We Love Beginners
Here at the Breathe Academy, we know one fact to be true:
We were ALL beginners once!
We have been learning, building and honing our beginner programs & curriculum since 2017 to make sure what we offer is all inclusive and welcoming for women of every fitness level, shape, size and age.
You do not need to be super fit or have any fitness experience to start poling, we will take care of everything from Whoa to GO!
At B.P.D.A
We tailor our classes to encompass a wide range of skills including
Strength Training, Dance & Choreo, Flexibility and Tricks amoungst others,
with an eye towards the learning pathways that suit you best.
Check out our frequently asked questions below
FAQ
+ I’ve never pole danced before, where should I start?
WITH US (obviously!)! Our Level 1 Beginner course is the perfect jumping off point! This 10 week course will introduce you to the exciting new world of Pole Dancing with 6 "newbie" friendly moves including climbs, sits, spins and grips. Don't be nervous, all our intructors are highly experienced in working with beginners and will be there for you every step of the way!
+ Am I too weak, uncoordinated, too heavy? I don't "bend" that way!
The wonderful thing about pole dancing is it is blind to all these things! That's right, the poles don't judge and neither do we! Excercise is good for everybody, Our studio classes give you the perfect opportunity to complete your pole journey at your own pace. You can leave your worries at the door, and just have some you time :). All our classes are carefully created to cover all fitness and skill levels, you're in good hands.
+ What is involved in pole dancing for beginners?
Most students who come to try pole dancing tell us that they want to try something new because they are bored with the gym, they feel like just another number at their gym. Some ladies who come to pole have not exercised ever, may have had time off to have babies, or have just been super busy and forgotten to do something for themselves. We have students of all shapes, sizes, fitness abilities and ages from 14 to in their 60’s. To answer a very common question - no there is no weight limit on our poles, and we have several curvalicious ladies who do amazing things on and off the pole! We pride ourselves on getting to know all of our students by name. Many ladies come to us ‘flying solo’ and by the end of the first week already have their "squad" forming! You are all in the same boat, and usually everyone feels a little nervous the first couple of times they come to the studio. In pole dancing for beginners, we ease you into things. We take you through a gentle, safe, yet effective warm-up at the start of the class, to prepare your body for the pole moves and dancing. We then incorporate some basic strengthening exercises that are designed to help you slowly and safely build strength and confidence on the pole. Then we move onto the ‘tricks’ and dancing section of the class, learning a couple of tricks in a class, and then put into a fun dance routine taught by your instructor. By the end of the term, you will know a whole dance routine, with about 6 different beginner tricks included! Each class concludes with a cool down and stretching. There are plenty of water breaks and we are happy for you to take things at your own pace…there are no drill sergeant instructors here, but don’t let that fool you - you WILL get a good workout! No dance background? No problem - we don’t expect you to move like Beyonce, we just want you to have fun. That’s what pole dancing is all about!
+ Confused about all the levels/Classes?
Level/Course Classes - All classes that say “Course” after the class name on the timetable - for example Beginner 1 Course. Course Classes can be attended by enrollment for the term (no drop in attendance). During the term you will learn a specially formulated curriculum including tricks, strengthening, dance choreography and stretching to help you learn how to pole dance, right from absolute beginner level. Course Classes run for 10 Weeks or 6 Weeks (starts half way through term). Casual Classes - All classes are colored grey on the Timetable. These classes can be attended by students enrolled in a Course,signed up for our casual only membership or on a casual drop-in basis even if you aren’t doing a Course with us. They are suited to all levels and we have multiple Casual Classes to choose from each day. You can start doing Casual Classes anytime!
+ Why are pole dancing classes so popular compared to the gym?
It’s pretty simple really- Pole dancing for beginners is FUN so you will actually enjoy coming to class and keep coming back. STOP wasting time and money on regular gym memberships where you struggle to stay motivated. Consistency = results! Lifting your own body weight as you move up and around the pole burns body fat and builds lean muscle, meaning you will continue burning calories long after class finishes, and burn more, even when resting. Saying you are not strong enough to pole dance is like saying you are too dirty to take a bath! We will help you build your strength from Day 1. Pole dancing for beginners helps you focus on what your body can DO, rather than what it looks like. Yes you will lose fat, tone up and slim down…but you will change your focus and learn to love your body rather than focusing on all the parts you don’t like which means a more confident, happier you. Pole dancing and pole fitness have an amazing community of women who support each other. We have ladies of all shapes, sizes and fitness abilities…none of that matters and you won’t feel judged. We love supporting each other and having fun together while we pole! Pole dancing for beginners is completely different to other gym workouts- The beginner 1 Courses at Breathe Pole Dance Academy have been specially designed to give you the tools to build strength and confidence in a supportive environment. Pole fitness classes are a great all-over body workout, meaning that you get FAST results. It will help you lose weight, tone up, feel more confident and have a new lease on life. You don’t need to have any level of fitness, coordination, dance ability or flexibility to start. Pole dancing for beginners is for every woman, no matter your age, shape or fitness level. At Breathe Pole Dance Academy we have classes from absolute Beginners up to Advanced, and lots of fun stuff to do in between. In your classes at Breathe, we will help you each week to learn the basic tricks, spins and dance moves in a fun and supportive environment. It is addictive, once you start, you will not want to leave and it is very sociable- you will make friends and it will change your life!
+ Are there "Pole" clothes & Anything else I can expect?
We need to use our skin to grip the pole, so we wear shorts. Some ladies feel nervous about wearing shorts, so if this is you, we recommend wearing longer, but loose fitting shorts that you can pull up when you need to grip the pole with your thighs. Any comfortable top is fine, and we usually dance in bare feet. For some of our choroe classes long socks and knee pads may be required. Sometimes you can expect minor bruises where your skin comes into contact with the pole,we call these "Badges of Honour" but this disappears over time as your body adjusts. You can also expect to have muscle soreness the day or two after class- pole is a very good workout! Again, you will adjust to this, and the soreness is not expected to be more than what you get if you attend any other form of new exercise. If you are looking for pole dancing for beginners you can start in our Beginner 1 Pole Course, and then you work your way up through the levels as you are able to, progressing through Levels as you are able to. Our terms are usually 10 weeks, and it is not uncommon to do levels more than once, but everyone is different. If you repeat the same level, you will learn the same tricks, but to a different song, and some students may repeat a level multiple times until they are ready to move up. This is totally fine If you think you would like to start a higher level or progress faster, you can undertake a 30 minute assessment with an instructor to see which level is recommended to you. Our Studio has on site parking parking available. We have flattering lighting (no nasty fleuro lights) so you feel more comfortable in your shorts. We have a toilet and change room if you need to come straight from work. We also have a Private Facebook group for current students, and this is a hub of activity with students sharing their progress. There is social outings, we have catch ups doing all sorts of things, and we often get together in groups to go to watch pole competitions and do other fun activities. We have optional Student Showcases and Performance Nights for those who would like to participate as well. If you are looking for something that you can do for yourself, to make you feel good, look good, and give you time out, then give beginners pole dancing a try at Breathe Pole Dance Academy!
+ How Much and What is Included?
We have memberships for everyone. You can pole alot or a little. All pricing and inclusions are under the membership tab on the website.
All memberships are for the length of the term. Courses can be cancelled at the end of a term, 7 day’s written notice is required for cancellation of membership.
+ Still Unsure? Want a lil Sneeky Peak?
**We know that people don’t quite know what to expect inside a pole dancing studio or pole dancing for beginners. Many feel that they are not fit enough, skinny enough, young enough, strong enough, flexible enough…you name it, we hear these things all the time. This is why we have FREE Pole Fitness Trial Classes available, so that you can come into the studio and see that it is a friendly place, with ladies of all walks of life, having fun and achieving amazing things together! These FREE Trial Classes run for 30 minutes and are designed as an introduction to the studio. We bring you in and show you around, and then take you through your very first class pole dancing for beginners. You will start with a gentle warm-up, and then we will teach you some beginner pole dancing moves and then explain our classes, and answer any questions you may have. These are available at all of our studios, every week, and bookings are essential. The second option is to come along to one of the Casual Classes on our schedule and get your first class FREE. The Casual Classes are all different, and suited to first timers, unless otherwise stated in bold. We recommend “Tricks” or “Choreo” as great first classes to come to, because they give you the best feel for what pole dancing for beginners is all about. You are more than welcome to come to a “Strength & Tone” or "Flexxy" class instead, just as long as you are aware that these classes don’t really involve much or any pole work, so might not give you the best idea of what pole is all about. Bookings are essential, [book your spot here]
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