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Pole instructor audition…at a strip club??????
I saw an ad on Craigslist for a studio in the area looking for pole instructors, I checked out their website and I liked it so I emailed them and they called me to set up an interview. They were also hiring for Zumba instructors so we set up a time for me to come to their studio until she realized I was auditioning for pole, then she said "oh if you're doing pole I'm actually going to have you meet me somewhere else" she proceeded to give me the name and address of the place I could meet her for my audition. I thought it was a little weird they were having me go somewhere else so when we got off the phone I googled this place and turns out it's a frickin strip club!!! I have NO PROBLEM with clubs/strippers/etc but I am really confused about why they would have me audition to instruct pole classes at a strip club? I am familiar with all the big name clubs we have here and I had never heard of this place before which makes me think it's a hole in the wall type place and I do not want to be dancing there, the reviews I was reading about the place several guys wrote to go there for extras, AHHHH!!! I absolutely do not want to put myself in that environment even if it's just for a pole audition, it's not in a good neighborhood and I just feel really uncomfortable with the whole situation. Even if they don't ask me to take my top off I have a feeling I will we warding off unwanted attention from men considering it's a strip club…and the pole would be out in the open so everyone in the bar would be seeing my "audition" which I am also not comfortable with. What do you guys think I should do? I am going to email her and tell her I won't be going to the audition anymore (it was supposed to be this thursday) because I'm not comfortable doing an audition outside their studio, and also asking why I even have to do an audition that's not in their studio, that just seems really strange to me. My biggest dilemma is if I should ask them if we can do an interview in their studio or just tell them I'm not interested altogether? This all just seems shady to me and I am not going to put myself in an unsafe position I don't need a job that badly…plus it just seems weird!!! What should I do?!?!?
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26 Replies
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call her back =) ask her why they're doing it there…
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Is it possible that the studio doesn't have their poles up yet? If the studio does seem legit maybe you can just explain your concerns and see if there is some other neutral spot they could hold the auditions – otherwise if it feels wrong – it probably is.
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I hope it's just that they don't have their poles up yet, but I'd be leary of someone who would ask an instructor to audition at a strip club in a bad neighborhood. I think you should politely ask why and let them know you don't like the neighborhood and feel as though it could be a bad situation.
Why can't they look at a video of you as an audition? If I see that they are executing their fundamentals well then I would want to audition them to teach, not to perform for me – but I would have them prepare a mini class for me so I can see how they teach.
No matter what, keep yourself safe. We need Glitter in one piece safe and sound!!!!!!
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I totally agree with the above…if it doesn't feel right, then do everything you can to make it feel better! We don't want anything happening to you!
I would call (or e-mail) her back and ask why she's holding those kinds of things at a strip club, and perhaps discuss the logistics of what they want. Do they want someone who can get that kind of crowd going? Do they want someone who can teach pole? Do they just not have their poles up and found a place that would allow them to "rent" for free?
See if you can deal with this with a level head (although I know this is freaky!) and see if you can be optimistic…maybe it's something totally innocent. And, maybe the bar won't even be open while you're dancing? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_safesex.gif Take care, and let us know what happens, eh?
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Thanks everyone for your responses! I emailed her and tried my best not to come off as a jerk but I basically said I was uncomfortable auditioning at that particular bar so I want to cancel my interview, and I also asked why they were holding the audition at that particular place. It's marketed as a bar but it's definitely a strip club but I didn't say anything about it being in a bad neighborhood or anything like that, I just wanted to focus on my being uncomfortable about the setting, I also made it a point to tell her I wasn't comfortable dancing in front of anyone except her and the other instructors…isn't that how it usually works?! Last week I applied for an instructor position and before the interview I came to find out they weren't looking for instructors they were looking for girls to dance on poles on stages and then "mingle with the crowd and sell drinks" umm that is not a pole instructor position lol. Last spring I spoke with a studio that wanted to hire me after just one phone conversation and didn't even ask to see me dance so i turned them down because I was sketched out that they would hire me without even auditioning me……then I had the debacle where that studio kept saying they wanted me to teach but then hired a girl that looked like a barbie doll stripper (aka total opposite of me) behind my back and had her start teaching the classes instead!!! There's some force that obviously doesn't want me to teach!!!!!!!!!!
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I think it does sound shady, but there could be a slim possibility that the bar maybe wouldn't be open at the time that you would be auditioning? If the studio doesn't have their poles up and IF the club is closed at the audition time it could totally be legit.
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For years the company I teach pole with didn't have a fixed studio in my particular city. We had semi-removable poles that we'd put up in a local hotel function area, and we also taught out of various gyms (semi-removable poles again) and yes, strip clubs – outside of their 'working hours'.
Is it possible she's hiring for a mobile instructor, and this is one of the venues she subcontracts out to? I think you should just be clear on what the position entails and go from there.
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I took pole lessons for a bit at a strip club. They were always held when the club was closed to the public. Not the best lessons I have ever taken but I always learn something from every experience lol.
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Glitter, I'm sure you didn;t sound like a jerk. And even if she takes it that way, it's better to be a safe jerk than not. Please update us when she replies.
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I emailed her earlier today and she hasn't responded, she was very quick to get back to me before though so I'm assuming she's read it and is deciding how to/if she should respond sooo we'll see what happens i guess….the audition was for 4pm so i would think the club would be open during that time, its a bar/restaurant kinda place as well
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4 PM on a Thursday? It sounds like they tried to pick a time when the club would not be busy at all. I've worked at several clubs, and at 4 PM on a Thursday, I would have to say that there's a good possibility that the only people watching you will be the one giving the audition and maybe one or two girls and a manager who open. And honestly, they may not even watch you. If there are one or two customers, those one or two girls will be all over them, I assure you!
Not that I'm encouraging you to go! If you don't feel safe, then don't go, definitely! Your safety is the most important issue here. Just letting you know that from my experience, they did pick a time when you would be less likely to be bombarded with the male gaze. 😉
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as a studio owner, i wouldnt do auditions in a strip club
if they do ask that, it means they have no studio, so its not really a serious job…. then you should launch your own mobile classes instead of letting someone else making money with you
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Glitterhips, I don't like the sound of this at all https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_batman.gif please be careful https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif
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Or….here's another thought. You'll love this Glitter. Maybe they are auditioning you at the club because they literally want you to train their strippers to do real pole moves so they can generate more business. Most of the young girls who come into clubs to get jobs don't have any actual pole experience and it's "on the job" training. The really good ones get together for practices before work, etc. Maybe they are trying to invest in the talent they have and the girls they are trying to get. Having an on-site pole instructor might help them get a higher calibre of talent. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif
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Hey willowbreath & glitterhips – I thought of that, too, and was going to write the same thing. but then I thought, wait a minute, I have never heard of a strip club paying someone to train their girls! Maybe a nice club, but this place sounded kinda low class…
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Haha Tarah, I am a pole instructor at a studio in Australia.
I am paid to train girls from four different strip clubs in my city, and I go to the venues in the evening, either before it is opens, or before most clients arrive. I teach on the main stage, under mood lighting and all. One of these classes is also open to women from the general public, so the club makes a little extra money that way too.
There are plenty of legitimate positions for pole instructors at strip clubs. There are also plenty of dodgy strip clubs an unscrupulous business owners – so I recommend glitter, and anyone else, simply keeps their BS radar on, and assesses each case as it comes.
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Hi Fern sycamore! Wow, that is awesome! What a great job you have! The girls must appreciate you so much. I guess things have changed, and I'm glad to hear it 🙂 Glitterhips, I hope this is the case for your situation, let us know how it turns out…..
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I second Fern Sycamore,
Alot of clubs are investing in instructors to raise the quality of their dancers' pole skills. At the club I worked at, they payed one of their own dancers (who is also an instructor at a studio) to train us at 3pm once a week… Dont be too nervous about the environment – its quite common for strip clubs to use their space for their own extra training/activities/interviews/ or to rent out their space for a seperate function/event. And really, unless you are there at peak time, late at night when its crowded and the customers are intoxicated, you should be very safe. Club managers are professional businessmen too… So i reckon, just get as much info out of this woman as you can re the interview and venue, but I would be definitely show up as long as she can give a reasonable explanation for the choice of interview location. Also, from another poler who has aspirations to one day be an instructor, sometimes we have to be prepared to start out small and underground, before we can make the right contacts and rise to the top (ie fancy studios). Its all about networking and diverse experiences girl! 🙂 Hope the woman gets back to u and pouts your mind to rest… I know how u must be feeling, it sucks to always be hitting dead-ends! But keep putting yourself out there! 🙂 xox
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Oook I have an update for you guys!!!! I emailed the owner (we will call her J) on Tuesday saying I wanted to cancel my audition because of where it was located and I also wanted to ask her why they were holding it there in the first place, I basically told her I was still interested in the job but uncomfortable dancing in a club for the audition.
My audition was scheduled for 4 pm yesterday, I have school from 9-12AM…I get out of class and check my phone and I had 2 missed calls, one voicemail and one text from the girl I spoke to to set up the audition (we will call her S)….but two days before I had emailed her partner J to tell her I wanted to cancel so either she never got my email or she read it and didn't communicate it to S…either way I was really annoyed these people were blowing up my phone while I was at school wtf?!?! And it was totally unnecessary because I made sure to tell them two days before the audition was supposed to be scheduled because I didn't want to cancel it at the last minute and be a jerk and inconvenience them so I wanted to give them plenty of notice, I guess that didn't work!
So I finally texted S back and re-explained everything I had already said in the email i sent to J, I told her I was in class so couldn't check my phone and said the same exact things I had said in my email J never told her about. She never responded and my audition time came and went so I know she got my text I just assumed they were offended and forgot about the whole thing.
Then around 7 pm I get a phone call from J (the main owner) saying "Hi I just got your email and I wanted to let you know I totally understand your concern about the location, but the time we had scheduled you for is before they are open. Our studio is under construction right now so that's why we had to schedule it at the club. You can come meet me at my office in downtown Chicago if you still want to meet, why don't you just call me back at this number so we can chat"
….???? Ok if that's the case why wasn't all of this explained to me at the very beginning?!? I feel kinda put off by the fact that J didn't pass along my email to S and if they would have explained to me why they had the audition in a club I would have been a little more open to the idea but they just told me a time and place to meet them which I think is strange. The club is still in a not great neighborhood and they said the owner of the place would be there as well so obviously there would be a guy around, I'm sure he is professional but the whole situation just makes me uncomfortable. So now I'm wondering what I should do, my boyfriend said to just forget it and wait for the next opportunity plus I do makeup and wedding season is coming so I know that will keep me busy for sure. What do you guys think? I feel a little better about the situation but i still have no idea why they didn't tell me any of this information until I asked???
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Glitter, my first thought is…they just didn't think about it. If these are new girls going into business, they may have so much on their plate one thought the other was handling it. It's forgivable, depending on how much they have going on. I used to manage 2 law offices at the same time (and go to school and do military reserve duty at the same time lol) and sometimes so much piles up you forget simple stuff. My suggestion is to call her and give her a chance if you really want the opportunity. You may be more comfortable after talking to her. And if you don't…at least you won't always wonder if this was the break that you missed. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
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Yes, when when opening a biz things great crazy and you forget… I feel that they are genuinely interested in you, with good reason. You communicated well, you have great talent and don't want to risk yourself at a dingy nasty club. They are showing respect to you by not making you go there. I say, go in, chat, see how you feel once you actually meet them in person and see the studio itself. It could be a great opportunity! If you still have the vibe this isn't the gig for you, at least you tried everything. Good luck Glitter
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I just caught up on this post and read through the responses before I wrote mine…but through the whole thing I'm thinking…maybe they don't have poles up, or even have a studio yet, but…why would they simply direct you to a club without explaining this???
You hit it on the head Glitter…they should have explained that when they set up the interview. It's pretty basic and common sense to explain why an interview would be at ANY other location other than the venue you will be working at/for.
I doubt it's anything shady…but my concern is how much common sense do they have to not even have the forethought to tell you why you would be interviewing at a different location. It just seems like something that should be difficult to omit!
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You're gut feeling is telling you to be wary of this situation and deep down, no matter what our heads are telling us at the time, gut feelings never fail us
If they are running a professional business, forgetting to pass important info on such as a this is absolutely no excuse. I run my own business and I can tell you now that you can spot people who are inefficient and not serious a mile away…. and it seems like thats what you've done. They should have told you in the first place, end of story. The fact that they didn't suggests that they don't know what they're doing. I can appreciate that people start these things if with little experience, everyone has to start somewhere, but forgetting such a simple thing? It's not a difficult task. For a start, they haven't exactly promoted their business very well… they've even put potential employee's off!
If their being this inefficient before you've even started working for them, what are they going to be like when it comes to payday? Or having days off?
I would let this one go and consider it an experience to learn from. If it's something you really want to do, write to every different pole school nearby that you can and ask if they are in need of an instructor. Sometimes you need to go looking for jobs as they don't always come looking for you https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif
Let us know what you decide https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
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glitter, I agree with hannahelizabeth. I do love poling, however, thinking like a mom, I like you proceeding with caution. That you even questioned the situation tells me you have strong concern and I think you should go with your gut feeling. Something that is starting out so quirky has me wondering what might be up ahead.
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If it's something you want to know more about I would proceed with extreme caution. It may have been a simple oversight. I do think they should have explained all of this and it does make me think they aren't organized but that could be momentarily.
I would go to the office and talk with them more and atleast meet them. Find out what they are thinking. Remember any interview is as much you interviewing them as them interviewing you. I'm a firm believer that in any field it's just as important to make sure the job is also right for you. I am really against taking jobs just because you have to because those situations rarely work out…(although I know we don't always get to pick and choose, but I like to put everything out there before I take a job.)
Also you need to find a kind way to bring up your concerns about their communication with one another and it made you wonder how organized they are and if this is a headache you are going to have to continue to deal with.
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