Pole Dance Fitness Training/Certifications

Shannon Burbridge started this discussion · 3/15/2013

Pole Dance instructors: How important do you believe it is to have have credible training, fitness and pole knowledge (anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, biomechanics of exercise) and certifications to teach logical, safe & effective classes? Pole Dance participants: How important do you believe it is that your instructor have have credible training, fitness and pole knowledge (anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, biomechanics of exercise) and certifications to teach logical safe & effective classes?

5 replies

chemgoddess1 · 3/15/2013
You may not get a lot of responses as this topic has been discussed quitre a lot here on the forum and I think every aspect has been covered. Here are the thraeds if you would like to read through them: https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/511b97e9-98f4-48fe-9fdd-66c90ac37250https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/3408 https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/3549 https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/4351 https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/4447 Honest truth, when a new student walks through the door they do not know what it takes to learn or teach pole so having a certification means nothing to them. On the same note, you can make up the name of a certification and the majority of student will not even check it out before stepping foot into a studio. Location and price are typically what is most important. Now ask that same person after they have been poling about a year and your answer may me completely different. To this day I still could care less if a person has a "pole certification". I do not think it is necessary to be a good instructor. More important to me is years in the industry and knowledge of how to get me in and out of moves effectively and safely. But again, I am 5 years in. I could care less about this stuff when I was first starting out....all I wanted was to learn how to pole and even contacted a bunch of the strip clubs by me to try to learn. Fawnia, Sheila, Pantera, KT....none of them had "certifications" when they started out.
Shannon Burbridge · 3/15/2013
Thank you for your thoughts! Much appreciation!
chemgoddess1 · 3/15/2013
I will also say though, as I have in the other threads, I would take a cert just for my own personal knowledge because I am that type of person. And I would bet that most instructors would seek out some sort of cert, be it ACE/AFAA or just continuing education. There are so many resources available online now that it is silly not to educate yourself.
Shannon Burbridge · 3/15/2013
I agree...X-pert, Aura, and others as well as AFAA, ACE, ACSM trainings will add credibility to the industry...Thank you.
pegasusaerialfitness · 3/17/2013
In my opinion a certification doesn't always guarantee that someone will be a great teacher. A great teacher will always seek out ways to improve their teaching skills. And...just because someone can do a "trick" doesn't mean they can teach it. A great teacher needs to be able to understand the steps and process of the movement. The teachers I would be cautious of are the ones that think they don't need to be an expert in there craft. They are the ones who think that since They can do the move or They might be a great performer equals great teacher.