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Does this sound right to you?
Hi all, QUESTION:
I have been poling for about 5 months and taken around 8 lessons with a studio with 2 different teachers..
The first teacher taught things very slowly and it was rather frustrating as I was finding it boring and a bit of a waste of money really as I picked it up very easily but was forced to continue learning to walk around the pole and do basic spins for majority of these lessons.
I was happy when we had a new teacher who was faster paced but I found she spent more time showing off her own skills rather than teaching us! Frustrating once again as I’m paying a fortune for these proper lessons!!
I have a pole at home so was able to practice at home and master the basic and most intermediate spins with no problems at all.
I begged the teacher to teach me to invert safely so I could do it at home without hurting myself….she taught me the inverted crucifix which I got first shot. I was very happy.
I gave up on this studio as I didn’t feel I was learning enough, and I went ahead and bought Veenas lessons – best thing ever!! – so all this time I have taught myself a whole heap of tricks at home.
Ok getting to the point, I went back for one more lesson at the studio and the faster paced teacher was adamant we learn how to do an inverted V but keep our legs straight the whole time, and the other thing we were taught was an invert whilst up the pole.
That’s all fine but the whole class was at my level or lower and nobody could do it. One of the students said to her “we have only just learned to invert and the other teacher makes sure we tuck our legs first” she replied with “well that’s the basic way, Im showing you advanced”. We all struggled terribly and then she proceeded to teach us a crazy advanced inverted trick! And again none of us were strong enough for it yet. My wrist is killing me from just attempting it 🙁
So the question is, are we ready to learn these moves or is she jumping ahead of what we should be learning?
The other question is, one of the other instructors is only at what i class as a intermediate level!!! I have seen her tricks and they are sloppy and she has commented that MY moves are amazing and she wishes she looked as good as mine!! Should she be teaching pole???
I am questioning the whole studio at the moment.
I am so sorry for the long post but I need some opinions PLEEEEEASE!!! -
33 Replies
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I'm far from an expert since I can't attend most pole classes.
Teaching is an art in itself. The old phrase "those who can't do, teach" has proven wrong to me time and time again. I'm involved in several other small, close-knit communities and similiarly people end up teaching or instructing when they are really skilled at something with 'being a teacher" not necessarily in their skillset.
Plus, we all learn differently. Some people need hands-on guided instructions. Others need just to watch and are able to repeat after a couple tries.
It sounds like you just haven't found a teacher that meshes with your preferred learning style. Fortunately, there are StudioVeena lessons. Keep trying!
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I went to a studio like this. IMO its not worth your time or money. I know how it feels to want to be social and be at a studio. I had to unlearn the wrong way to do things from the less experienced teacher and it took me awhile to get over the issues with pole I got from the advanced show off teacher.
Here a few articles that really helped me decide. I love how bluntly honest the PoleSkivvies blog is. Hope this helps.
http://poleskivvies.com/pole-dancing-clothing/2011/03/when-to-fire-your-pole-dance-instructor/
http://poleskivvies.com/pole-dancing-clothing/2009/09/top-ten-traits-of-good-pole-dance-instructors/
http://poleskivvies.com/pole-dancing-clothing/2009/12/pole-dance-teachers-to-avoid/
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I have 2 comments. first on the one instructor who is showing/teaching things that are too advanced…a good teacher knows/can assess the skill level of the student and teach accordingly. If youa re not strong enough to do a move then she should give you little parts to try to achieve before putting it all together. I personally would not go back to this teacher. Unfortunately you will run across a lot of advanced instructors that can do but cannot teach.
On the teacher who taught slowly….never underestimate people who teach slowly. There is a skill set and strength that needs to come before advancing. There is ALWAYS something to learn, whether it be a little nuance or a different variation of the same spin. This is where I think you may have jumped the gun with wanting to learn trick, trick, trick. Did you talk to the instructor (after class, not during) and explain that you were not feeling challenged? Did you ask to be shown different variations of the spins?
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I say run! Veena has great lessons! Look for a new studio if you still want some socialization. For you to be successful you must feel like those teaching have your best interest at heart and know what they are doing….even if they are doing it right (and I am not saying they are or are not) if you are not comfy with the instructors then the studio is just not right for you. Just my thoughts on it …..
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@BACE16 thanks for the links, I think the show off teacher is a combination of a few of those ‘bad’ teacher traits :-/
She makes it feel like it’s a competition to her, to see what will be the hardest move to teach the newbies today that makes the students look silly and it makes her look like a superstar and everyone is “oooing and ahhhing” at her skill level.
She is really good to watch, but I’m not there to watch and admire – I’m there to learn. Something she needs to work on!@chemgoddess I did speak to the slow teacher but she will not move on until the whole class has it perfect. I found it frustrating as we do not all pick things up at the same pace some will be slower than others, and for the ones who pick it up quick to have to be dragged back time and time again over the same thing was off-putting.
She wanted us to ALL have it to her level of perfection which is great but after 5 lessons of pole walk and chair spin, I was totally over it.
Another thing, the two teachers in question butt heads and make it known to everyone over different teaching styles and different names for moves and spins and make the class awkward and uncomfortable.
And lastly, I did not choose to swap teachers…I actually tried my best to stick it out with the ‘slower’ teacher, but when the ‘show off’ came back from holidays we had her as our teacher and after the first lesson with her I saw she was more focused of showing off her skills and chatting with some students about partying/her weekend/the comp she is going in so she needs to practice her routine (in OUR class mind you).
I would specifically ask to be in the ‘slow’ teachers class actually, but some days it was just luck of the draw who you got as a teacher for that day :-/ -
@sam I am, I do have Veenas lessons 🙂
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Then having explained that I would not spend my money there. Do they offer open pole sessions that you could attend for socialization?
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Well to be honest, you were asking for More, More, MORE! You felt behind and decided to do things at home. Most people don't go right into an invert the first time and the first time you try anything, many times it will be difficult or seem impossible. I am a student who loves to see a teacher "show off". I think we should have freeplay at our studio, as most do, but our area is too modest! In return our classes are so slow.I am advanced and at competition level so it sucks to be in class and not be challenged. There is always something to work on though and I love that. Our studio has only one advanced class, and the owner used to do a great job with it but now, since nobody wants to try to attempt to get to advanced or complain about even the intermediate tricks, our studio is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy behind what it should be. Thank God I am a certified pole teacher and I am proud to say that I am opening my own studio. They teach when you become certified that you shouldn't "show off" what is above the level of the group. I always thought, "Nobody would care about that", but I am really glad you posted this because I am able to see. I think you should not feel down, I think that she only thought you were more ahead. I was recently traveling and I went to different studios. The class watched me for the entire freeplay advanced session and did a standing ovation at the end. That advanced class was so impressed because of the level that I am at. Another teacher let me in her Beginner class, just to freeplay while she taught to the rest. She came over and taught a few advanced things that nobody had been able to teach me, being at the level that I am. You might have thought I scared off all the girls, but that area was so open. I think that one day, when you are advanced, you will feel proud not be held back, just because you think that others will think that you are "showing off". We are a pole community. Do you see the Unity in community:)? I think that you should privately talk to the owner/instructor so she knows how to address you. Some clients need a lot of coaxing and attention. Most instructors don't know everyones level. You can also do a private, so you get one on one with your level. This will also help your instructor know your level, so next time she can appropriately put you in the right class. Good luck! Happy poling!
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It sounds like what you need is what I had in my instructors. They had a level 1, a level 1-2, and a level 2. I always went to the level 1-2 class. The class was structured so the routine would include different variations of spins, so if someone is a very beginner, they can do the easier version of the spin, but the more seasoned girls could do the harder variations.
I don't know how most studios do classes, but I likes the format I was taught in. Everyday, the instructor would teach us a "dance." We'd learn the first part, practice, learn the second part, practice, learn the third part, practice, etc, and put it all together as we went along. This included lots of spins, transitions, floorwork, etc. This was great because we were learning a bunch of spins and moves in one class, and each class was new and refreshing. It also helps to have a lighthearted instructor.
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I perfer multi level classes so the more advanced students are learning more advanced versions of the same move 🙂
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I agree with Nymphdancer, & also I don't mind an instructor showing the next level move that your current one will lead to because that gives me some idea that I'm progressing. For example, my aerial instructor says, if you want to do *this*, then let's first work on *this*. It also helps me understand which muscles & skills are needed. But to just show off…ugh. I had that instructor already. She actually would lean on a pole and talk so you couldn't even touch it to practice. I left her when I was hanging by one leg, no hands for the first time, and she was too busy talking (usually something bad about another teacher/studio) to notice or care.
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@chemgodess, i have only ever seen them advertise a pole jam once. But I’m not going there to socialize, I’m only going there because I want to learn routines and how to put moves together.
@roamy, yes I dud want to learn more, but more at MY level, not more at HER level!!!
Good luck with your teaching 🙂 -
@sensual & @oopsie daisy – I was in a combined class!! There was NO showing different variations of the moves JUST the advanced (her) way! Inverted V from floor (with straight legs ONLY), invert while up the pole already, and a move she called a “ballerina” but I have noticed it online as being called an “advanced twisted plank”.
I would LOVE to learn a dance each lesson!! That would be my dream class! But is all we did in an hour was the 3 moves I just listed and were not shown any progressive moves that would build strength to get us to those moves. I did ask her what strength training we need to be able to work up to it and she told me “you just keep doing this”. *sigh*
Also, she would blatantly ignore us if we actually got a move! She’d quickly look away and not give any acknowledge in any way.Saying this…I don’t think I will go back. Im pretty sure my gut instinct was right :-/
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I forgot to add that there wasn’t any other options for the other lever in my class, the beginner2 were made to do these moves too. Eeeek.
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You've received a lot of good feedback and links but I'll go ahead and offer my 2 cents as well! ; )
Trust your gut! It is expected for an instructor to challenge students and allow them to grow their skills but not put them in a situation that they are not physically or mentally prepared for.
If there are no other studios in your area that are appropriate for you, save the money you would have spent on class and use it to travel to workshops or visit out of state studios a few times a year.
I hope your wrist healed up and things are well.
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