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What to call a class for women 30+
I currently teach at a pole studio in a college town and the classes are dominated by college students (most of whom are very fit).
I know it's very intimidating for some of the older women to come into a class filled with college students so I'm hoping to start a class for women 30+. I could really use some help in thinking of a suitable name to call the class to encourage women to try it.
The studio is less sensually based than many of the other studios I've seen, so names like "Pole Diva" etc won't really go down to well. As of right now we just do your basic "Beginner" "Intermediate," "Advanced" class names.
So, any name suggestions?
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28 Replies
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There is a facebook site called the Grande Dames of Pole. Also, I believe that Midwest's older competition was caleld the Masters Division.
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Cougar comes to mind, too. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif
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Greater than 30 Pole Basics. Thats what one woman calls her very successful 40+ hoop dance classes.
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30 seems young to be targeting an "older" class to. You might end up offending some people, but that's just my thought. Seems like 40+ might be more appropriate.
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So 'flirty thirty' won't cut it? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif
I also think 30, and heck, even 40 seems young, but I'm also not teaching in a college town so I don't know the dynamics.
Pole Fit 30+ (or 35 or 40+)? IDK.
I do know that Dame or Masters don't make sense to me though, personally.
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I also agree – I think even 40 is young to be targetting an older class to. Maybe try thinking about it in a different way: maybe it's not that these "older" women feel intimidated by the younger gals' being in shape and whatnot – maybe it's about just a level of maturity and sense of commrodarie. Does that make sense? I'm not sure what you would call a class like that, but it's that they focus is being changed from a class name based on age and a possible insecurity, to something based on a feeling of comraderie. Maybe you could have a class that plays a certain genre of music, say from the 90's or something.
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I don't know how 'older' women may feel about these names but I enjoy titles that echo the pin-up era and other older generations.
Such as:
Sexy Sirens, Burlesque Beauties, Vivacious Vixens, and Deluxx Dames
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This is my personal opinion. Age can be very relative and not an accurate measurement of someones physical abilities. I would be confused by a class marketed to 30+ or 40+, my first concern would be I would want to know how it was different than any other class. I wouldn't want simplified or less challening material so I would avoid it… unless I really understood how it was valuable to me.
Things that are important to me are schedule, class environment, location of the studio, layout of studio, pricing structure, class content, instructors dance style, progression, performance opportunities etc. A name wouldn't be enough to catch my attention. Building my expectations and then following through, would.
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I think the biggest thing is that most of the students who come to the classes have a very recent athletic background (gymanasts, dancers, swimmers, runners) and are still very strong and flexible so they're able to progress extremely quickly. For many of these students, spins and inverts aren't very challenging whereas for your average person (regardless of age) a one-handed spin or inverts may take some time to learn.
The way the studio is run, we have drop-in classes where we take all levels at one time and prices are extremely cheap ($5/class). As a teacher this is VERY hard for me to teach, especially when I have students at 4+ different levels in one class. So I'm looking for a way to separate the classes so A) Older women aren't intimidated by the student's strength and maturity level in the room and B) I don't have to teach so many levels in the room (there are times when I have some of the room doing back slides down the pole and others are working on TG handsprings in the same class)
In the town I teach in, it doesn't work to have beginner/intermediate/advanced classes separated because students have class and we lose a lot of business by separating the levels and students don't follow that schedule anyway and will show up regardless what level they are. So separating the residents/older women is probably the easiest solution. And yes, age is very relative but I doubt many 30+ women enjoy being in a class full of 18-23 year olds.
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I think the biggest thing is that most of the students who come to the classes have a very recent athletic background (gymanasts, dancers, swimmers, runners) and are still very strong and flexible so they're able to progress extremely quickly. For many of these students, spins and inverts aren't very challenging whereas for your average person (regardless of age) a one-handed spin or inverts may take some time to learn.
The way the studio is run, we have drop-in classes where we take all levels at one time and prices are extremely cheap ($5/class). As a teacher this is VERY hard for me to teach, especially when I have students at 4+ different levels in one class. So I'm looking for a way to separate the classes so A) Older women aren't intimidated by the student's strength and maturity level in the room and B) I don't have to teach so many levels in the room (there are times when I have some of the room doing back slides down the pole and others are working on TG handsprings in the same class)
In the town I teach in, it doesn't work to have beginner/intermediate/advanced classes separated because students have class and we lose a lot of business by separating the levels and students don't follow that schedule anyway and will show up regardless what level they are. So separating the residents/older women is probably the easiest solution. And yes, age is very relative but I doubt many 30+ women enjoy being in a class full of 18-23 year olds.
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I have no problem being in a room of younger (or older) people. I'm in class to have my best personal experience.
I agree that type of mixed level class would be very difficult to teach. I hope that you are able to find something that works best for you and your students.
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At nearly 28, if your school was advertising that I am nearly the age to attend a “mature” class with 40+ year olds, honestly – I wouldn’t go.
Please don’t take this the wrong way but If having split ability classes is not an option why is split age? Why not have a invert/expert class and a basic class? As soon as someone fits the class where they can do whatever you feel makes it harder to teach while teaching spins move them up?
Btw – I loves being in a class of young fit things, they motivate me and I’m sure there are fit 40 year olds that wold run rings around me in a “mature class” that (to a more sensitive person) would depress even more.
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You could always look at it the other way – name the class for the college kids instead of the older people. You could focus on changing the name of the ‘college class’ by saying its because of times suitable to their study/offer small student discount for block bookings etc. That way you aren’t focusing on perhaps the already sensitive older polers?
I know what you mean about non college polers feelings but is this feedback from your clients or an assumption? If its an assumption is it worth doing a mini survey: do they feel they would benefit from a separate class? Would different times be more suitable for their needs e.g. Childcare and then go from the answers. It might be that you are worrying and actually they don’t mind 🙂 -
Hmm… for me, pole was a very social thing when I first started and I liked that I met a lot of girls who were similar to me. 30+ professionals. Maybe in addition to the suggestion above, you can make a class called "Polefessionals" or something to that effect and advertise it as such so that women in the work force can meet like minded women who want to take good care of themselves? I think it might help to separate the college students from the rest without offending due to age. But of course you might want to describe the class as such that mommies are more than welcome, as being a professional mom is a full time job too! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif
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I definitly second the survey idea. Also I wouldn't like to be classified by age, and I don't think age per se denotes ability. I know many 30+ people who would sail through class because of their backgrounds in spot/dance. I'd rather be seperated by new: limited sport/dance backround, new: previous sport/dance background" etc. Or have a survey for new students when they register asking them about their backgrounds, fitness levels, etc so you can sort them that way.
In fact, now i think about it, the registration survey seems the simplist way to go without needing to label anyone.
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