Do I Need A Pole Dance Instructor Certification To Teach Pole Dancing?
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Your Pole Pal has been asked this question a LOT, in several different ways. Here are just a few...
Can I become a pole dance instructor without getting my qualification? I am currently doing pole dancing lessons and I am seen as an advanced
pole dancer. I have been asked to teach with a sports complex as a way to
keep fit. I will continue to do pole dancing until I am fully
qualified but can i teach a beginners course until then? Do I need a
certificate to say i can teach? I help out a lot with beginners teaching
anyway and I know that I am capable of supporting when/where needed. I
just didn't know if i would be allowed to do so without having certified
training?
~ Jessica
Do I need to obtain a certificate to open my very own pole fitness studio?
~ Fe
I want to start teaching pole dance but I'm not certified. I was a
dancer who only focused on pole tricks and choreography for over 3 years
in California and Las Vegas so I'm very experienced in teaching others
what I have taught myself. I want to start going to peoples homes and
teaching them pole and get my certification once I have a nice customer
base for the plans I have to open a studio here in California. Is it
okay for me to start teaching without being certified?
~ Monae
In this Article...
- Is a pole dance instructor certification required?
- Five reasons to get a pole dance instructor certification
- Are there reasons NOT to certify?
Introduction
Before a person can practice medicine or law, or call themselves a doctor or a lawyer, they have to have specific education and training, and be licensed by the corresponding regulating body. Same with registered nurses, physiotherapists, and a variety of other professions.
However, the pole dance industry as a whole has no such central regulating body. There is nothing illegal about teaching classes or even opening a pole fitness studio if you don't have a certification or credential.
Caveat: A particular
studio may require that all of its instructors have specific training
and/or certification. And if you want to teach under a particular brand or franchise name, there likely will be a legal requirement to enroll in their certification program. But that's different from a regulating body that
restricts people from identifying themselves as a member of a particular profession unless they are
certified.
So the short answer to all of the above questions is that anyone can teach pole dancing, because there is no legal requirement to have an official pole dance instructor certification in order to teach pole classes.
That said, most aspiring pole dance instructors will probably want to do all they you can to ensure they offer safe, well-designed classes. And that will likely include obtaining a certification.
To better understand exactly how a pole dance instructor certification can help you, let's take a
closer look at five of the most compelling reasons to get a certification before starting to teach classes or making plans
to open a pole dancing studio.
Five Good Reasons to Get a Pole Dance Instructor Certification
Whether you plan to teach in-home private lessons, contract your services to a gym or sports complex, or open your own studio, the benefits of getting a pole dance instructor certification are many:
- you'll gain knowledge and skills in both pole dancing and in teaching, making you a better pole dancer and a better teacher
- you'll learn important safety and injury prevention skills, which helps put your students at ease knowing you're providing a safe learning environment for them
- having a certification increases your credibility, which helps to establish trust with your potential students
- you'll make yourself more valuable to potential employers and partners, increasing your professional options
- certification may give you access to affordable insurance, so you'll know you're covered in case anyone is injured in your classes.
Let's look at each of these benefits in a bit more detail.
Reason #1 - Gain Both Technical and Teaching Skills
When you obtain a certification to teach pole dancing, you'll be gaining two types of knowledge and experience: the technical skills of pole dancing; and teaching skills.
Of course, it goes without saying that in order to teach pole dancing you have to have mastered a minimum number of pole moves as well as know how to put together a simple choreography. But what many people don't realize is that teaching those moves to someone else is a separate skill set.
To be an effective teacher, pole instructors need to learn teaching methodology that includes things like communication and feedback skills, creating lesson plans, designing their classes so that students progress appropriately, and assorted other skills that have little to do with actual pole dancing.
After all, if your goal is to be a pole dance instructor, but you have no clue how to teach someone else all those tricks you know, you're missing half the equation.
Some people just seem to be natural teachers, but most of us need to learn how to teach. At the very least, most aspiring instructors will benefit from the knowledge and teaching tips that a good pole dance instructor certification should provide.
The good news is that teaching skills can definitely be learned, and a good certification course will give you the tools you need to either learn or improve your skills as an instructor as well as a pole dancer.
When you think about it, your teaching ability could make or break your success as a pole fitness instructor. How often have you said, or heard others comment, on what a great teacher someone is? The truth is, all other things being equal, students prefer to take classes with instructors who are great at teaching.
Bonus article: Tips to help you become a better teacher
Reason #2 - Learn Safe Teaching Methods
In a good certification course, safety and injury prevention will be important components of the curriculum.
Not only will you learn how to execute various moves safely in order to avoid injury, you'll also learn safe teaching methods. These include learning how to spot, how to help students progress appropriately, and how to break down the components of a move so your students can safely build their skills.
Being about to create a learning environment in which your students know you have their safety in mind is important in putting your students at ease. But it also lays the groundwork for their pole journey, even if they don't realize this at first.
When new students come to your pole classes and experience safety as an integral part of the class (using spotters and crash mats, warming up properly, etc), that will set the bar in terms of their expectations going forward.
By learning and using safe teaching methods that focus on injury prevention, you'll not only be building trust with your students, you'll be showing them what they should expect from any other instructor, and how to keep themselves safe when they're training at home.
Reason #3 - Increase Your Credibility
Even if they don't know exactly what you studied in your instructor certification course, most of your students will appreciate the fact that you have gone to the effort to obtain training and certification.
A certificate isn't just a piece of paper. It's an acknowledgement of your dedication and commitment to becoming the best pole dance instructor you can be. Display your certificate proudly and prominently in your studio and/or on your website!
Without a certification, it's up to the person buying
your services to decide whether or not you're qualified to teach them,
and whether they would like to learn from you. For most of your potential students, they'd much prefer to see that you hold a certification than go through the process of trying to assess your skills and abilities themselves.
In other words, a certification gives you instant credibility and can help grow your business, simply because potential students will likely feel more confident taking classes from a certified pole dance instructor.
Reason #4 - Increase Your Options
If you plan to seek employment as a pole fitness instructor at an existing studio, or you plan to contract your services to a gym or recreation center, being able to show a certification lets your potential employer or business partner know that you are serious about providing high quality instruction.
Just like your students, potential employers will be impressed with an instructor who has invested the time, money and energy into getting certified. Remember, having a certification creates trust and builds credibility.
Even if you plan to open your own studio or work for yourself teaching in people's homes, obtaining a certification can open professional doors you might not have thought about. Don't underestimate how the connections you make at your training course might benefit you at some point in the future.
For example, one of your co-trainees might be looking for a guest instructor for a workshop, and remembering you live in a nearby city, they might invite you to teach at their studio. This in turn could lead to other opportunities to travel and teach as you continue to develop your skills.
Another reason you may want to certify is because you want to teach a particular method or operate your studio under a specific brand name. In this case, getting certified by the brand you want to teach under will open that door for you, when otherwise you wouldn't be able to use their name or methods in your classes
Reason #5 - Access To Affordable Insurance
Some certification programs offer you the option to purchase less expensive group liability insurance. Some even provide your first year's coverage along with your course registration fee.
Insurance is so important because without it, you risk losing everything you've worked so hard to build. Even if you are not at fault, the time, money and energy you'll likely expend in defending yourself and your business can be enough to cause you to throw in the towel. With a good policy, the insurance company looks after all of this for you, so you can continue to focus on your business.
If you are teaching under contract to a facility such as a gym or recreation center, be sure to check with them regarding insurance. Depending on your relationship with the facility, you may or may not be covered under their insurance. If not, it's important to check what their specific insurance requirements are, for example they may want an "additional named insured" clause in your policy, which you should be able to have added at no cost.
Are There Reasons NOT to Certify?
Sure, there are a few reasons not to get a pole dance instructor certification before you start teaching. But Your Pole Pal doesn't think any of them are particularly good reasons.
- It costs too much - Cost is sometimes brought up as a reason not to take a certification course. Yes, it's true that a good education costs money. And it's also true that not everyone has the cash on hand all the time to be able to take a course they might want to enroll in.
If cost is truly stopping you from pursuing your dream of becoming a certified pole fitness instructor, you may want to contact one or more certification programs to inquire about financial aid. Though few programs advertise that they offer assistance with registration fees, it never hurts to ask. You may be surprised at what's possible! - It takes too long. Then there's the investment of time and the commitment to the learning process. Certainly it's understandable that you want to start teaching as soon as possible. You're pumped, you're enthusiastic, and you can't wait to share your love of pole with the whole world. And gaining skills and knowledge takes time.
If you're impatient and want to get started teaching right away, you could always take your training course while you're teaching. Just be aware that you may not be able to get insurance until you're certified. Another option is to look for an apprenticeship opportunity, maybe at the studio where you've been taking classes. - There aren't any courses near me. That's entirely possible, especially if you live in a smaller city or a rural area where there's not even a pole dance studio yet. Fortunately, these days distance need not be an object.
Online certification courses abound, and almost all of them are available wherever you are in the world. Just be sure to choose one that provides continuing education credits from a fitness organization in your country, state or province, if this is important to you.
Summary
Ultimately, it's up to you to decide whether or not to get your pole dance instructor certification if you plan to teach classes or open your own studio. Your Pole Pal has tried to lay out the advantages, as well as look at some reasons you might have for not wanting to get certified.
Now it's up to you to make your own decision about certification.
If you need more perspective on this topic, you might want to talk with other instructors and studio owners to find out more about their teaching journey. And of course, any certification program you might be considering will be happy to answer your questions about what they offer and where it might take you.
Your Pole Pal wishes you all the best on your way to becoming a pole dance instructor!
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