Getting certified as a pole instructor..?
Replies page 2 of 4. Back to the start of the discussion
77 replies · page 2 of 4
Sign in or create a free account to reply.
Replies page 2 of 4. Back to the start of the discussion
Sign in or create a free account to reply.
↑ Show earlier replies (page 1)
Well Sharon Polsky's certification program is also approved by AFAA and ACE. Some programs are also sanctioned by the PFA. Just to clarify what this means - ACE and AFAA have reviewed the course to determine if it meets their criteria to be offered as a course for CEUs. It does not mean that they had a pole dance training expert review your course...it means that from a fitness perspective you met their criteria (ACE or AFAA certified yourself in group or CPT) and that your program meets their expectations for a qualified continuing ed class. I was proud to get an AFAA approval for CEUs but I was more proud to be PFA sanctioned as that means my course was reviewed and approved by a team of pole dance professionals and met the PFA standards. Does that mean that a program is only good if it's approved or sanctioned by another organization? No...for example Climb and Spin is written by Kira and Wendy and they have a wealth of knowledge from various backgrounds and years of pole experience which they have put into their program. When choosing a program look at the backgrounds and experience of the people involved and consider what makes that program the right fit for you. Who is teaching it? Being a great pole dance performer doesn't mean they are a great teacher. How many days of training is each level? There aren't that many programs out there that you can't invest a little time into comparing them all. Then compare price and location and other expenses.
There are SO many pole certifications out there...it would be nice if there was one place to go to find them that has them all listed, who they are all sanctioned by, cost, & brief summary of curriculum..or maybe just a link to redirect you to more information....
I'm still poor. Otherwise I'd take everyones certification because I love to learn... Maybe thats my point. I just dont have the money... I love the business part of it though. You dont know industry advice on marketing and client retention. I'll take those kinds of certifications in a heart beat- especially if they come with consulting after. I know how to run a business. Surprisingly benig an artist- I'm really good at management and client retention but because of the place of pole fitness in society I feel that it is just not the same as if you were running any other sort of business. Most of what I managed was either construction/contracting or technology based programs. I always danced as a hobby so one day I was like. Oh my, 21 years of training on something and I really need to follow that and take it somewhere. lol... I believe that certification is a good thing to have- its just really expensive and I like to know a very intricate outline and map out exactly what I'm getting and have a consultation about it if I'm going to spend that kind of money- and researching it is one of the most important aspects. But here I am- a struggling artist and entreprenuer and I swear to you- its tough finding cash for this stuff. :(
Here is a list I have compiled using google - there are many, many more certs out there. http://www.polefitnessstudio.com/certification.html?filename=Certifications http://www.verticaldance.com/poledancingcertification.htm http://www.urbanfertilitydancer.com/licensing.html http://www.polefitnessstudio.net/certification.html http://www.climbandspin.com/ http://www.empowermentthroughexoticdance.com/ETEDInstructorTraining.htm http://www.poledancinglasvegas.com/pole_dancing_certification.html http://www.poleworx.com/pole-dancing-certification.htm http://www.frommindtobody.com/Instructorcertification.html http://www.sobepoledance.com/pole-dance-certification.html http://www.lrustudios.com/pdcertification.html http://www.felixcaneinc.com/certification.php http://www.poledancestudio.com/mastercertification.php http://www.discoveriesdance.com/ http://www.pole-dancing-for-fitness.com/milton-and-mississauga-ontario-live-once-pole-dance-and-fitness-studio.html http://ripped4real.com/Poleology.aspx http://www.lady-katherine.net/certification.html http://www.isabellesalsa.com/newsite/pole-dancing-teachers-training-course.php http://www.studiosoiree.com/InstructorTraining.html http://www.teachexoticdance.com/certification/types/poleposition/ http://www.ocpolefitness.com/certified.php
Awesome Charley...thx!
@Angel Im so sorry I didn't know that! I will definitely mention your program in the future... I believe it is VERY important that an organization like ACE and AFFA approve of a teacher training, it adds weight to your program and is very important when it comes to liability and professionalism.
Thanks Charley! ❤️ 🥂🌸😀
Thanks Charley! ❤️ 🥂🌸😀
Thanks Charley! ❤️ 🥂🌸😀
https://www.studioveena.com/users/view/bc950dd0-d89d-11df-ab19-12313b090e12 I agree that emphasis should be placed on ACE and AFFA approval AND being PFA sanctioned. Angel's Discoveries Pole Dance Instructor course is also PFA sanctioned. It was great to be able to bring a course to our studio that was approved by both fitness and pole experts.
Does anyone know anything about this? I received an email yesterday promoting XPert and Pole Position courses and this statement was at the bottom of the email: " * CEU’s pending for ACE. Currently ACE is not allowing any “Certification” course to offer CEU’s. These courses are petitionable but CEU’s are not guaranteed." Those of you who have ACE CEUs - is this true? I was going to get mine certified by ACE but not worth it if they still require you to petition for them.
Charley, wow! That list is awesome! We should take that and then add some columns with different info like prices, length, curriculum, pre-req's etc. That would be such a great resource for people!! Maybe if I find some time on my hands.... Empy, that disclaimer could mean that they are in the process of being approved to offer CEUs?? It does take a month or two. There have been no changes to my course as I am still approved to offer 1.2 CEUs. I took the Pole Position course in 2008 and it was ACE approved at the time and I earned .7 or .8 ACE CEUs. I noticed in 2009 that Pole Position wasn't listed on the ACE website anymore (and still isn't) and I figured they dropped their affiliation with ACE. Maybe they are reapplying?
Yes that's may be the situation. I didn't realize that ACE has a page listing current providers. That's a good resource too. So I just spoke with the rep for continuing education and what it boils down to is that ACE isn't approving the course content as reliable pole dance training but it is approving it in general as a thorough and comprehensive course for continuing education. Interesting..ACE is really adament that while they won't force you to call it something else they don't like it when we decide to call our programs "certification" courses as they believe only the NCCA has the right to determine if a course is a certification! I'm not certain I agree with that as I don't see the NCCA as being any better versed in pole fitness than AFAA or ACE. Again I'd much rather see our courses gain recognition through PFA and other pole fitness organizations.
i'm starting a class on sunday to get my certification! i had an audition at Vertical Joes in Atlanta last week to be an instructor & i was invited to take the certification class so i can teach there! 😀 http://verticaljoesfitness.com/instructor-training
congrats congrats u know i will come seeya up there when u start teaching :)
well i got to go to one training class & when the scheduel came out for my serving job they only gave me 2 shifts, both day time :(they said my "pole trainging certification class" does'n't count as a reall class so they wouldn't be able to go around it :( so i had to drop out. its horrible! i had a chance to do what i love for a job but because of people being mean, i can't. i only needed sundays & tuesdays off & a few saturdays here & there, gusee that doesn't fly with them.pisses me off because if i were going to a tech school i would have gotten shifts & not had to quit. can we say lameness!?!?!?!
.... i wanted to add something.. i think i am going to see if i can do the ACE certification class via mail or online since i can do that in my free time to at least get headed in the right direction. i love pole so much & i know in my heart & soul this is where i want to be in life. i wish everyone was more supportive of it.... especially when it comes to my employer :(
Did you quit the class or the training? I don't think they can decide what counts as a "class." You could request time off to go fiddle off, it doesn't matter. You have that right. That is what "time off" is for!
Getting your ACE group fitness or personal training cert is easy. I am in the middle of doing it right now. Call ACE and request the materials. You request the package you want. I just paid for the most expensive one since you get more study materials and the test is pre-paid so you get a discount. You study at home for however long you need. You sign up for the test whenever you want, take it, then bam you are done. Oh, and you need to have proof that you are CPR/AED trained at your test. ACE was really helpful with my questions. After you get your cert, you have to have 2 continuing education credits every 2 years. The xpert training is 1.6, the CPR/AED training is .2, so anothe .2, etc. The CEU's are all online. You can get more certs also that count as CEU's in a sense.
i had to quit the training to be an instructor :( i know thats wrong for them to tell me that doens't cound as schooling (because it does) but i need the job & because i took the sundays off for the class they took all of my nights away too! && i need to work nights to get good tips! serving tables in the day time sucks for money at my job. i worked all day today for $30!!!! a night i can make like $110! so i have to kiss their asses so i can get the shifts i need.
You can fly out to any instructor cert any weekend. That is easy, so don't fret.
There are actually a few certifications that are PFA sanctioned and approved by AFAA and ACE. Last year, at the pole convention, Xpert was saying that they were the first and only training approved by the PFA, ACE and AFAA -which simply wasn't true. Discoveries Dance or PoleMoves may have been the first to have been recognized by all three governing bodies. PoleMoves began late 2008 and Discoveries Dance was around that time, as well. Angel, who wrote Discoveries Dance Training, and I share a booth at the pole conventions. I coordinate all of the PoleMoves trainings which started with a beginning and intermediate training and this year we are launching an advanced training. Angel's is amazing with high level teachers, spotting, etc. I would like to see Pole Certification move towards where everyone needs courses beginning with a basic ACE/equivalent certification, basic moves training, stabilization exercises, advanced moves, spotting, liability, internship hours (really a 200 hour certification) which would be similar to a registered yoga teacher. It is all very exciting! I am happy to learn everything from everybody so that I am as well rounded as possible.
I think it will be a very long time before a internship could even be a feasable option. Right now there are too few pole studios for an internship requirement. The closest ones to me are 2 hours and 3 hours away. For others it's even further. I think that those individuals who are serious about teaching and learning the proper information for exercise instruction are getting a ACE/ AFAA/ ASCM, etc certification first, then moving on to a pole certification (at least that is what I have observed on here.) It seems like the correct path IMO. ACE, etc. gives the general basics of group fitness instruction then pole certs focus on poling. It's like any education pathway. You have to learn the basics first, then move onto the more specific courses. You can't just jump into the upper division courses and be able to understand the material to your full potential. I know there are probably quite a few people out there who don't get a fitness cert, but IMO that isn't the best route to be knowledgeable in fitness instruction (unless you have such a massive background in body mechanics, nutrition, etc, but that is probably the xception, not the rule.) I majored in biology and a still am receiving new information in the ACE course.
We offer an internship and while I've had a number of people take advantage of it it's just not feasible for most people to commit that many hours unless they live locally or can travel often. I encourage, but do not demand, alternative certification as a prerequisite for our program. By the time most of my participants finish my program I've convinced them of the importance of taking group fitness so most will go on to receive additional fitness training based on my encouragement. We are a feldgling industry compared to other fitness programs - I'm just hoping to see more responsible certification programs which are committed to turn out better instructors as well as new and even experienced instructors who see the worth of taking certification and other continuing training in pole dance.
Empy - A while back you had mentioned that you were not going to get your class qualified for ACE CEU's. Has that changed? I would be down to do you online cert, then fly out for the advaced portion (when I get to the point where I am ready, which right now I am not.) It would be cool to get CEUs for it (I am still studying for my ACE test.)
