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Two per pole
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OK, I prefer one, but I think 2/pole is OK. The main difference in the structure of classes is how aggressive they are. I've taken classes at B&P in NYC — 2 on a pole — where I had my ass completely kicked in that 1.5 hours and even ended up with extra pole time because my pole buddy was too exhausted to continue. If I felt upset at all it was because I felt they were TRYING to tire us out with the warmup ;).
On the other hand, I've taken classes at BeSpun which were 2 PLUS girls per pole, yet had a very light warmup, and still felt OK. In this case the structure of the class was so SLOW (we only learned 3 tricks in each class — one spin, one lift and one hold) that I still felt I had plenty of time on the poles. I find that most girls don't like to repeat the same trick more than a few times … they get bruised, and would rather sit on the floor watching.
If I were you, I would either raise your rates or add more classes. Otherwise … STEP UP the pace! 🙂
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Hmmm…It's interesting how so many people have experienced only 2/pole classes! I've never had to share a pole and to be honest I would not have a good reaction to it if I had to all of a sudden :/ I don't know why, I get really posessive of the pole and I spend every second of the class on it, I don't want to take breaks (even if sometime's I may need one). I'm also really shy so the thought of walking into a class and having to share with another girl would be mortifying to me 🙁 This is just me sharing my experience and thoughts (just to give it from a different perspective, not to bring you down or anything). As for your dilemma, I completely agree with the others though. Some of these suggestions are really good! Especially being concious of going to see every student individually to ensure they can't blame slow progress on the 2/pole.
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Oh, a few more thoughts. Sorry … this is something I feel strongly about!
I would NOT enjoy a class that encouraged my partner to spot me, critique me, or do doubles spins with me (unless that was specifically advertised.) I go to classes to learn from the instructor — not my peers — and to learn to pole dance individually. I might end up partnered with someone who is too weak to safely spot me, or far below my level. And vice versa.
BTW, most of the classes I've taken are 1-to-a-pole, and it's what I prefer! I was just responding about my different but positive experiences with multiple girls per pole since I thought it might be helpful. 🙂
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Personally I do not like sharing a pole during class. If it was a workshop where national talent came in I could understand why an organizer may try to get maximum attendance. However… for regular class it doesn't work for me.
I have had experiences where the other person is wearing lotions and the pole is impossible to grip after they are on it. You can't stop and clean it off because the class moves too quickly doing the switcheroo between the groups. That was a safey issue that I hated and was my biggest issue.
I don't like breaks. I can stand around at home and not pay someone money to do it. I am spending a lot of money for each class and I want the full value. Which means pole time and as much instruction as possible.
Sharing the pole translates to me as a break in my flow. I can start to cool down during that time and I didn't like that.
From a hygeine standard it kind of grosses me out… but then again I am the one that wipes gym equipment before I use it too. I don't touch the pole with my eye… but I feel the most comfortable on clean equipment.
If there was an instructor that blew my mind I would be willing to share. There are more disadvantages than advantages to sharing. The only reason I would do it is for a great instructor that could balance the class well and also allow appropriate cleanliness and safety.
Different strokes for different folks right? I'm a one per pole kinda gal.
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Just a note to add to lilblondie's comments…quite often insurance will not cover an incident in class where a student was responsible for spotting another student.
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Another perspective from a studio owner's standpoint.
I would be happy to have one student per pole if students were willing to pay twice as much to make up the difference in cost.
None of us are getting rich on teaching pole dancing. In fact, probably more studios go out of business each year than the ones that survive. This is an expensive business to run and we all try to remain competitive so most often the majority of studios are charging as little as they can to cover their costs.
There are few fitness/dance businesses which require 20 sq. feet of space for each student/customer – which is what is required for each pole.
Retail space in my area runs about $20 per square foot…and that counts the entire building, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Most studios are charging anywhere from $15 to $25 per student per class. Adding that up, you can see why it's necessary to have two students per pole just to make ends meet and keep these studios we all love in business so that we have classes to go to in years to come.
Sure many of us would PREFER one to pole, but the reality is, it's not very cost effective.
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So when I first started pole, we could be up to 6 per pole for 1 hr. The gym manager was notorious for over-booking (it's suppose to be 4 per pole max). I only got annoyed when we were more than 4 because some of the girls are SLOW at trying moves out.
I next went to another studio (the instructor at the other place got pregnant) and we were 1 per pole. I hated it! There was no one spotting you. It was ridiculously tiring and because insulation is crap in the UK, if someone isn't constantly ON the pole, it gets cold fast… so you're working with a cold slippy pole.
Whenever, there are more girls than poles, I double up because in the end, you end up spending just as much time on the pole, but someone else is keeping it warm for you. I also got bored and lonely because I was use to having a couple buddies to chat with.
I think the KEY thing is that people like what they are use to and expect. The older students are familiar with having their own pole, so they are unhappy about sharing. I say give them a chance to adapt and ask for feedback in a month to see if they are still unhappy. If so, you might want to change some things up (lots of suggestions on here).
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Im curious about what people view as " a lot" of money for a Pole class? What are people paying for private instruction? Do any of you pay a monthly fee for unlimited. Out here a typical private is anywhere from 90-125 an hour. A class is anywhere from 20-35 a class, and ranges from 125-250 for unlimited.
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there is only one studio here currently she charges 20 per class, or 75 per session which is 4 classes. I think her privates are 65 or 75.
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We charge $25 per class but most times students can get in on a special for $20 per class.
Privates are $100 an hour.
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IMO we charge too little for our classes. Most of the other studios charge $15-20 per class in this area but I have seen as low as $7 on special.
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Where I work classes are $20 or $120 for an unlimited month. She also does sessions – $112 for 6 weeks, one class per week.
We've got four poles and classes max at 8 students. So most of the time they have to share but occassionally get a pole to themselves. I've never heard anyone complain about sharing but have heard comments about how nice have their own pole was. In the advance class, I typically don't mind to share but it depends on what I'm working on (and who I'm sharing with!).
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I'm personally not comfortable with students spotting other students. Just because the poles are shared does not mean that students should be spotting one another and I won't allow it. I really don't believe it's necessary for beginning students to have their own pole – it's nice, but not necessary.
One of the things I love about S Factor is the communal aspect and without watching each other and taking each other in you can't have that. That is one big advantage to having more than 1 student per pole. I notice that many students who have their own pole for a whole class forget to encourage each other because they are so inwardly focused. There is less chitty chatter and less bonding.
Also, most national talents ask how many poles you have like to plan on having 2 students per pole. They also have minimum required attendance to hold classes and those minimums mean there will be 2/pole atleast.
When I took aerial lessons they would have 4-5 people per apparatus and it actually worked out really well…each group would switch out each apparatus – everybody took turns and it was helpful to me to see others doing what I was going to do and see it on a human body not an awesome coordinated instructor but others like me.
I also feel strongly that if classes are structured with more than 1 studnet per pole – particularly tricky classes that there should be other offerings to compensate and work on flow like flow classes, open pole classes, freestyle classes etc.
I think it takes much more thinking and planning to run 2/1 classes but I do think it can be done…especially with beginners. Most of what we're hearing is from seasoned students who are working on more advanced work, who have a lot of stamina and are greatly skilled. I think basics can be taught in a large group. Infact I'd love to have a class with day 1 people where they did share poles so they could also partake in the social interactions…this way singles would feel more welcomed.
I think more advanced work typically needs a smaller class size anyway.
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Charley, we have a "workshop" every month. It's an open house type of thing, not an actual guest poler. The studio I attend is very small, 3 is our max class size. For the workshop, the max is 6 (pole sharing for that) and there is no inverting or even climbing at all. All levels may attend or even people that have never poled and were thinking about trying it. They are geared more toward fun…getting back to basics. Working on floor, transitions, very few spins. This has more chatting and laughter. The chatter is great and usually the getting to know your fellow poler kind of thing.
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wow…. pole is unafforable in the US it seems! I pay about 7GBP per lesson. I use to pay 5GBP at the gym but that's also because I was a member (8GBP if you're not).
Also, privates are about 30-50 GBP. And I don't think I would pay 50GBP unless it was a private with someone at world class level (which I have!). Obviously the prices vary so much because some instructors have to rent out space which costs them or travel (gas money), so in the end they are probably all getting roughly the same amount.
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@Sexygirl – I love workshops like that- it sounds like a pole jam/lesson. I love the communal aspect of pole!
@LopsiJulie – I have classes that start at around 8GBP and go up to 16GBP. Pole isn't as widely popular in some areas of the US as it is in the UK so it's not as accessible as it is in the UK right now. Also most of the studios around me are priced pretty close together and our classes are only a few more dollars that yoga and pilates class. My thinking on pole class pricing is that you have to account for the use of equipment, available space, available time and how many students each class can hold. For example an hour long class with 1/1 pole ration is around 16GBP per class on a package and a group class for 45minutes and no pole tricks just flow and transitions is 8gbp.
Fitness over here can be expensive and pole is one of the more expensive fitness plans but in the midwest pole studios really can't/don't double as anything else to gain income so…with the price of real estate studios are forced to charge more.
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