Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shelbi Aiona. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Shelbi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Opening Black Box Creative felt like one of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken!

When I moved to Austin, I started working toward finding a permanent Pole Instructor position. I found VAMPS Dance and scored a position as a seasonal instructor. Eventually, I fell in love with the studio, the community, and the life. I worked incredibly hard at teaching as much as I could and developing my skills for sharing knowledge. I crafted my performance abilities and became a part of our local community pretty quickly. I focused on VAMPS and eventually became a full on studio manager. I loved learning from my boss Ember Tarcha and my students! Unfortunately, Covid arrived and put a damper on our little studios business and we ended up permanently shutting down. It was an incredibly emotional time and felt like a hard pit to get out of.

Nonetheless, my group of students, fellow instructors, and performers all wanted more. I was asked almost immediately when I would open my own studio, and I kept saying I’d think about it, but it had to be the right time.

We all thought Covid would be much shorter lived, but it wasn’t. I ended up picking up some part time teaching gigs at several studios in Austin once restrictions were a bit lifted. The question about opening my own studio just got asked more often!

I had been visualizing the entire time what a perfect studio would be. What is missing in my community? What void can we minimize? What would be a unique experience for members? After answering these and millions of other technical questions, the big question was WHEN?

The pandemic was only proving more permanent, and I decided one day… it was time to take some steps toward opening! It seemed almost instantaneous that I was able to find a cozy little studio space that would allow us to host small, safe classes for those who felt like they were ready to return to their pole practice. I put out a call to my community through Go Fund Me, and put all my pennies in one basket when pennies were truly sparse. It was time to take the leap and trust my gut.

It was November of 2020 when I got the keys to what would be our first studio space and suddenly, I realized I had just jumped off that cliff. It was time to fly, and goddamn we did! This isn’t the first business I’ve opened, but it was definitely under the most questionable circumstances. There were so many times where day to day we would need to check if we’d even be able to host classes. There were pressures to keep the community safe, but also to get back to “normal.” I am so grateful for my core team of supporters and family members for sticking with me and believing in this crazy idea! I am so glad we took that leap!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am from El Paso Texas originally where I was a full time Tattoo and freelance artist. I owned a shop out there but ended up falling in love with Austin and following my heart out here. I worked for awhile at shops here locally but honestly was already hitting a wall as far as my passion for that art form was concerned. The tattoo industry changed, and perhaps so did I.

Pole dancing had been a hobby of mine for a few years and I had always been told I’d be great at teaching it. So, I went with that as an option for side hustle money as well as a different creative outlet. It proved to be a beautiful, engaging, and fun as hell community so I dug deeper! Throughout my time as a student, instructor, and studio manager, I focused on listening to my students and my heart. I was learning so much about how pole, movement, and art could effect us all. I was also listening to gripes about negativity and areas that were lacking in our community as a whole. I thought about ways I could facilitate change and make an impact that made sense for me.

I am a heavily tattooed, crass, lewd, curvy, mixed race woman. I faced several instances where I was made to feel as though I wasn’t good enough, fit enough, or polished enough to share space with “professionals” and students alike in our industry. I noticed a lack of representation for the weirdos, the less polished diamonds, and the creeps like me. I knew I was not alone in this!

So, I dreamt of owning a space where artists could be themselves openly, “flaws” and all. I wanted to open a studio that could be used as a place to host unique pole and movement classes, radical experiences, and creative activities. I wanted to explore non-traditional or industry standard ways of moving, by dancing to heavier music, breaking molds, and teaching my style. I wanted a space that looked provocative, but also warm and inviting. As an independent artist, I yearned for a space that would let me truly be in control of my craft and I knew others would want that as well. In my mind I said “I just want an empty black box that I can fill with any idea I have that day. Somewhere to create on a blank slate!” I wanted to be able to offer this to other creatives with radical ideas that didn’t necessarily fit into other molds. I wanted artists to be the highlight of the space and to feel empowered to bring their dopest ideas to life!

Black Box Creative was born with that in mind. We pride ourselves on having a core team of creative professionals whom are diverse, driven, and most importantly accepting. We offer a huge welcome to anyone that walks in the door regardless of gender, body, experience, goals, or sexual orientation. We want our members to come to a class and find a reprieve from the hard world out there in our dark cave. We want you to see yourself reflected in our staff and our come up. We want to represent you, destroy traditional beauty standards, hype you the f*ck up, and have some fun!

Through messages from our members, I am confident that we have achieved this goal. I know that our members come in to the studio and release all the stress of living in this modern day dystopian nightmare for at least a few hours! I know that we are helping individuals move through identity issues, body issues, and mental health issues. I know that we are providing a safe space for folx to just exist as they are with peers who love them all the same.

At Black Box Creative, it is not about pole dancing or booty popping. It’s about lifting the voices of creatives, sharing an experience, and evolving as a collective. Pole dancing, booty popping, and loud heavy metal are just fun bonuses!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I have always been driven by my need to be a good example for my children. I have always wanted to show them that they can do anything they want to do, and that they deserve happiness. I want them to follow their truest dreams, even if they’re crazy! I want them to know they deserve a seat at the table, and in order to do that, I made my own seat. I want my kids to know that they are capable, smart, and should bow to no man. I am striving for success to be able to show them that artists don’t have to be starving, and that there’s no one set plan for success. Happiness is attainable, achievable, and comes in many forms!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

When my art effects someone else, it is such a beautiful experience! It’s very profound to me to think about all the lives I’ve touched with visual art, movement, and performance. Seeing someone cry, laugh, or scream out in joy because of a tattoo I gave them, a commission art piece I produced, a photo I snapped, a performance I did, or a pole trick I taught them is absolutely electrifying! Watching my movement students find themselves through the course of their journeys with me melts my heart. I am so proud of what I put out in the world and watching it be received with such far reaching effects is both overwhelming and incredible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blackboxcreativeatx.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackboxcreativeatx/ and https://www.instagram.com/shelbiaiona/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/black-box-creative-austin

Image Credits
Rusk Photography, FlickerMoth Photography