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Studio Loyalty
I have a question for all the polers: students, instructors, and studio owners.
How do you feel about studio loyalty? Once you find a studio you love, do you stay there and only there? If you are an instructor, does it make you mad if your students go to several different studios? If you are an owner, does it bother you if your instructors works at different studios?
My personal situation is that I’m an instructor that takes classes at different studios and has been offered to teach at different studios. I’m feeling torn and I LOVE my home studio that I’ve been at for three years and the people there but I want to experiment and grow as a dancer.
How do you all feel?
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31 Replies
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First off:
https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/4e87e310-5fbc-4d16-961f-37b30ac37250
https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/50168200-f8b4-4780-8886-65010ac37250
https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/2629
I think it is really hard to grow as a student if you do not explore other studios or instructors, or even different types of movement. I can honestly say that I do not know a single poler who has not taken some other type of class, be it yoga, pilates, gymnastics, aerial, etc. Would you view that as being disloyal?
As for being an instructor, this depends on the agreement that you have with the studio. Some make you sign contracts, others you are an independent and they have no say whatsoever as to where you can teach. This is more of an employee/contractor difference than anything else.
I personally have gone to many studios and try to visit ones when I travel. I still have one that I consider my "home" studio, but I am good friends with the owners and instructors at another studio and have been involved in workshops and showcases there. Luckily the majority of studios by me play nice together.
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So, like always, I start a new thread when there are already a million on the same topic in SV.
I guess mine is just a little different because I am looking at being an instructor of two studios and a student of a third different studio. All the studio owners are okay with my situation but I do feel pressure to pick a ‘home studio.’ The pressure is even greater now that I have begun competing and the program and announcer usually mentions what studio you hail from.
The bottom line is: I want my students and I to get better as a dancers…But I don’t want to break up a pole family
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Sorry my phone freaked out! Thus the earlier empty post. Now I'm on a real computer haha:
I personally like just going to one studio all the time for everything. It feels more like a family to me and less like a hobby so maybe that's why. If you're at the level of being an instructor, I imagine this next statement doesn't really apply but here are my thoughts: I don't love when people (I'm specifically referring to students here) who hop studios come to my studio because they walk in and jump right into an Iron X. First off, I'm obviously jealous because I can't do one! haha but secondly, it makes me nervous because that's not how I was taught/my studio teaches. My teacher is really into warming up and building/dancing into things, not just cold jumping into advanced tricks.
That being said, I think as an instructor it might be a personal preference thing. But maybe just being conscious of the tone of each studio.
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Noelle: My phone can be crazy go nuts too!
Hate that mess….
Anyway, yea, that’s kind of my point too. Different studios have different types of students that have different expectations. I want to grow and learn but I also don’t want to compromise how I teach a class.
Ps- i could start entire new thread on my love hate relationship with iron x. I’m the mean teacher that shuns twisted grip and forces you to do the much harder cupped (Chinese) grip until you’ve built the muscles to keep you from injuring your shoulder. So I can see how a student might just switch to a different studio so they can jump/kick into tg lift/iron x cold. -
I go to studios when I travel, and I’m thinking about only sticking to the studio here in phoenix (but it’s hard when there aren’t any intermediate/adv classes) and Poletential (I go for open pole and it’s AMAZING people are SO helpful!) in the bay area when I go vacationing. The last studio I visited in phx was so rude to me it was unbelievable. The teacher refused to call me anything but a beginner student (because you know, beginners have a strong aerial invert and reverse iguana mount) and asked me to buy her beginner series before moving to intermediate. There are only one or two intermediate moves I can’t do (excluding knee holds) due to not be super flexy. Even her website makes her come off as a word I don’t use often. And she’s trained all of her instructors to talk smack about the two other studios in the area. Oh, and one of her instructors came into my workplace and called me a slut for being an exotic dancer over just teaching pole and doing it for fitness in my basement like everyone else. I’ve been burned from studios losing workshop spaces and also rude business owners to even think about going to a new studio,.
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Point being (because my phone submits onl half of the message) go where you want, teach where you want. But remember that some places aren’t a “family” and are just a bunch of rude catty women trying to run a business for the money (I’ve seen series packages as expensive as $300 for beginner….)
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I struggle with this question too! My "home studio" way downsized and stopped giving regular classes about a year ago. I still go there to work out and am very close to the owners. I was *devastated* when they closed but it forced me to go to different studios and I've really grown as a pole, in part because I had to try different things. None of the other studios in town exactly fit my needs, although they are both great in their own ways, so I kind of go all around. I feel like a bit of a Studio Slut. I've found that the important things are to respect the teacher/class and recognize that there are diffent ways of doing things. Keep an open mind and don't be dogmatic about how you do or don't pole. Don't talk smack or be negative. When people see you are there to learn, I've found they are pretty open to teaching. 🙂
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Dang CapFeb!!! That sucks!
I had a student that moved to SF and she lives like poletential. I only heard amazing things. I also have a student that moved to Phoenix and I have only heard horrible things!!! I will never name a studio if it’s a negative comment but I do wonder if we are taking about the same place.At any rate. My ‘home studio’ in San Diego is definitely a family. I keep in touch with my students that moved away too (like the ones I mentioned in Phoenix and San Francisco). I don’t think every studio is a family…so that’s definitely something to consider when I’m trying to pick places to teach and to be a student at.
Ps- I feel like I just want to give you a hug because I totally think you aren’t a beginner, that you’ve worked hard, and it sounds like you just want to get more awesome!! Ayayaya, these judgemental places.
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I am not sure if you are friends with Aerial Amy but she was in this situation herself (not competing though). I think she may have chimed in on one of the threads I posted. I don't mean to come off rude when I do that, I just have a huge memory and there is lots of good info from people who may not be here any more and I just try to make it easier for people to find the info they are seeking.
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Cara: yea, I really wished I was almost forced to grow like in your situation with a studio closing. It’s so hard to make a leap. Really though, you need to be an instructor. You are really very good!!
Chem: thanks for the links! I read them all and the aerial amy blogs you posted in one of the threads. You are right…I gotta look through all that stuff because there are definitely people who have had to make these decisions in the past who might not be writing on this thread now.
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I would never want to stick with one studio. My goal in pole dance is to push myself to find out all of my body's capabilities. I want to pick up the best qualities of so many different dancers and each teacher has their specialties. I can't take the risk of missing out by being limited to one studio.
@Nadine I think you should go for those offers. It does not mean you don't love your home studio you are just broadening your pole horizons 🙂
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I feel as an instructor you should be able to teach where ever you want. Just like fitness instructors who make it their living. They teach class at several different health clubs and owners accept it as a common practice. Of course if they want exclusivity than they should offer you a contract and more money.
I think as a student you always want to grow and expand. I think it's beneficial to seek out other studios, teachers and classes. Everyone has a unique approach to pole, dance and there is always something new to learn. Of course you can have a home base but it's fun to go outside your box. I take hip hop, yoga, and silks consistently to enhance my pole dance and teaching skills.
Having said that, I teach for a studio, who's owner is very possesive and gets upset that some of us venture out to other studios for just taking class. WTH? She feels that her studio should be the only source for her instructors when it comes to pole and it sends the wrong message to students. Mind you our studio has one mirror in the corner with 9 poles, all stationery and no spinning. Her issues are her problem but I definitely feel I'm a way better teacher/dancer because I'm more open and well rounded. If it were me, I'd insist my instructors venture out there.
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As a student I have been to 4 studios since I began poling. None of my instructors have said anything. If they did I would stop going to them.
There are enough restrictions in life without someone trying to restrict my joy of learning pole 🙂
Plus I have evidence that other studios have helped me achieve by giving me slightly different pointers and expand through different teaching /expectations and standards. -
While im not an instructor, I can give you a story about loyality. I was very loyal to my studio for YEARS! I promoted them constantly and was always taking class. The owner knew who I was as well. Then, the top instructor left to open her own studio 30min away in a different city. I also supported that instructor in her new business venture as well and occasionally took class there too. Thats when I got burned from my 'home' studio. There was always a tift between the owner and I becuase I supported other studios and helped people find a studio close to their home. Then I became more and more reconizable (we all know why) and the owner and I were both at a public even in which she completely ignored me – never bothered to say Hi. That was the final burn, I wont go back there – I refuse to! I cant be around that nor promote someone who is like that.
I think as an instructor, you should go out and try new classes/studios. Being an instructor is like being a teacher – you never stop learning! Theres always new things to learn, new tip and tricks to teach your clients. Plus how often do you get a chance to pole for yourself??? As an owner, I would encourage it! I would want the best instructors and if that means they get time to themseleves to be better pole dancer to share with clients, then go for it!
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