How To Pick A Pole Fitness Studio

Check out this article by the fine folks at Pole Spin Magazine:

How To Pick A Pole Fitness Studio

So, you think you wanna pole dance, huh? Congratulations on making a decision that can lead you to a world of physical fitness, artistic expression and personal empowerment. No other sport offers such artistic possibilities and the opportunity to obtain inner and outer strength.

But before you just jump in, you need to find the right kind of studio for you. Let’s talk about what you should be looking for, shall we?

Location! location! location!

Start your search near your job or workplace. Google is often a great reference to help find a pole school that’s in close proximity to you. Since regular attendance at pole classes is essential for progress, you’ll want to find a school that fits into your schedule and doesn’t require hours of travel time. If it’s easy to get to class on time, you’ll soon incorporate pole fitness into your regular schedule.

Who’s Running The Show?

So, you’ve found a school, and now it’s time to meet the staff. Unfortunately, pole fitness is still in its infancy around the world and we have no accreditation boards for review of teachers to ensure conformity to safety and instruction standards. Each school will have its own standards, curriculum and teaching accreditation for the most part, but there are things you can look for…

1. How long have they been in business? A school with a solid track record of continuous operation probably has enough of a returning student population and influx of new students that would indicate good word of mouth and a happy clientele.

2. How much experience do the teachers have? Teachers come from all walks of life: club dancers, personal trainers, yoginis, housewives, etc. There’s no end to the diversity of who is called to teach. Some have previous experience with teaching, body mechanics and/or physiology, which can be a plus. We must remember that pole dance is a highly athletic pursuit and the risk of injury due to repetitive motion with improper body alignment or falls and sprains is an ever-present danger, so find out how much knowledge they have to help keep you safe.

3. Where did your teacher study? Teachers who only know the curriculum and methodologies of their home school could be missing out on other, valuable teaching techniques from master teachers. A open mind to learning is a healthy attribute in a teacher and those who continue on with their own studies in both mastering their own tricks and studying various teaching techniques will have a great depth of information to offer you. As we all learn differently, a teacher can call on wise words from various instructors will have more to offer her students. Someone who has first hand experience is learning from masters such as Jamilla Deville, K.T. Coates, or Fawnia Monday-Dietrich
(to name a few) will have the closest thing we have to personal experience with the all-stars of pole fitness today.

Series or Drop-In Programs

This is the biggest distinction in how studios operate. Let’s learn about their strengths and weaknesses…

Series Studios

Series of classes are much like semesters. You sign up for generally four, six or eight week courses where you attend a regular class on the same day and time. Series studios usually have predetermined curriculums for each level, starting with basic moves such as spins and progressing through climbing, strength based holds and finally inversions.

Series studios believe in teaching tricks in a certain order to better condition the student, build on previously taught materials and guiding a student on a proven path to success. Students can complete each course with a single teacher who can carefully monitor their progress and students can often feel more comfortable by being with the same women each week – it nourishes bonds of trust and friendship. Another benefit to this method is the fact that students are not exposed to others who are radically above or below their skill level.

Drawbacks to this type of program are that it may move too slowly for your taste or that you may not be disciplined enough to regularly attend a class each week due to work issues or loss of interest in working out.

Drop-In Studios

Many studios operate on a drop-in basis, i.e. one that allows you to come whenever your schedule allows. Whether purchasing monthly unlimited passes or punch cards with a pre-loaded number of classes, this type of program can be perfect for those with erratic schedules or who crave more than one class per week.

Drawbacks to this program that could affect you include the fact that many drop-in programs blend levels of experience due to the fact that they never know until the hour of the class exactly how many people might show up. To ensure that it is worth the teacher’s while to show up for work, they may put beginners with much more experienced students, which can sometimes cause anxiety or frustration. There also may not be any steady progression of the tricks that the students are exposed to, which has the possibility of confusing beginners.

Your Pole or Mine?

Okay, so you’ve picked your style of program structure, but now you want to know how many poles you’ll be working with.

In general, studios in the United States work with two pole or multi-pole systems. Two-pole programs in general have small class sizes and the students are encouraged to learn not just by doing themselves but by watching each other to spot flaws or successes. Fewer poles can help the teachers give more individual attention to the students of the class and encourage the students to become personally invested in each other’s success. Some students prefer to have maximum pole time during class and for them, a two-pole system can feel limiting.

Multi-pole classes can have anywhere from 4-12 or more poles per class with the concept that each student gets her own pole during class. Many women prefer to have so much access to the pole for practice during these classes, but drawbacks can include less individual attention and higher risk of injury due to overuse of the arm or falls and sprains. It’s up to you to decide which choice is the right one for you in this arena.

No matter which type, make sure you’re picking a studio that doesn’t overload classes with too many students. There’s a limit to how many poles and/or students a teacher can effectively monitor at one time. Aside from obvious safety issues that could arise, you want to get the eyes of the teacher on you to correct your technique and help you progress. This is crucial in your beginning sessions.

Sporty, Sexy or Artistic?

The final major consideration is your goal for yourself. Do you want to dance like the girls in clubs? Then a program that skews towards the sexual may feel like the right fit for you. Are you just in it for strength and fitness aspects? Then a studio that focuses less on dancing and more on conditioning and tricks might be up your alley. Are you drawn towards the inherent theatrical aspects of dance in the way that Cirque du Soleil blends athleticism with moving storylines? Then a studio that blends all three aspects might call to you.

While all good pole studios will provide you with the opportunity for personal growth, each type of program will have a style all their own. If you have the chance, take an introductory class to test drive the system, watch the teacher move and see how you feel afterward. If you stay with one program, more than likely, you’ll develop habits that clearly move you in one clear direction. Make sure you’re comfortable with where you’re being led so that you can get the most out of your experience.

One more thing to think about is whether you will have the opportunity to share what you’ve learned with an audience. No, not stripping (although we should never, ever disparage where our art form was born – exotic dancers are our pioneer women and deserve our respect and thanks) but rather recitals or showcases. Many women discover that they get so good that they’d like to explore avenues of performing for friends or family. Ask if your studio of choice participates in any type of performances or have relationships with other studios that do.

Finding the right studio for you is much like finding daycare for your child. You’ll just get a good vibe from your first visit. Pole dance is a very personal art form. We take a very vulnerable part of ourselves and bring it out to play. You want to make sure that you’re protected, both emotionally and physically in a pole class. You’ll become attached to your teachers as they will be your guides in this complex and wonderful journey, so make sure you’re with someone you trust and that you feel has your best interests at heart.

When you’re comfortable, there’s really no limit to what you can achieve in the world of pole dance. I always go back to my favorite quote these days: “Today is the youngest you’ll ever be.” So take a chance, step outside your comfort zone and see how high you can fly!

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This is a Pole Spin Magazine exclusive, written by our staff writer Trina Lance for our celebratory complimentary issue now available to everyone. Get your FREE COPY now at http://polespinmag.com/welcome/freecopy/ and also SUBSCRIBE. If you are attending the upcoming American Pole Fitness Championships in NYC, pick up a copy there. Pole Spin Magazine is a proud sponsor of the APFC event.

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PoleKittens Fitness is expanding!

We are opening a second studio in St. Bernard.
More poles. taller poles, silks, and a posh lapdance room.
If all goes well, our open house will be early September.

Keep checking back for updates!