I taught for a long time as an uncertified instructor. I had just began research when I ran into Empy and she talked me about her certification, I was in a place where I realized, yes, I was a good instructor but I needed something behind me because I don't have any background in anything. I am self studier of many things and have lacked formal training in most things I do. I like to read and learn and study the things pertinent in the moment. I actually studied and purchased many books about anatomy and fitness but what I didn't realize was that a certification would give me all the basic knowledge I needed. I started teaching in a time when most people didn't even have fitness certs so a pole dancing cert seemed absurd. Pole dancing began evolving, so did I.
I've had the pleasure of working with many instructors from all walks of life and training and I find that those with just fitness certs don't seem to feel the need to learn pole dancing. When I say learn pole dancing I mean all the moves, all the transitions, study the basics, look for NEW basics, look for new ways to teach a move, look for new ways to do a move.
People are not written pole syllabuses - they are people, there are so many ways of doing the same thing that feel better to certain people and it's about learning HOW people learn and what THEIR body can do. It's knowing how make adjustments and find ways to make every body type successful with pole dancing, running a class that might have extremely slow learners and extremely fast learners and finding a balance so EVERYONE is learning something on their level and not bored. It's about knowing when to advance someone and fidning a tactful way to hold someone back. It's about finding as many ways to do something as humanly possible. I spend a good 40 hours a week teaching and studying. I'm always learning but I don't see that from many others who do have fitness or dance backgrounds...I feel like those I have run into anyway, have a lockdown idea of what needs to be accomplished and do not stray from their syllabus. It's like if you cannot get something the way they are showing it to you they cannot offer variations or other ideas.
I learned a lot about running classes with my certification and how to reach everyone in the class - how to equalize a class of different body types and abilities. I learned how to better organize my classes and how to teach with verbal ques, how to save my body given how many classes I teach a week.
I'm very proud to tell students I am certified in POLE instruction. I had to undergo training and hours of my life to pass a test, not just a written test but a practical exam as well. I want students to know when they come to me they are getting the best for their money. I wanted to be a specialist in all things pole and my certification has given me so much towards that and more. My certification comes with after care that I have used time and time again.
Recently I've been lucky to take private lessons with some celebrity instructors and I will tell you that while they are not certified instructors they all knew pole. Pole was in their veins! David Owen took me through SEVERAL ways of doing and training the same trick, different transitions into and out of and spotted me so well I think he may have been holding me on the pole. Alethea Austin really imporved a lot of my existing moves and taught me some stretches that I don't have to be her to get something out of. Natasha also had variations on themes that helped me achieve a lot in a short time. I don't think any of them have fitness certs but what they do have is hours and years in the study of pole. Which is my point here, certification programs give you so much of the aforementioned knowledge withough the years and years of training with hit and miss teaching/pole tricks.
I think certification is important if you are like me and haven't been doing this stuff your whole life but would like to be a guru of all things pole.
In addition to my certification with Empowerment Through Exotic Dance - which I will renew next year, I also plan to take another pole cert - I would love to do climb and spin but it's a little pricey for me - although a good value for everything it gives you, and will likely do X-pert.
I'll also say this, one of the reasons I certified with ETED is because Mary Ellyn herself has been certified with several programs. To me, this action speaks of honesty authenticicty...she took the time to discover and learn herself. She found certification to be important enough to not just write one but to also take some.
I also believe that pole specefic training and certifications are an important part of the growth of pole dancing as an industry and having recognized organizations and certifications allow us to reach a broader audience. I won't take a yoga class with someone who doesn't have certain certs that I am aware of as being good programs so why should someone take a pole lesson with someone who doesn't have credentials? Just because someone can lead you through a warm up and a cool down doesn't mean they can teach you anything about pole in between.
