What kind of pole classes do you like?

Lucca Valentine started this discussion · 2/19/2015

Just curious, what kind of pole classes do you most enjoy taking? Trick oriented? Conditioning oriented with a little bit of tricks? Dancing with a little bit of tricks? Tricks with just a little bit of dancing? Do you not like the dancing bit at all and your rather just do technical skills and tricks in class? Thinking of teaching soon and wondering about class structure or if I should just separate conditioning/tricks/dance in some way. Level 1 classes almost always seem to incorporate some level of sexy dancing/floorwork...but that was always the least appealing part to me...but now I would love it! So thinking maybe some strengthening and spins (fireman, attitude) with just a little bit of on pole dancing maybe worked into a short combo linking the spins. And I dunno how I'll do it but lord knows im gonna figure out a way to teach pole piros ;) no one teaches them here!!! And they're such a go to fundamental move in freestyling once you can play with em. Anyhow! Would love to hear your opinions on the type of pole classes you like, the type of pole classes your friends like, or even what most people seem to like. Just trying to put some feelers out on it cuz there are so many types of polers! I guess specifically asking what you liked most or least about some of your beginner pole classes :) Thanks you guys!

12 replies

Phoenix Hunter · 2/19/2015
every week I try to take atleast one tricks class and one choreography class. my tricks class is just tricks. now my choreography class maybe choreo with pole. twerking class,or a stripper style choreo with pole and floorwork. I try to do both tricks and dance stuff. sometimes I go through phases where I will prefer tricks over dance or vice versa but I do one of each class each week and I practice at home. I dont have the space to dance at home so it's either flexibility or tricks at home
Phoenix Hunter · 2/19/2015
I didnt like my beginning choreo classes because I just dont care for spins and there was an emphasis on spins. I love classes where the instructor turns the lights down and puts on the color lights. We do this in our stripper style class and it is my absolute favorite.
Lucca Valentine · 2/20/2015
ok good to know! turning the lights down was always my favorite part of the beginner classes i took to :) thats interesting that they divvy up pole with different kinds of dance and then have a purely tricks class. do you think anyone would be interested in a conditioning class focused towards pole? like functional training for pole but done at a speed it serves as cardio too? this has been on the back of my mind as an almost injury prevention class....and truly at some point in my pole career will teach an actual pole injury prevention workshop. so you seem to be pretty divers then, except for done like spins. that seems to be a kind of divide. maybe ill have to figure out a level 1 where there arent so many spins but other fun moves/tricks we can incorporate into the choreo. a lot of those low level pole tricks can be beginner level and are fun and different. thanks so much for responding! the only thing is the stripper style being your favorite...i dont know if i have the skill set to to that...but i think i do. if i think i do maybe i will post a vid and you can tell me what you think >_< thanks so much for responding!
Phoenix Hunter · 2/20/2015
my studio does offer a pole strengthening/conditioning class. I never go to it because I just do that at home. we have two veins of approach to pole at my studio. in beginner level you can do a level 1 dance. it has spins and choreo suitable for level 1 or you can do beginner tricks. it has pole climb, sit, wrist sit, crucifix and elbow stand. so for beginners you can choose whether you wanna dance and do spins or just do tricks. intermediate is the same way. there is intermediate tricks and then intermediate choreo with choreo and intermediate tricks and spins. then there are many conditioning,twerking, stretching,and chair dance classes that are usually open to all levels. I think the spins my studio teach are very appropriate and necessary for beginner level I just preferred doing beginner tricks instead. yes, stripper style is very specific. dont even bother teaching it if it aint your thang. I have seen instructors try to teach a style of dance or tricks that is not their thing and it shows. your students want your knoweledge of what you love to do. they will seek you out for that. only you know whether you are comfortable with a certain style of dance or not. some instructors are better at teaching choreo and dont fare so well when teaching tricks or vice versa. yes! lights off makes me feel so much more comfortable to dance! :) some instructors will teach the routine with lights on them turn them off when we run the routine. for our stripper style class it is lights off the whole time and I love it. and she encourages us to dress the part for that class. so much fun. But I think you can do that for regualar choreo class too. encourage students to dress up IF they want to. I love it, but some people dont care for that sort of thing. I love to put on makeup, fake eyelashes and heels for my choreo class. tricks class I Just show up looking like crap and ready to work. that's just what I do for me to help me feel the part and get in the mood. for some reason I dont dance as well when I feel ugly. hehe!
Phoenix Hunter · 2/20/2015
we also have a beginner spin pole class and an intermediate spin pole class. we have lots of classes. in the spin pole classes we usually learn a few spin combos appropriate for that level. they are not necessarily routines, just a few combos. at the end of class we can practice our combos to music and add freestyle if we want.
ambience24z9338 · 2/20/2015
I was going to Pole Fitness. It had a variety of classes you can do as a member such as pole conditioning, chair dance, flexibility, boxing, hip hop dance for cardio, and the level classes 1-6. I went to level 1-2 class, flexibility and pole conditioning. However, from my experience my learning experiences were good based on which instructor I had because 1 or 2 made me feel like they had to put a spin or invert on everything or make it seem harder for me. I felt like they were competing with me because I have booty and thighs to shake. Lol But I'm the beginner. My grace is just different that's all. Lol I'm not good at working out on the pole so they did lots of that.
Slkysmth · 2/20/2015
I have attended a couple different studios. The first studio I started at offers a trickery class, conditioning class, flow or dance, etc. This studio ALWAYS has each student freestyle dance to a song. The studio I am attending now and the intermediate classes I have been taking focus more on tricks, combos, etc but it always incorporates a sexy stand up, a floor move, etc. Basically something to bring everything together. My personal opinion? Offer Variety! I think having students freestyle dance be it together or individually is huge! I dont do it enough so when i do i feel lost and like i am doing the same moves over and over and over again. Plus it gives the students a chance to incorporate what they just learned! Variety... :-)
ambience24z9338 · 2/20/2015
Slksky.. I agree. Im stuck doing the same moves over and over again. :(
Phoenix Hunter · 2/20/2015
We have 4 levels of classes at my studio. it is much less confusing. some studios have many many levels. they go by the standards of the Pole Sport Organization guidelines. I think many competitions also use this same guideline to determine levels in competitions.
tacha666 · 2/24/2015
Hi, Studio owner & teacher here. Just my two cents: You can't cater to all of your students. There will always be some that like one thing over the other, no matter what you offer. Also, the more options you offer, the more they will ask for. I you only offer 1 or 2 options, they will be happy. Sounds crazy, but it's true. So my advice would be: Teach what you feel comfortable with, try to incorporate tricks as well as dance and focus on what your style is. Our classes are like this: - Warm-up - warm-up dance (which is usually a repetition of things they alredy know) - Conditioning - new tricks, spins, dance moves - combining the new stuff into a small Combo - Freestyle dance with lights down - stretching And keep in mind: You can't make everyone happy and you don't have to. If you know this, it will take off a lot of pressure! Also, I read something really interstin what I try to Keep in mind: 33% should be things they already know 33% should be new stuff, easy to achieve (even if it's just a small piece!) 33% should be things they have to work for a little more That way, they get reminded of what they have achieved already, have a feeling of success that makes them proud and happy and something that they want to achieve in the future :-)
marithim · 2/26/2015
I like my classes, which are strength/trick based. But I also like when they have level related pop ups, where its a time you can come in and freestyle up to the level of the popup. So anyone can come in to the beginner popup, but they are expected to only do beginner movements. It's just your choice of practice time.
sundcarrie · 2/27/2015
I like a class with a good warm up then right to the pole I like dancing but it is the hardest part for me. I have been doing pole for over three years now and when I started I couldn't have been on the pole that long. So it depends on who your teaching. When I teach private sessions I base it on the students level but classes are harder. I am also a personal trainer so most of my students have expected it to be light on dance and heavy on conditioning. That is kind of my brand. The studio I attend is the opposite but it keeps me on my toes to have to learn the dance moves. As a teacher there is also nothing wrong with asking you students what parts of the class they like the best. I know we went through a spell at the studio I go to where we spent 2 days a week (90 minute classes)almost exclusively on breaking down and learning routines. People including myself quit going but I kept in touch with some ladies and they let me know when that stopped. It was boring for me however I am happy to spend part of a class breaking down each detail of the routines since that is the only way I seem to be able to learn the dance section as long as we have open pole time or some time just on pole moves.