Meet Marina – a Los Angeles Aerialist, Performer and Owner of Louvre LA.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marina and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marina, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
At my previous corporate job, I didn’t have a lot of sense of purpose. It was missing. It was extremely gratifying to be a part of huge releases such as EVgo charging app or Spotter Creator Studio for Youtube, which I had an honor to be a part of as a software engineer. Despite all my success I don’t think I ever fully belonged to the corporate world with its rules and politics. I have always been a free thinker and an artsy freak and that is how people would describe me my entire life as “creative” and “having artistic vision”.

When I decided to start my first business, I did not have any idea what I was doing. Still don’t.

It started as a loose idea for a pole and aerial creative space—a dance studio with a unique concept. My elevator pitch? “A pole dance studio with a pink bathtub for photos? Say no more…” I borrowed the name from the Louvre, the iconic art museum in Paris, France, and chose pink as the brand color because, well, who doesn’t love pink? The goal was simple: to unleash creativity and artistic expression with every visit to the studio.

At the time, I had been pole dancing for 8 years, competing, performing, and running a popular YouTube channel with pole dance tutorials.

I was still as obsessed with pole dance as I was on day one. So I thought I could do two things at once – satisfy my pole cravings and turn my passion into my day job. I wanted to be able to finally say things like “I’m doing what I love” about my job, like many people I know in this industry who inspired me. They did it, so I figured I could try—or die trying.

While writing my business plan and saving money from my day job, I came across a space on Hollywood Blvd. It wasn’t my first choice, but when I was waiting for the landlord outside, I had my first-ever celebrity sighting in LA—Dinesh from “Silicon Valley” walked right out of the building. This huge silly smile appeared on my face. Like a total fan girl, I turned to my husband and shrieked, “It’s a sign!” It was embarrassing. And after three months of hard work, that space became “Louvre LA”—my pole and aerial dance studio. We opened on February 14, 2024.

Making such a drastic career change in my thirties was wild. I took a massive pay cut to pursue this dream. I was terrified, and I still am, but I had no hesitation.

And yes, it’s a lot of hard work.

I didn’t realize how much work goes into customer service, cleaning, rigging—things completely unrelated to dance—and how much stress it would put on me and my family.

But seeing the space come alive with movement, outfits, and creative approaches—radically different yet somehow perfectly aligned in a shared sense of joy and self-celebration—elevates the space from just a room with poles and a pink bathtub into exactly what my original, loose idea was all about. It gives me so much sense of purpose now, more than I could have ever imagined.

It is a hard work, but I never want to stop.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The uniqueness of our space lies in its clear concept. It’s French-themed. It’s inspired by the iconic Louvre Museum in Paris, home to some of the world’s finest art. And yes, it’s pink! But it’s so much more than just a pole and aerial gym. I like to think of it as a creative haven designed to bring out your inner child, sparking moments of joy as you explore all the aerial ‘toys,’ stunning professional lighting schemes, and cozy little nooks throughout the studio. Crafted with love, practicality, and exceptional versatility, our space is truly one-of-a-kind.

There are a few other things that we introduced to the community that I’m very passionate about.

If you’re in the mood for learning and self-improvement, we offer innovative and fun workshops like ‘Chains and Heels,’ which combines aerial chains—the hottest trend in the aerial industry—with heels in a choreographed routine, followed by filming dance selects. It’s something that I believe has not been done before in the pole and aerial community! Watching the dancers perform the choreography in front of an audience of their fellow students is an amazing learning experience. It’s incredibly exciting to see dancers transform into the best versions of themselves on camera, with all the energy in the room!

We make it easy for instructors to host their workshops, too. The entire process is streamlined through our online reservation system, allowing instructors to easily book time for their class. Whether it’s pole, aerial, or even just dance, we’re quickly becoming one of the hot spots for hosting workshops and privates in the area, thanks to the ease and convenience of organizing with us. It is also incredibly affordable. So, if you’re an instructor, your next workshop could be here. Et voilà!

We also offer a variety of sets and lighting options for recording your dance content, tutorials, and choreographies—an essential for performers looking to secure gigs and advance in their careers. This is something that I believe hasn’t been done before within the context of a pole gym.

Located in Hollywood, the entertainment hub of Los Angeles, we’re blessed to attract an incredible mix of local and international talent, including entertainers, pole artists, aerialists, contortionists, and performers. We hear all the time how inspiring it is to watch our Instagram feed and stories because of the amazing mastery of the craft that our guests bring. We are truly grateful for the talent that comes through our doors and lights up our walls and hope to inspire you during your every visit!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Okay, this is an easy one. Of course, the Louvre LA is where I’d bring my bestie, my mom, my sister, and everyone else!

Booking a training or dance content creation session here is a breeze! People call our space an ‘adult playground’ because they walk in and never want to leave. They bring their outfits, friends, and even celebrate birthdays and special events in our welcoming, curated environment. It’s designed to be aesthetically pleasing, professionally equipped for dance photography and videography, and also serves as a serious aerial and pole training facility. And above all, it’s incredibly fun!

For dancers and aerialists, we offer:

7 X-poles (11ft high): 5 chrome, 1 stainless steel, and 1 gorgeous brass pole with perfect grip to channel your inner Queen/King 👑
Stunning 37’’ Lyra
Beautiful lollipop pole
Silicon and chrome fly pole
Unique gold aerial chains
Vibrant red silks
Hand loop and Silkii pole attachment for connoisseurs
Sturdy acro chair
Custom pink rope and hammock
2 8×4, 8-inch thick crash mats in cozy pink velour
All apparatuses are available during your booking!

For creators and photographers, we have:

Glamorous pink bathtub set
Baroque vanity set
12×12 pre-lit cyclorama
Pink wall
Brick wall
Mirror set
Entire space pre-lit with tube lighting, DMX-controlled
Beautiful natural light in the second half of the day
More sets coming soon
In-house photo and video services (check out the photos on our profile!)
My goal is to make my favorite place in LA your favorite place too. Come play with us! We’re located in East Hollywood.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve been a long-time customer of Haven, a pole gym in Downtown LA. I believe it was the first gym in LA to offer Airbnb-style rentals for pole training sessions, allowing you to book time online and train independently without a front desk. It was an incredible experience, especially during a difficult period in my life when I was struggling with severe insomnia. Having access to my favorite physical activity at Haven helped me stay sane. I love the industrial Arts District vibe of the gym. Huge kudos to its owners for pioneering this concept.

Then, I moved and started going to POL in Culver City, which emerged during the pandemic. It follows a similar concept, combining private rentals and pole classes, and I quickly fell in love with its airy, bright aesthetic. I’m pretty sure I was there every day at one point, dancing my heart out. A big shoutout to POL and its owner, Amanda for curating this incredible space.

Believe it or not, there’s another gym nearby called Jagged Vertical Dance and Fitness, where I took my very first pole class in December 2014 with its owner, Jessica. Jagged has an edgy vibe and combines pole with aerial and circus arts, although I never got deeply into aerial there. My experience at these three gyms, along with my unique vision and my love for set design, photography and videography, was formative in shaping my vision for Louvre LA.

I had the vision, but I didn’t have all the tools. The true driving force behind my gym is my partner, my husband, and simply my everything. Though he has chosen to remain anonymous, his 20 years of expertise in rigging, lighting, and electrical work, along with his support, encouragement, and business advice, were essential in helping me build Louvre LA.

And of course, I want to give a special shoutout to my baby, my son Gibson. I gave birth and launched my business within a month of each other. In a way, having him made me do the leap of faith and finally pursue what matters to me, because when you have a baby, your whole mindset shifts, and suddenly, all the secondary things in your life fall away.

Website: https://www.louvrela.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louvre_la/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louvrela

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/louvre-la-los-angeles

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@louvrela

Image Credits
(c) Marina Lohova, Christopher Rossiter