Pole Dancing Instructor / Studio Owner

Key skills/talents

Along with being skilled as a dancer yourself, below are some more additional skills that you may need:

• Advanced Pole Dancing Proficiency: A solid foundation in pole dancing, including various styles and techniques, is essential, however to teach it, you need to execute moves to a super high level.

• Flexibility and Endurance: Demonstrating physical fitness and the ability to perform challenging pole moves can inspire students.

• Teaching and Communication Skills: The ability to effectively convey instructions, correct form, and motivate students is crucial.

• Safe Practice Guidance: Knowledge of safe pole dancing practices, injury prevention, and general risk (aversion) assessment is paramount.

• First Aid Certification: Having first aid training can ensure prompt response to any potential injuries.

• Adaptability: The ability to adjust teaching styles and routines to suit students of varying levels and backgrounds.

• Positive and Supportive Attitude: Creating a welcoming and encouraging environment for students is vital.

• Attention to Detail: Ensuring proper equipment maintenance, safety checks, and adherence to regulations is essential.

• Professionalism: Maintaining a professional demeanour, punctuality, and ethical standards is crucial in the industry.

• Business and Marketing Skills: Understanding of the pole dancing industry, business management, and marketing strategies can help build a successful clientele.

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​Qualifications required

Whilst there's no specific government-mandated certification for pole dancing instructors in the UK, having a recognised qualification can enhance your credibility and professional standing. Here are some common qualifications and certifications:

 

Pole Dancing Instructor Certifications

• Pole Fitness Association (PFA): This is a popular certification program that offers various levels of instructor training: https://polefitnessalliance.com

• International Pole Sports Federation (IPSF): The IPSF offers instructor certifications and competitions: http://www.polesports.org

• Pole People: https://polepeople.co.uk/pole-instructor-training-qualifications

• Pole Passion: https://www.polepassion.fitness/instructor-courses 

 

Fitness Certifications

Personal Trainer Certifications: Certifications like those from the PT Academy: https://ptacademy.com, or the UK Government careers website: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/find-a-course/page?searchTerm=personal%20training&distancecan provide a strong foundation in fitness and exercise science.

 

Pole Passion Fitness, based in the south of England & Yorkshire, also offers apprenticeships: https://www.polepassion.fitness/pole-fitness-apprenticeships 

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Rules and regs

As a pole dancing instructor in the UK, it's crucial to prioritise health and safety by conducting regular risk assessments, ensuring first aid preparedness, and maintaining safe equipment. Additionally, obtaining public liability and professional indemnity insurance is essential to protect yourself from potential claims.

 

To operate your studio or class legally, you may need to obtain specific licences or permissions from your local council and ensure your premises comply with building regulations. If you teach children, adhering to child protection guidelines is paramount. Moreover, promoting inclusivity, fair trading practices, data protection, and ethical conduct is essential to maintain a professional and responsible environment.

 

The Pole Dance Community have issues a code of conduct, which can be found here: https://www.poledancecommunity.com/177-codes-of-conduct 

 

Professional Development: The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) is a valuable resource for professional development in the UK's sport and physical activity sector. You can find more information on their website: https://www.cimspa.co.uk 

 

Code for Sports Governance: UK Sport has established a Code for Sports Governance which outlines best practices for managing sports organisations. You can access the code here: https://www.uksport.gov.uk/resources/a-code-for-sports-governance 

 

Data Protection: If you handle personal data from clients, it's crucial to be aware of and comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulations. You can find official information on GDPR from the UK government here: https://www.gov.uk/data-protection 

 

DBS Checks: Depending on your specific work environment, particularly if you work with vulnerable individuals or young adults, obtaining a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate might be necessary. You can learn more about DBS checks and how to apply for one on the UK government website: https://www.gov.uk/request-copy-criminal-record 

 

Insurance is also highly important in this industry. Pole Passion offers members a discount here: https://www.polepassion.fitness/pole-fitness-instructor-insurance#:~:text=Pole%20Dance%20Instructor%20Insurance%20%E2%80%93%20Public,Passion'%20for%20your%20discounted%20price.

Insure4sport also has an insurance specifically for pole dance instructors: https://www.insure4sport.co.uk/sport/pole-dancing

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Remuneration framework

As with all variable jobs like this, earnings will depend on the amount of classes you want to teach, and how much you charge, how many people attend, and how much you make from a class.

 

Ally offers different things, from pole dancing to aerial classes, and they range in price from £14 to £20; however classes do run all week, mostly in the evenings, and then at weekends.

 

As a ballpark (and this is very finger in the air!), if you charge £15 a class and 15 people attend a class, that’s £225 per class. If you did one of those classes a day, 5-days a week, that’s £1,125 a week and about £4,837 a month. However, you could do more than 1 class a day and you could work 7-days a week.

 

Remember there are also costs of running a class, particularly if you own your own studio, so all of that money is not profit. Always do your maths thoroughly before embarking on something new like this, and where finances are a key driver.

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How to get started

To start your journey as a pole dancing instructor, you'll need a solid foundation in pole dancing, along with essential teaching skills and qualifications. Ally was a fantastic pole dancer before she began teaching, and she began by taking ad-hoc classes and workshops to hone her technique.

 

If official stamps are what you like, then consider obtaining one of the certifications stated above.

 

Then, like Ally you start teaching more and more classes, as fits around either another day job, or as part of a full-time role for you.

 

If you become qualified as a fitness instructor as well, this could compliment pole lessons well, because when you’re not teaching pole, you could be teaching other fitness classes, either as a group, or on a 121 level.

 

Ally made the decision to open her studio, so if this is your ultimate goal, then teaching classes and building up a client base (and knowing there is a geographical need for it) will be key.

 

Remember to develop strong communication, safety, and business skills, to create a successful and enjoyable learning environment for your students. By combining your passion for pole dancing with the necessary qualifications and experience, you can establish yourself as a respected and effective instructor, and potentially even travel with it, as Ally touches on (she is asked to teach across the UK and abroad).

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Job site links

Jobs for Pole Dance instructors are usually linked to studios that offer pole dancing classes in your area, so it is worth looking for your local fitness studio(s) to find out if they have any vacancies. Alternative, if no classes are offered, you could pitch it to a fitness centre/gym, as a new offering for them. They will likely take on the set-up costs of doing this.

 

Social media can also bring up opportunities, so follow studios, instructors and organisations, like Ally and The Pole Room,  for news and updates.

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Associations or official bodies to register with

Here are a few suggestions…

 

British Pole & Aerial Sports: https://www.britishpolesports.co.uk 

 

The National Register of Personal Trainers are a membership organisation that you can join and benefit from joining their online directory of PT’s: https://nrpt.co.uk 

UK Coaching is an organisation supporting anyone who ‘coaches’ any sport within the UK: https://www.ukcoaching.org

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Progression pathway​

We’ve sort-of already touched on this under ‘getting started’, in so far as you simply build up your class programme and your client base… You teach more classes with more people in them (ideally the maximum a studio can allow) in order to earn maximum money.

 

Remember, building up a client base means effective use of social media, so you can’t be shy with this one. You need to be showcasing your own skills and what it's like in one of your classes (with everyone’s permission). Build up a social following and you’ll build your career, wherever you want to take it.

If travelling the world pole dancing, or teaching is your goal, then social media will be even more essential for this, so that you are seen by an audience that isn’t just local to you. You could also register with some global entertainment agencies (that book acts for events).

 

If, like Ally, setting up a studio is your goal, and if you’ve built up your skills and client base to make it possible, then it is simply a case of doing your research thoroughly. Which means rental space, costs, legalities etc. Thankfully setting a fitness studio up is not a new thing, so there will be lots of information out there to help you through this. The specifics of a pole studio are somewhat different, however, and Ally reached out to other studios for advice, who were only too pleased to help. None of them were near her, so there was no competitive risk.​