How To Make It In The Dance Fitness Industry by David Fryer

Contents Introduction

What Does it Take to Succeed

Have I Got What I Need to Get Started

Your First Steps

The Venue The Tools The Rehearsal Where is the Work?

6 6-7 7-8 8-9

Self-employment and Tax

10-11

Living the Dream

12-13

Before Signing Up

14-15

Selling Yourself

How Much Can I Charge?

17-18

Insurance and Waivers

19-20

Teaching Your Classes

21-23

Housekeeping

24-25

The Instructor’s Checklist

Looking After Number One

You Can Do It

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Introduction Becoming a dance fitness instructor is one of the most rewarding career opportunities out there. Not only are you making a living doing something that gives you pleasure you are also keeping your body in tip-top condition, with low body fat, toned muscles and a strong heart and lungs, while helping others to do the same. By providing a place where people can come together to enjoy getting into shape, a dance fitness instructor also benefits the community as a whole, helping to tackle the scourge of obesity and other conditions that are caused or made worse by an inactive lifestyle. Dance fitness instructors have an enviable chance to make a difference to their own lives and the lives of others. By embracing the popular dance fitness concept, they have a golden chance to establish themselves at the pinnacle of the fitness market in their area. We know that there are a lot of things to think about before you get started, and it can be bewildering trying to make sense of all the information available from different sources. We’ve created this guide to bring everything you need together in one place. In this eBook you will find everything you need to start making the most of your potential and creating the lifestyle you desire, including: • • • • • • • •

How to register as self-employed How to choose a suitable venue How to promote yourself and recruit members A guide to setting your prices Information on insurance, music licences, and other legal matters How to structure a dance fitness workout Information on record-keeping A guide to Health & Safety and self-care

One of the first questions you might be asking yourself is…

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What does it Take to Succeed? It starts with passion. You will also need to cultivate a certain attitude. Everyone is different, and we all bring our unique personalities to the floor. However, many of your customers will be lacking in confidence, worried about their fitness and/or body shape and, in general, not feeling 100%. A non-judgmental attitude is crucial to build a relationship of trust between you and your class members. Many of the other attributes that you will need can be developed as your experience grows. You may not feel much of a leader or a performer right now, but as your hours on the floor mount up, that part of your personality will inevitably develop. Likewise, if you feel you lack the creativity to create your own choreography and routines, don’t worry. A few weeks or months down the line, you will have amassed enough material and experience to start being more inventive. As long as you love to dance, love to get fit and love to bring the best out of others you will be fine.

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Have I Got What I Need to Get Started? Depending on the style of dance you want to teach you may require certification or to buy a franchise. Teaching Jazzercise®, Street Fit® and Zumba® courses, for example, is prohibited unless you complete the necessary training. More generic dance fitness classes can be taught without certification (in the UK), but you will have to do a lot more self-promotion. Some Instructors choose to take on specific fitness industry training. There are various certificates, diplomas and awards you may decide to study for. For example, you may want ETM (Exercise to Music) training. When pursuing your own studies, there are a huge amount of online and campus-based courses on offer so it is important to invest wisely to avoid spending lots of money on poor-quality courses. Although we are unable to comment on individual courses, it is sensible to opt for programmes that are recognised by REPS (Registered Exercise Professionals). There is plenty of dance fitness material available online, though quality varies; browsing online can throw up some fascinating moves and styles that you could think about incorporating into your classes. Likewise, enrolling on dance/fitness classes, going to seminars and conventions and hiring/purchasing DVDs are all potential sources of inspiration. You can never know too much! You will also need to think about purchasing the following: • A sound system for playing music (sometimes provided by the venue you are using) • Music licences from the PPL and PRS (more on this later) • Public Liability Insurance (more on this later) • Suitable clothes and shoes • CPR certification (not compulsory, but recommended - more on this later) • First aid kit • Additional equipment (e.g. mats, weights, etc.)

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Your First Steps The Venue To start introducing people in your local area to your new classes, you are going to need to have somewhere to teach them. Presuming you don’t already have the space for your own dance studio, you will need to decide which venues you are going to approach. A dance fitness instructor can work either as an independent contractor/freelancer or as part of a salaried position at a health club, although licensed dance fitness programmes may specify that you have to work independently. This eBook is focused on independent contractors/freelancers. When working at a gym or health club, the club will probably want to see a demo or presentation before hiring you, and they may make demands in terms of certification (for example, you may have to be working towards a teaching qualification); the venue may also require you to be certified in CPR (resuscitation). For more information on finding work as a dance fitness instructor in your area, see the next section. The Tools As with any other profession, you are also going to need to acquire the relevant ‘tools of the trade’. If you are part of a licensed dance fitness programme, you will probably find that most of the equipment you will need to teach classes is provided. Since music is an integral part of the dance fitness experience, you will need to have unrestricted access to a decent sound system. You may be fortunate enough to have the use of your venue’s audio equipment but it is always better to have your own as back-up. It is recommended that you compile your own playlists, rather than opt for CDs, because you will be able to tailor the music to fit your workout precisely. In general, mp3 players are very useful for creating your own playlists, and it will be worth your while familiarising yourself with the process of locating, purchasing, downloading and organising mp3 music files. © Trap Fitness Limited. All Rights Reserved. Street Fit® is a registered trademark under license by Trap Fitness Limited

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