Pole Instructor Roz The Diva Does Want To Inspire You — But She Wants To Make Money More

In case her name didn’t tip you off, Roz “The Diva” Mays is indeed an diva — and an unapologetic one at that. Mays is a pole fitness instructor who has certifications in almost every imaginable aspect of pole, and she specializes in making the sport more inclusive of plus size women. She teaches pole classes in New York City, but also travels around the country to bring the sport to women through what she describes as “obnoxiously loud classes.” A Roz “The Diva” Mays classroom is all about ditching insecurities and embracing the power of your body.

Mays, who is plus size, is a patient and inclusive teacher with a fiery personality and contagious confidence. As someone who has taken her class, I know this to be fact. Her work puts the fun back in fitness, and takes away the air of exclusivity that often discourages plus size women from feeling included in fitness spaces. She posts snippets of pole routines and fitness videos on Instagram, amassing a following that is both empowered and entertained by her vibrant personality.

As if her badass accomplishments in pole weren’t enough, Mays also specializes in resistance training, flexibility, and strength and conditioning. Her work both shatters the notion that athletic ability is at all tied to body size, and confronts the hypersexualization of black women by unapologetically owning her sexuality. Her fierce tagline is, “Ditch yo’ trainer. Get a diva.”

After getting acquainted with Mays and her work, suddenly exercise won’t seem so scary. In fact, you’ll quickly realize it can even be sexy.

Below Mays talks about her incredible drive, her unwavering passion, and her hunger for financial stability.