Artistic Directors
Leah Marie
Artistic Director, Co-Producer & Co-Owner of Flux Vertical Theatre
At the age of three Leah was enrolled in her first ballet class and from then on she grew up with a bun on her head and pointe shoes thrown over her shoulders. She danced all the way thru college staring in the role of Snow White in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. She also started choreographing her own pieces for the stage and loved experimenting with tap, jazz and hip hop. It wasn't until four years after academia that she found herself singing and acting along with her dancing. Overnight she became a "triple threat", starring in the production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show as Janet. After moving to the Bay Area she feel in love with a new community and ran away with the circus. She currently performs with a Bay Area circus company called the Vau De Vire Society.
In May of 2013 Leah saw her first pole show and fell in love with the apparatus. She was inspired to use the pole as a playful and powerful dance partner. After taking her first class her eyes were now open to a whole new world of self expression. At first she was drawn in by the strength of the art form and slowly began to love the more slow and sensual side of pole. In so many ways it has provided an opportunity for personal growth and self love that is so unique to this art form and anyone who braves it. The transformative power of pole dance is something she will preach to the end. At the time there were not many opportunities to take this art to the stage so we created our own path. In partnership, Flux Vertical Theatre was born, an answer to our desires of wanting to showcase this art form. To this day we are dedicated to creating community and opportunity for pole dancers like us and are passionate to share the love of pole dance with the world.
Kirsten 'Mz K'
Artistic Director, Co-Producer & Co-Owner of Flux Vertical Theatre
Kirsten Gerding (aka Mz.K) has been singing, dancing and acting for as long as she's been breathing. Growing up with a music teacher for a mother, she had the privilege of studying with some of the world's best classical vocal coaches at the Peabody Conservatory along with the honor of being a dance major and proud graduate of the Baltimore School for the Arts. She has been a triple threat her entire career and toured the United States and Canada in professional productions such as Cabaret, A Chorus Line and Jesus Christ Superstar. Upon landing in the Bay Area, Kirsten found another niche in the world of Cabaret and Burlesque as "Mz.K", where she is known for causing mischief and making heads turn wherever she goes. In 2010 she ran away to join the circus and is currently a principal soloist with the Bay Area’s ‘Vau de Vire Society’, where she is known as a quadruple threat as she is usually seen flying through the air, upside down, in the splits and singing all at the same time. Mz.K found pole in 2009 and it opened her eyes to a whole new way of expression, changing her life forever. She decided to create her very first pole performance in 2012 and since then has shared her pole art throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Mz.K has won several pole awards and titles. In 2015 she claimed the title for Pole Theatre USA Drama (Semi-Pro) and in 2018 she won her first International title, Pole Theatre Mexico Classique, with her signature style of Showgirl Slink Singing pole. She is a certified pilates instructor since 2007, has been teaching pole since 2009 and has been teaching dance for 30+ years. Mz.K is constantly reminded of how amazing her performance community is and strives to continue to educate students from all movement genres always with a loving heart and open mind.