We have said it before, and we will say it again: teaching a great class is an art. It starts with passion, then preparation, and lastly execution. Below are more ideas and helpful teaching tricks you can (and should) use when structuring and teaching your Liquid Motion® class or any class! Remember a good teacher learns from their students.
- Vantage Point: Think about what is the best vantage point for teaching the move, shape, or skill. Remember the best vantage point for viewing is not always the best vantage point for teaching.
- Obstructions: Are there obstructions in the room? If so, do you need to alter your class? Do you need to split them into groups, or can you use that obstruction as a room cue?
- Room Cues: Use your room for cues. Try not to use right and left, especially if you are facing your students. There is only one front door or one stereo. This will help you corral or navigate the students quickly.
- The Body or Space: Are you using front as it relates to the room or the body? Is your front their front? For example, you’re lying on your belly, parallel with the mirror, top of the head to the door and your temple is on the floor, and you say “front.” What if your student is looking up? Their front becomes your overhead. This quickly becomes confusing. Specify your directional cues before you start.
- Vocal Projection: How are you projecting your voice in relation to where the students are? Are you facing them? Are you lying down? Think about where you are in relation to them, and make sure they can hear you, especially if they can’t see you.
- Heads Up: Are you going to be verbally cueing? Stopping the lead-and-follow during the warm up? If so, let them know so they don’t stop moving with you.
- The Backwards Trick: Sometimes you just have that one student who just feels like they are too cool for school. If this happens, ask them to execute the move backwards, and don’t show them. We call this the “backwards trick.”
- SHHHHHH: If you are new to teaching, keep your mouth shut. Don’t over-cue. Ask them questions. Let them guide you so you can see what they already know. Don’t be afraid to just teach them like you would teach a friend.
- You’re not Alex Trebek: Know what the hell you are saying. If you are going to use a real technical term in any way, make sure you know what the hell you are saying. The best example I can point out is the misuse of the word “freestyle.” We have all fallen into this trap, as our industry misuses this word all the time. However, a true freestyle is just that. In a freestyle, there are zero rules or instructions; you are just free. What we usually do in pole dance classes, basing our movement exploration off of a sequence or idea, is actually called an “improvisation.”
- Reactionary Movement: This is the action that happens as a direct result of another action. This is a great teaching skill as it helps you pick the most important cues to focus on.
Want to learn more about how to be a better teacher? Start your journey with us today! Live, group (virtual and in-person options) certifications or one-on-one on demand!
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