her creative spirit. I am forever grateful for her as a mentor — her spirit, her brilliance, her heart drives me to reach for the same.”

— Private Client (New York, NY)

“I found Donna’s online classes by chance during the early part of pandemic lockdown (I live 222 miles away). I was initially drawn in by her humor and lightheartedness... I stuck around because of how my body felt after classes and during the rest of the week. Donna is incredibly thoughtful in her sequencing both in terms of scheduling the week as well as the sequences she uses during class.”

— Online Student (Boston, MA)

“…her Flex/Pole classes that literally changed my body in these several months! I took about 30 classes, lost 15 pounds and got muscles in places I did not even know I could! Donna is absolutely my favorite instructor - (she is) very knowledgeable about the body, she explains the inner workings of your muscles and how to do things right, so you don’t hurt yourself, very attentive to students and simply fun!”

— Pole Student (New York, NY)

“I am an opera singer coming back to singing after many years working in another career. I have a lifetime of yoga, pilates, weight lifting and other physical activity. Donna’s class has been instrumental in helping me sing. Of course, lyric study concerns the vocal apparatus; however, the attention to release is constant and requires regular practice. Donna’s flexibility training has allowed me not only to open my chest, throat and back, strengthen my pelvic floor and release my shoulders, it has allowed me to continue to practice the intimate relation between strength and release that one needs as an opera singer. In addition, her focus on stretch, strengthening and release always concerns not only the body, but the sense of the body in space. This applies to the training of the singer as well and the sensitivity to vocal production. Finally, Donna is just so much fun, so while you’re freaking out that “arm is [thrown] over there” and “leg is over there” as the Scarecrow tells Dorothy, you find yourself laughing.”

— Online private client (New York, NY)

“Donna is one of those rare wonderful instructors who is also an amazing performer and is so knowledgeable about how our bodies do what we do. She takes that knowledges and regularly applies it to her students to create a highly individualized experiences. She incorporates therapeutic exercises and clearly explains the intent and movement to help her students gain strength and flexibility, while avoiding injury. Working with Donna is not another stretch class, you will feel real progress in your goals and increase in your strength and flexibility.”

— Private client (New York, NY)