If you’re aspiring to become a pole dance instructor, by the end of this article, you’ll have the know-how. This article explores how to become a pole dance instructor, what it entails, including salaries, qualifications, and responsibilities. Without further ado, let’s jump right into it.
Becoming a Pole Dance Instructor
If you’re a pole dance enthusiast hoping to become a full-time professional pole dance instructor, prioritize getting a certification in the field.
You must also audition as a pole dance instructor in various studios after getting a certificate. Getting a job as a certified pole dance instructor will result in better-paying jobs than you would have access to as an uncertified one.
The following section will point you toward becoming a professional pole dance instructor.
Prepare for certification & Course Costs
It’s essential to evaluate your financial position to see if you can fund the course. Most of these pole dance instructor courses are offered in three levels, i.e., beginner, advanced and intermediate.
Take an online course that requires you to record yourself and share your skill progress with your teachers. Alternatively, consider taking an in-person course at a training center.
Typically, a course can cost about $750 on average. However, this price can vary significantly depending on several factors. Set aside at least $3,000 for a complete pole fitness instructor certification.
Some courses combine all three levels in one course. Such a combination tends to be more costly and takes several weeks or months to complete. Plus, they are usually conducted in a retreat-style in an exotic environment.
Enrol For Instructor Training
Ensure you’ve done thorough research on the best available instructor schools before enrolling. Remember, there aren’t organizations that certify pole instructor schools. So, you’ll have to pick one that suits your preferences, including the payable learning fee. Do your research on some of the master trainers in your area such as XPole Xpert fitness certified instructors.
Nowadays, most of these schools can certify you without ever leaving your home. All they require is demonstrations as tests. Alternatively, you can fly out of the country to take the course for a few weeks or months. Some of your destinations may include;
● PoleandAerial Pole Instructor School
● PolePeople Pole Instructor School
● XPERT Pole Instructor School
● ElevatED Pole Instructor School
Audition for pole instructor jobs at fitness studios
After certification, the next step is auditioning for jobs at various pole dance studios. Pole dance is a niche-driven industry.
In applying for a job, be prepared to move to a different city unless you open your studio. That’s because even though pole dance instructors are high on demand, there are few studios in each city. ways of increasing your chances of getting hired include;
Visiting pole dance studios
Start by visiting local studios in your area and ask for available job openings. Since most studio owners are teachers, consider being upfront when hunting for a job. The studio owner might require you to audition by showing off your skills in front of students.
Note, you have to personally reach out to the studio owner because they’re the ones who know if they need instructors. Another trick to getting in touch with the studio owner is signing up for a private class. That will give you a chance to introduce yourself.
Drop your CV in many studios
As you construct your CV, ensure incorporating your dance and fitness history. Choose the template that represents you professionally while pointing out your strengths.
Importantly, you should have videos showcasing your skills as proof that you can teach pole dancing. Begin by sending your CV to as many studios as possible countrywide.
You can visit pole dance studio websites or other platforms with jobs openings. However, email them your CV if a studio doesn’t have a web page. With your CV circulating out there, you should get interview offers within a week or two.
Passing the auditions
After sending your CV in circulation, you must prepare adequately for the auditions. Remember, you might not be the only applicant, plus pole dance studios don’t do outright hiring. You may be asked to audition in front of students or a group of teachers.
Alternatively, you may be required to teach students. These are meant to evaluate your teaching skills. If you impress the studio owner with your skills, they might hire you full-time on the spot.
Typically, auditions take about 2 hours, depending on class length. Note that as you audition, you’ll be assigned, beginner classes. It’s not a guarantee you’ll get the job after auditions. Teach your friends or practice in front of the mirror to boost your confidence. This is fundamental in increasing your chances of getting hired.
From Teacher Training To Teaching professionally
After getting hired, you’ll have the opportunity of teaching more than two groups of students, including private classes.
Pole dance classes typically consist of a less and manageable number of students than yoga. For example, while a yoga class will have about 30 students, pole dance classes consist of ⅓ or less that of yoga. Few students give you an opportunity of providing individual attention.
Do’s and Don’ts of a Pole Dance Instructor
Helping someone discover their skill set is fantastic, and if you aspire to explore it through becoming a pole dancer instructor, you should know a few dos and don’ts:
The dynamics of body movement
Since pole dancing involves muscles endurance and coordination, your student’s safety is practically on your hands. So, you must properly show them ideal body movements and muscle engagement that won’t harm them. Bear in mind also that not everyone is tuned to their body. So it’s your job to ensure they are adopting the proper techniques.
Ensure your students are familiar with terms related to pole dancing, such as ‘trapezius’. Additionally, ensure they understand what you’re saying. For example, “tighten your core as draw in your navel,” they have to know what comes after what. To ensure the students are following every instruction, consider moving around and see what each is doing.
If some of the students have trouble with some tricks, consider breaking the tricks into manageable parts. And if that’s not possible, show them a less advanced version of the trick.
Your class will consist of fast and slow learners. As you help slow learners improve, also help the other group advance their skills. Studying anatomy, science, sports, and other relevant fields for proficiency is advisable.
Be welcoming
Having a welcoming face is essential for welcoming new and shy students to dance in front of others in a pair of shorts, especially if it’s their first time. Make them feel that the studio is stress and judgment-free zone.
They might not like how they look when they see themselves in the mirror, so it’s also your job to make them feel good about their body.
Ensure to wear an inviting smile while greeting your students. In addition, learn your students’ names so that they know you care about them. Even if you’re stressed when coming to class, smile because most students come to distress after a long day’s work.
Deliver Safe & Effective Classes
As with any type of fitness class, it is important to ensure that your students are safe and effective in their pole dancing. Before launching into a lesson plan, be sure to do the following:
- Review the basic steps and safety guidelines for pole dancing. Make sure your students are familiar with the moves before you begin teaching more advanced steps.
- Demonstrate each move before having your students perform it. This will help ensure that they are doing it correctly and safely.
- Utilize a spotter whenever possible. This will help keep your students safe while they are learning new moves.
- Encourage your students to take breaks as needed and drink plenty of water throughout the class period.
Lighten the mood with jokes
Most students will focus on what you’re saying not to miss anything, which can make the mood in the room too serious.
Lightening up the room with some jokes can go a long way in engaging your students. Plus, it will make the learning process fun and enjoyable.
Throwing in a few jokes in your explanations is also advantageous as it makes it easy for the students to understand your instructions. Also, it’s a trick to ensure your students leave your class while smiling. Your students will be eager to attend your class in the next session, especially after associating it with your sense of humor.
Warming up
Since pole dancing is practical, you must warm up effectively to get your muscles ready for the upcoming lesson with your students. Remember, warm-up exercises significantly energize the muscles and target specific body muscles. The warm-up exercises usually take 10 – 15 minutes.
Note, active stretching and dynamic body movements are ideal for warming up than passive stretching. It’s because passive stretching can significantly decrease your energy.
Ensure to make warmup plans beforehand. To keep the warm-up exercises variable, try them out yourself.
Don’t come to class unprepared
Showing up unprepared can significantly affect your career negatively. If it becomes a regular habit, you might start losing students; plus, it dampens your student spirit to learn. Always show up prepared, so your students are eager to learn something new.
Don’t exclude the music
Giving plain instructions can sometimes be boring to students. Remember to include music in your pole dance sessions. Music will lift your students’ spirit, and it’s also an essential motivator. Music also makes the pole dance routines enjoyable.
You must be cautious about the music to play. Playing music your students have heard a thousand times is bound to bore them. Choose music that most of your students are familiar with while maintaining relevance regarding the dance routines.
Don’t cut anyone out
Bear in mind that all your students want your attention. Try helping everyone but don’t let one student use up all your time. You should know that no matter how many students you have, don’t shy away from helping them at the individual level regardless of their; sex, age, etc.
Don’t show off
Don’t show your students how good you are at pole dancing. After all, they’ve come to learn and not to watch you. As their instructor, you have to focus on giving them proper guidance. As you show them cool tricks, explain how to execute them in simple, understandable ways.
Benefits of Being a Pole Dance Instructor
As you grow your career as a pole dance instructor, the advantages will be countless if you play your cards right. Remember, to succeed in this industry, you have to put in more effort. Below are some of the major importance of being a pole dance instructor.
You get to enjoy what you love
If pole dancing is your passion, you’re in the right place. However, if you’re doing it for others, you should revise your career choices.
Plus, if you don’t love pole dancing, then you’ll be a lousy instructor. But If it’s your passion, you’ll benefit by keeping your body fit through physical exercises, among others.
Numerous job opportunities
Pole dancing is a fusion of physical fitness and dancing. 2015 is when pole fitness took off. However, there aren’t many pole fitness instructors since most stick to the music niche. And they can easily get jobs in schools or studios than pole fitness instructors.
Pole dancing is more popular because of its fusion. As your train tour students new dance skills, you’re also helping them keep fit. The good thing is that there are numerous job openings daily you can apply for with different wage offers.
Building a following
Once you become a reputable and reliable pole dance instructor, fame follows whether in your community or the internet.
There are many pole dance instructors with many followers on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc., who entertain their followers with their dance routines. A significant advantage of having a huge following is getting high-paying clients who seek your training services.
Pole dance instructor salary
Pole dance instructor career is lucrative, and those in the industry are earning big. According to salary.com, the average salary of a pole dance instructor ranges between $50,000 and $54,000 per year. The salary weight also depends on the studio location and the number of classes you’re assigned.
Top earners’ salaries can go up to $56,000 annually. In addition, the wages of pole dance instructors in major towns can double that of those in small towns.
If you’re a beginner instructor, you’ll earn about 45% of a major instructor with two years of establishment. If you’re new to a studio paying experienced instructors $37 per hour, expect to be paid half.
The good thing is once you have a solid reputation and establishment based on your experience, you can earn up to $140 per hour for private pole dance classes. However, instructors with about 3 to 4 years of experience can also earn high wages ranging from 100 per hour.
Final verdict
The Pole dance instructor industry is lucrative since it is fast rising. As already mentioned earlier, you don’t need certification to be a fitness instructor.
However, certification is necessary if you want to become a professional. Before making any major decisions about your career choices, you must ensure it’s what you want to pursue. Once you’ve established its ideal for you, feel free to proceed with it career-wise.
For more quality content like this, be sure to check out the Pole Model Youtube Channel!
See you there 🙂
