We know many of you want to master all the moves and work your way up to Level 5. These days Instagram is full of tricks, moves and combos. The possibilities are endless. Often it is hard to determine the difficulty of a move when you see someone else do it, especially when they're good at it. And often different people have different opinions about the level of a move or trick. Sometimes Insta reels say it's a 'beginner'-combo. When it sure as hell is not! Now you wonder: which pole level suits me best? Navigating your way through this can be hard. But it doesn’t have to be.
We take great care in educating people in a safe and durable way. Making sure you learn the right techniques to master a move on both (yes, BOTH!) sides. But also learning the right moves at the right time. Many pole dancers before you have wanted to grow and learn too fast, so fast they injure themselves along the way. We need build up strength and flexibility to achieve certain moves and we need to grow in our technique and knowledge of moves to achieve them. This means teaching specific moves at specific levels. Like I said, people have different opinions about this.
So what can you expect in our level classes? Read further to learn more on how we differentiate our levels at Studio Aeris.
Level differentiation
Pole L1 - beginner basics course
Every new path you take, starts with a small step, and in this case it's with a Pole StepBig chances this will be one of your first moves.
Do you have little to no experience in pole dancing? Then our 10-week beginner course is designed for you. Here you will build up strength and get used to the feeling of the pole on your skin. We’ll be working on abbs, shoulders, arms, legs but also strength in the hands. Focus is on basic spins, climbing and sitting in the pole.
Combinations will get longer and more challenging along the way. Your Pole Step could follow into a combination with a Pirouette, Chair spin and maybe even a Back hookOr you could be working on a combination like Reverse pole step – Fan kick – Basic sit.
Other moves you'll learn during the Pole L1 pole dance beginner course: Attitude, Back slide, Back supported dip, Crucifix, Fireman, Mermaid, Seated pike, Straddle spin and more.
Pole L2 - beginner+ pole dance level
Once you're finished with the Pole Basic Course you're ready to take on Level 2 classes. Yes you are! Even if you're not mastering all the moves yet.
We'll continue with all the spins and moves from L1. Mastering a move means repeating and repeating again. Practice makes progress. But of course we don't stop there. Time to go upside down in the pole. In this class your gonna work towards your basic invert, but we don’t fully achieve the basic invert yet. This means that we enter the upside down moves in a different way. Expext to train your knee grip to make it a firm and strong one. Because this knee grip will help you to get into moves like Outside leghang, Genie, Jasmin, Martini and more. This way you’ll build up more strength and get used to the feeling of being upside down. No energy wasted on the invert yet, full focus on all the important ques and techniques for the move.
Other moves you can learn during Pole L2: Boomerang spin, Bottle rocket, Chinese climb, Cradle spin, Embrace, Elbow spin, Flatliner, Hangover, Hood ornament, Marly, Scissors, Side climb, Stargazer, Thigh hold and more.
Pole L3 - intermediate pole dance level
Comfortable with your leghangs, knee grip, climbing techniques and sitting techniques? Feel like you've build up enough strength to master your basic invert? Then let's move on to Level 3.
Here we'll continue working on the moves from L2, but from a Basic invertinstead of from the floor. We focus on duration with longer combinations. And we work on more challenging variations of certain moves. And of course we add new moves as well. You might invert your way up to a Vertical break wiggle your body in a Caterpillar in place, after which you become a beautiful and strong (Extended) Butterfly, and on to a smooth transition into Flatline. Believe me, you'll need to catch your breath after this one. Â
Other moves you can learn during Pole L3: Brass monkey, Chopper, Chinese grip invert, Hangglider, Iquana, Jade star, Remi sit, Swan, Poisson, Shoulder mount and more.
Pole L4 - high intermediate pole dance level
How about that invert? Can you keep your legs straight? And point your toes? :)
In level 4 classes we take it up a notch and start working on and achieving our Pole handstands. We work on true grip, elbow grip and cup grip handsprings. We don't teach twisted grip handstands at this stage. Twisted grip has a higher risk of shoulder injury. We believe it's important that you are able to hold a solid handspring in the other 3 options first.
Is that all you ask? Well obviously not. Because from about level 4 and up the possibilities really skyrocket. So how about this example: With your, by now super strong shoulders, you'll work your way up in a Shouldermount towards a Brass monkey, you take a moment for a pose in a Brass monkey split, hook those strong legs again, grab the pole and wow your audience aka fellow students, with a Sneaky V.
Other moves you can learn during Pole L4: Allegra, Ballerina, Jade split, Russian Layback and more.
Pole L5 - advanced pole dance level
You made it! Level 5, where the sky is the limit. The more advanced you get the more you’ll notice that some moves require very specific flexibility or the use of certain muscles in a specific way. For example a Rainbow marchenko or a Bird of paradise. Some moves you just don’t learn overnight. The good news is that we have two weekly stretch classes that will definitely help you work on these moves. The ‘bad’ news is, you just don’t learn this in a few hours. The harder the work the sweeter the victory.
There are so many victories you can achieve. Let focus on some moves you might learn. How about a proper Chest press. Or pole handstand regrips from elbow to cup and back. Maybe an endless Janeiro on spinny.
If only there were more pole hours in a week.
Other moves you might learn during Pole L5: Buibui bend, Dragonfish, Cherry Flexure, Full moon, Marion Amber and more.
Inspired? Subscribe for one of our Pole Level classes via the class schedule.
With special thanks to Pole Instructor Training for allowing us to use their images.
