Chair Dance Routine-Need Help!

PolePixi started this discussion · 8/12/2013

Hi Everyone, I currently teach beginners and intermediate pole lessons. I decided to put on the schedule sexy stiletto pole & chair dance (fancy name for chair/pole dance class). I put it on the schedule this week just to get a temperature gage and within 2 hours I had 5 students sign up. Help! I have never taught chair. I have a song in mind and an idea of the routine; however, I am not a professional dancer so I don't know the "counting" method but would like to teach by building on the song. For example, play the song and show 3 moves, rehearse the 3 moves and show an additional 3 moves, and rehearse the 6 moves and so on and so forth. For those individuals that teach or have taught pole what is the best way to communicate the moves effectively? Help.

12 replies

PolePixi · 8/12/2013
I mean "Chair".
jade s · 8/12/2013
Yay, and congratulations on your response to the new class! I teach a "sexy" class as well, and I am by no means a trained dancer. I don't use counts either. I do teach a "routine", but I let my students choose their own song for "performance" day and they change up the tempo to fit their song. I give them the option to change the moves to fit their song. That way they get to use their own creativity. I just give them the foundation to build off of. Good luck and let us know how it goes!!!
Rylonn · 8/13/2013
My own instructor teaches with counts, and we practice a few times til everyone seems to get it, then we practice it with music, then move on to the next counts, and so on. But I suppose if doing by counts is difficult, you could teach the moves and sing along, to get the timing down, my instructor does that as well :)
Rylonn · 8/13/2013
Unless your "routine" is more like a guided freestyle, then I guess it doesnt really matter and you could just practice the moves to made up counts
Prplegrl10 · 8/13/2013
My instructor for chair class teaches a few moves at a time and then we go back and review the moves, she teaches a few more and we go over it all again and then we do some ab and leg floor work. After that they turn out the lights and do the routine song at the end of class. She doesn't always do things to a count but she calls the moves as they are coming up (sexy walk to the side of chair, figure 8's, divets, etc). They have the same routine/songs for a week at my studio.
PolePixi · 8/13/2013
Thank you soo much ladies. Your comments really help me. I will be practicing every day until Sunday so I am sure I will be fine.! Happy poling or happy chair dancing!!
paintilady · 8/13/2013
There is a great chair routine lesson you can get on Premier Pole for $15.00, 4 weeks, we took the online lesson and did the routine, you can see it here It could give you some ideas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC4ChZepR8M
chemgoddess1 · 8/13/2013
HoppinAriel here on the site has a bunch of chair videos. I am in this one: https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/4e7a6047-925c-44d0-9552-6a750ac37250 Several on these pages: https://www.studioveena.com/videos/index/bc82af32-d89d-11df-ab19-12313b090e12/2 https://www.studioveena.com/videos/index/bc82af32-d89d-11df-ab19-12313b090e12/3 https://www.studioveena.com/videos/index/bc82af32-d89d-11df-ab19-12313b090e12/4 OK...she has several pages of videos with chair routines on pretty much every single one. Also check out videos by Rodney James Syaranamual and Flirty Girl Booty Beat.
chemgoddess1 · 8/13/2013
BTW, every single routine class I have taken has taught maybe 30 seconds to a minute, practiced it 2-3 times then taught the next section, practice, add it all together then so on and so forth. Some have taught by count and some have taught by lyrics/parts of the song.
Veena · 8/13/2013
This is a video from a Chair workshop I did. You can hear how I both count and give cues instead of only counting. It's the final run through btw. https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/4ddee0b1-c610-43c5-b4cb-32160ac37250 ; I teach chair in sections. We learn all moves needed for each section, then go over it with the music. Then, teach any new moves in the next section followed by dancing again adding on to the first section. So on and so on. Teach, add, teach add. I think it's important to "teach" (break down a move) if there are tricky moves you'll be using so someone doesn't fall off the chair! If it's super easy choreography, then you can just add section by section without "teaching". If that makes sense. 🌸
PolePixi · 8/14/2013
Thanks Ladies. @chemgoddess1 I especially like that routine because that is the song that I am doing (Rihanna, Skin) I will try and learn that routine to teach. Thank you soo much.
PolePixi · 8/14/2013
@https://www.studioveena.com/users/view/5018659f-fd30-43e9-ba72-02ee0ac37250https://www.studioveena.com/users/view/5018659f-fd30-43e9-ba72-02ee0ac37250hat was gorgeous. I just checked out premierpoleonline looks like it has some good stuff in addition to studioveena, which I love, I already feel good about teaching. Thanks.