Our Story
Heather Poole and Waverly Jones are the proud founders and co-owners of Empyrean Arts. Since discovering their love of the aerial arts many years ago, they have wholeheartedly committed themselves to their training. Their strong interest in aerial arts eventually led them to pole dance and fitness, and other acrobatic pursuits.
Advancement in these arts required continuing education through traveling and learning from esteemed professionals around the world. In early 2014, Heather and Waverly realized that in order to further pursue their devotion to movement arts, they must weigh two options: relocate and continue professional development where more opportunities exist, OR create the kind of studio space that they travel so far for right here at home in Asheville, North Carolina. In concluding that they both love living in Asheville and did not want to leave, they began to bring Empyrean Arts, their movement arts studio vision, into existence. This grand vision was bigger than just two people, so Heather and Waverly began to seek out the dedicated, talented, and passionate individuals who would come together to form the Empyrean team. Empyrean Arts opened the studio doors on July 16, 2015.
Through Empyrean Arts, instructors offer an affordable, fun, and diverse assortment of ongoing group classes to the wonderful Asheville community. Empyrean enjoys hosting highly sought after out-of-town artists and athletes to Asheville regularly for ongoing training. Both the staff and the community benefit through workshops, intensives, private lessons, and guest group class instructors. The Empyrean Arts team looks forward to seeing you at the studio soon.
Donations List
- Youth OUTright – local
- Dogwood Alliance – local
- Bountiful Cities – local
- Hood Huggers – local
- Carolina Resource Center for Eating Disorders – local
- American Civil Liberties Union
- Communities United Against Police Brutality
- NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund
- Black Lives Matter
- Black Sex Workers Collective
- Color of Change
- Cultural Survival
- Sacred Fire Foundation
- Stopline3.org
- Honor the Earth
Our Vision
Western North Carolina’s epicenter for specialized movement arts and alternative fitness classes. Empyrean Arts is a shared effort to extend opportunities to everyone interested in learning acrobatics, pole fitness, aerial arts, dance, flexibility and strength training, and therapeutic movement. Empyrean strongly values the importance of growth through continuing education of our instructors for the greater benefit of the studio and our students.
Our Mission
Empyrean Arts aspires to provide our community with a supportive environment for personal development through movement education.
Social Justice
- We regularly donate classes, private lessons, studio space, and our hard earned dollars to fundraisers, events, and organizations that support causes such as Black Lives Matter, Planned Parenthood, LGBTQIA+, Seek Healing Asheville, Carolina Resource Center for Eating Disorders, Indigenous and Environmental Issues, and much more that we are passionate about
- We host staff trainings in collaboration with Youth OUTright – a local LGBTQIA+ non-profit organization that provides support for youth ages 11-20 regarding gender and sexuality sensitivity
- By promoting and hosting events, workshops, intensives, and shows produced by People of Color
- We offer specials throughout the year to allow for better access to circus arts for everyone, a NEW for 2020 scholarship program for our low income community, and by trying to keep prices low all around to keep circus arts accessible to all
- We represent people of all ages, shapes, colors and genders via in-house and guest instructors, logos/promotional material, and resources shared online to raise awareness to important causes
- We heavily promote self-love and body positivity at the studio through our staff and studio policies
- We provide a welcoming, supportive, and safe space for all through the love and passion of movement arts