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Need your advice… Student wants to learn Ayesha
Hi there,
I have a problem and hope to get some advice how to deal with this.
Me and my friend own a small studio, and our focus is on dance. Which doesn’t meand we don’t do trickt, but by the time we get to do the tricks, our students are able to dance first, have built up strength and are able to execute the tricks not only safe but also pretty.I have one student thogh who is obviously not interested in dance at all. Because she has a hard time doind it. And everything she has a hard time doing it she’s not interested.
So, she had to quit our classes because of a shoulder injury. I gave her the advice to stop the regular classes and attend our Basics-class at the moment (this is a class that focuses on proper spin and climb technique and combos where at least one foot is on the floor).
Now she wrote me, that her shoulder is just fine, if she just warms up properly und that she wants a private with me to learn inverted tricks such as Ayesha, because she thinks she’s strong enough and just lacks techique.
I don’t know how to deal with it, because she can’t even climb properly! She has a pole at home and I bet she somehow jumps up into inverts (she hasn’t been to that point at our studio yet).
She once asked me to teach her Gemini-Scorpio-switches and I explained to her that she must learn a reverse handstand and from there inverted crucifix first. She told me that she can’t do it and she doesn’t want to learn ist that way!
So, what should I do?
Honestly I would love to explain to her, that I can’t teach her to do an Ayesha in one hour, and that it’s not safe to to so and turn her away, but she propably won’t understand and try it on her own!
I’m about to write her, that ahe can have a private with me and that we can work on tricks, but that Ayesha is something that needs months of practise and that there are a lot of moves that she has to be able to do first. But I guess she just won’t understand and gets upset and thinks I want to hold her back (she is that type of a person…)
You know, she propably just wants to do the tricks in order to take a photo to post on facebook, and that’s something that really isn’t my philosophy of pole DANCE!
What do you think?
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13 Replies
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Sorry for the spelling mistakes! Just re-read my post and I’m quite embarrassed.
Propably because that really gets my goat.Forgot to add, I knew her before we opened the studio. She’s a collegue in “real life”. I wouldn’t consider her a friend, but still. It makes it harder to just turn her away. I don’t want to upset her.
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I don’t understand how she could get into ayesha without going through the steps; invert > inverted crucifix > caterpillar > inverted D > ayesha. That’s how it’s taught at our studio atleast. I would go into the private giving her the benefit of doubt, if she thinks she is strong enough maybe she is. But then if she gets stuck at a step, for example, can’t execute a caterpillar, there’s no way you can go forward. I suggest saying something like “ok, let’s work on that step 2 again” and keep repeating the caterpillar till you have to, even if it takes the whole hour. She can’t hold that against you, she needs to hold each step for atleast a second before getting into the next one for practical purposes.
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Exactly what Kesarini said! I’d do the private, and start with climbing and basic inverts (I like to dress this up as warming up the the body for pole and strength-building – we do them at the beginning of every class anyway), then maybe butterfly (and this is usually the sticking point), and then just working at the level that needs work. Throw in some handstands (and I LOVE to talk about how important handstands are before you’re doing arms-only moves), and I bet you’ve filled a whole hour without even going near an Aysha.
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There is a Facebook site dedicated to safe pole and safe teaching. I would direct her to it. Having a student get injured is not worth keeping the student.
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I think kesarini is right on.
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First, if she can’t do a crucifix how is going to
Grip, push up into a high caterpillar, to get in the basic position for an Ayesha, elbow or split grip.As far as doing other inverted things like Gemini, Scorpio, jasmine, she can do that without inverting from the floor by climbing, doing a forearm grip hang, hooking a leg and lowering herself down into a Gemini, etc. We have some girls that can do all kinds of inverted stuff like this but can’t do a clean basic invert from the floor. One can also invert from an apprentice. All of these use different muscles so a person may be able to invert one way with ease and struggle with another way.
At our studio we explore many different ways to getting into and out of moves, variation of moves, etc. instead of making a move strictly off limits until it can be done one specific way (within reason and as long as it safe). I think this helps to breed creativity and allows the person to develop his or her own style.
I would do the private and have her show you what she can do toward the Ayesha. You can have her try with A LOT of spotting and crash mats. She may see then she isn’t there yet. There are some moves I have to just try before I know if I am even ready to begin. If she is going to try regardless at least there will be some built in safety with your assistance.
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Ultimately, your teaching method is very personal and is your own philosophy. it is YOUR brand and it is your name on the line. If you don’t want to teach the way the girl is insisting, don’t do it. Some people are manipulative and will get you to go against your own standards. this one student is not worth violating your own beliefs and wishes. if you feel she should learn these other things first, then you have an important reason for believing that. I would agree with you that it is important to be able to do these other tricks first. it is a progression of strength. if you cant even do a descent invert, how the hell are you gonna have the strength to hold yourself in an Ayesha. maybe give her the lesson the way it was described above, she will come to realize her limitations very quickly or don’t even humor her with the idea that you are gonna teach her this trick at this point in her poling. she is either crazy or overly optimistic. tell her you require a mental health check before private lessons!
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Thanks y’all!
Now that I’ve calmed down a little I wrote her, asking when she wanted to do the private (and if it comes to that point, take on your advice and work on “conditioning climbing and inverting”, the crucifix, caterpillar and butterfly) and let her know that I need a doctor’s note that she’s fine. She replied that she can’t get an appointment that fast but is fine and doesn’t understand why I need that, and I then asked her to sign a paper that says that the training is on her own risk and that training is non-hazardus.
She then replied that she cannot understand that and I explained to her that I need that sort of assurence for liability reasons and don’t want to get sued if anything happens, especially as her wishes are quite risky.
She didn’t reply to that and I hope we are through.
The fact that she doen’t want to sign anything or bring a doctor’s note – for me – shows perfectly, that there still might be some issues. What do you think?
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I agree with all of the above. Do not compromise her safety just because she unrealistic and stubborn.
I see no problem with agreeing to do private lessons with her to help her *work towards* the tricks she wants, and then do exactly that.
It may also be she’s been watching some professional stuff and we all know they make it all look so easy! I think telling her you won’t help her won’t actually discourage her, but showing her her own limitations might.
I say help her, but don’t compromise your own values or teaching methods (or anybody’s safety!) by teaching her moves beyond her own level just because she insists.
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At the studio I attend, ALL students sign a liability waiver the first day, before doing anything. It basically says u understand that pole is risky and the studio is not liable for any injuries. If u are not doing this you need to do so with all students. Some insurance companies require it.
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Cuwoody, I do so, but in this special case I would like to have something “extra” that says that she understands that the moves she wants to learn are not her skill level ans that her shoulder injury is cured.
Just in case if something happens, no one can say “You knew about her injury, how could you have tought her?”
Well she did answer now, telling me that my prices are too high.
I’m kind of relieved and hope to not have to teach her again. She has a very consuming personality (Do you say it like this in Eglish? Sorry for my poor language skills). Had some issues before when she ordered her pole, but that’s a different story. -
tell me about it i had 2 girls in the past who would ruin the mood for everybody… wanting to try stuff that i know they were not ready for. i ended up just kinda kicking em out of classes gently , its almost like they were tryin to get hurt like duhhh gtfo
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the only thing here and do not take it the wrong way : that extra waiver and asking a doctor s paper is kinda too much . sometimes a simple no is better than finding way to excuse yoyrself from teaching something to soneone you know whos not ready for it! youre the boss …..
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