Sarah Jade has more to her than just her marriage to the Hollywood actor Dave Bautista. Even before their relationship started to receive media coverage, she had been spending hours learning pole dancing, working on difficult moves and turning it into a career. What started out as a few videos uploaded online eventually saw her win a national championship and establish her own business.
Sarah Jade, who is based in Tampa, Florida, is a professional pole dancer, fitness instructor and businesswoman. She was crowned Miss Pole Dance America in 2016, an achievement which brought acclaim to the years of hard work she had put in. She is also the founder of Buttercup Pole Dance, a studio that offers people the opportunity to learn pole dancing and aerial fitness. Even though her marriage to Bautista made her known to fans of wrestling and films, Sarah had already achieved success in a field quite separate from Hollywood.
Quick Bio
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Sarah Jade |
| Date of Birth | 12 December 1987 |
| Age | 38 years (as of October 2026) |
| Birthplace | Tampa, Florida, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Professional Pole Dancer, Fitness Instructor, Businesswoman |
| Education | University of South Florida |
| Qualification | Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology |
| Famous For | Pole Dancing Career and Marriage to Dave Bautista |
| Major Achievement | Miss Pole Dance America 2016 |
| Business Name | Buttercup Pole Dance |
| Former Husband | Dave Bautista |
| Marriage Year | 2015 |
| Separation Year | 2019 |
Who Is Sarah Jade?
Sarah Jade was born in Tampa, Florida on 12 December 1987 and, as of October 2026, is 38 years old. Throughout her adult years she has been employed in the dance and fitness sector. Different from a great many professional performers, she did not have formal dance training when she was a child; instead, her interest arose later on when she came across pole dancing at the age of about 18.
For many years Sarah has been a performer, a teacher and the owner of a studio. She is known for joining challenging physical movements with expressive dance routines and has taken her performances to various competitions and events all over the United States, whereas her business has enabled her to teach those people who would like to explore this art form.
Her Early Life and Education in Florida
Sarah was brought up in Tampa and it was there that she eventually decided to set up her business. She has not given much information about her childhood, and there is very little reliable information publicly available concerning her parents and siblings. Nevertheless, one aspect of her family history has a particular significance in her professional life.
Her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother operated an antique shop known as Buttercup Cottage. Sarah knew the family business during her childhood and retained the name long after the shop had closed.
She kept on with her studies at the same time as she developed a interest in dancing. Sarah obtained a degree in sociology from the University of South Florida in 2011. At that stage, she was starting to realise that her interest in pole dancing could turn into something more than just a hobby she enjoyed in her spare time.
How Sarah Jade Fell in Love With Pole Dancing
Sarah’s first encounter with pole dancing was quite ordinary. She started by watching online performances given by experienced dancers such as Alethea Austin and Karol Helms, and was attracted by their movements, which led her to want to learn how to do the same routines herself.
She began to practise without having a specific professional objective; for about two years dancing stayed a hobby on a personal level. The physical aspect was demanding and acquiring new moves needed patience, balance and strength. When Sarah had improved she started looking into the possibility of training with other dancers and taking part in public performances.
She also found that pole dancing was not merely about carrying out complicated tricks; just as important were music, timing, and the ability to connect with an audience. These ideas later entered into her method of teaching.
The Journey From Beginner to Dance Champion
Sarah slowly began to take part in professional dance events, competing against other performers who had different styles and various levels of experience; her early results enabled her to gain a position in the American pole dancing community.
In 2012 she came in second place at the USPDF Amateur Nationals, and she was also awarded recognition for her athletic ability at the Florida Pole Fitness Championship in both 2012 and 2013. The fact that she had taken part in these events gave her valuable stage experience and motivated her to keep improving her performances.
Her greatest achievement came in May 2016 when she was crowned Miss Pole Dance America in Nashville, Tennessee, and Dave Bautista was present at the event to publicly congratulate her on her win. The outcome was also reported on by entertainment publications, thus bringing Sarah’s achievements to the attention of people who had previously know very little about competitive pole dancing.
It was a significant point in her career, but Sarah had already started to plan a future separate from the competitions. Her own studio was becoming just as important a part of her working life.
The Story Behind Buttercup Pole Dance
In 2011 Sarah opened a studio called Buttercup Pole Dance in Tampa, Florida, which gave her a place where she could teach regularly, work with other instructors and introduce new students to the dance style that she enjoyed.
The name was not selected by chance. Sarah got Buttercup from her family’s previous antique shop, Buttercup Cottage. When interviewed in 2016 by the International Pole Convention, she said that she wanted to honour the three generations of women who had run a business before her.
It started off as a small studio but later grew into a business which provided a broader variety of activities. Together with pole dancing, Buttercup has also provided aerial silks, hoop, trapeze, flexibility training and private lessons. Sarah arranged workshops and dance camps in which performers and students could come together.
To run the business has required a great deal of time and energy. When giving interviews, Sarah has said that she feels a personal responsibility towards the studio and all the people who are connected with it. The various tasks she has carried out have been teaching classes, arranging events and taking care of the ordinary duties associated with running a business.
Why Teaching Became an Important Part of Her Career
Sarah has always regarded pole dancing not as an activity that should be reserved for experienced athletes. She has stressed the importance of enjoying movement, paying attention to the music, and letting students improve at their own pace.
In the interview she gave in 2016 she said that it was more important to her that students should have a positive experience than to have them complete the most difficult tricks. She wished for the students to feel at ease when they were learning without always comparing their progress with that of other dancers.
This method contributed to the atmosphere that Sarah desired at Buttercup; instead of viewing each lesson as being preparation for a competition, she got people to enjoy dancing simply because they were dancing. It’s a straightforward idea, but it shows how her own career started.
Sarah Jade’s Marriage to Dave Bautista
When Sarah got married to Dave Bautista in October 2015, public interest in her personal life increased. Bautista was already a well-known figure in professional wrestling and had become a successful actor in Hollywood as a result of films like Guardians of the Galaxy.
The couple announced their marriage on 7 October 2015. Photos from the wedding were published in the entertainment press and a number of well-known wrestling personalities were present at the celebration.
This was the third time that Bautista had been married; earlier in life he had been married to Glenda Bautista and to Angie Bautista as well. Though Sarah had a completely different professional background, both she and Bautista appreciated the physical demands of performing.
The couple attended public events together while they were married, and Sarah kept on working in the pole dancing industry with Bautista seen supporting her at her victory in 2016.
What was the reason for the separation of Sarah Jade and Dave Bautista?
Sarah Jade and Dave Bautista called it a separation in early 2019, having been married for over three years. Since their relationship had attracted a great deal of attention, fans naturally began to ask questions about it.
The precise reasons for their separation have not however been clearly stated in reliable public comments. Although various online discussions have given possible explanations, these assertions should not be taken as proven facts.
Since the divorce Sarah has given very little detail about her romantic relationships. Even though her marriage had exposed her to a wider audience, she has usually kept her private life separate from her work as a dancer and business owner.
Sarah Jade’s Family and Children
Sarah has kept her family rather private. The only thing she has done is to talk about the women who inspired the name of Buttercup Pole Dance, and beyond that she has not given many personal details regarding her relatives.
Sarah and Dave Bautista never had any children together. Although Bautista has three children from his previous marriages, there are no publicly available and widely verified reports stating that Sarah has any children of her own.
Her present relationship status is likewise not clearly recorded. Instead of showing the public every aspect of her life, Sarah has kept a professional image based on dancing and teaching.
What is Sarah Jade’s current situation in 2026?
Sarah Jade is still associated with the business that she set up in Tampa, and at the time of October 2026 the official website for Buttercup Pole Dance still lists her as the owner and main instructor.
The studio offers lessons in pole dancing, aerial fitness and private classes, and also gives beginners as well as more experienced students the chance to practise various types of movement.
Although Sarah now receives less notice from mainstream entertainment publications than she did when she was married to Bautista, her activities within the pole dancing community are still the most clear-cut record of her professional life.
What Makes Sarah Jade’s Story Interesting?
Sarah’s career did not begin with fame or a carefully planned route into entertainment. She discovered an activity she liked, practised until she improved and gradually found opportunities to earn a living from it.
Her championship title showed what she could achieve as a performer, while Buttercup Pole Dance gave her a business that could continue beyond her competitive career. Her family history also found its way into that business through the studio’s name.
Although she became widely known through her marriage, Sarah had already achieved something meaningful on her own. That is perhaps the most important part of her story.
Conclusion
Sarah Jade turned an interest she discovered at 18 into a professional dancing career and a business of her own. Her journey took her from practising movements at home to becoming Miss Pole Dance America in 2016.
Her marriage to Dave Bautista brought her into the celebrity spotlight, but her achievements in pole dancing began well before their wedding. Today, Buttercup Pole Dance remains an important part of her professional identity. Sarah’s story is ultimately about a woman who found something she enjoyed and worked hard enough to make it her career.
(FAQs)
Who is Sarah Jade?
Sarah Jade is an American professional pole dancer, fitness instructor and businesswoman. She is best known for winning Miss Pole Dance America in 2016 and founding Buttercup Pole Dance in Tampa, Florida.
How old is Sarah Jade in 2026?
Sarah Jade was born on 12 December 1987. She is 38 years old as of October 2026 and will turn 39 in December.
Was Sarah Jade married to Dave Bautista?
Yes. Sarah Jade married Hollywood actor and former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista in October 2015. The couple separated in early 2019.
Does Sarah Jade have children?
Sarah Jade and Dave Bautista did not have children together. There are no widely verified public reports confirming that she has children from another relationship.
What is Sarah Jade doing now?
Sarah Jade remains listed as the owner and lead instructor of Buttercup Pole Dance in Tampa. The studio offers pole dancing, aerial fitness and private lessons.
