Lockdown teaching
Dancelady is in week 17 of online teaching! from her studio otherwise known as ‘the front room ‘
I embraced the world of Zoom classes the week before the official government lockdown in early March. it’s been a journey! and a learning curve! My knowledge of tech has increased by 1000%! I have a greater understanding of broadband speeds, ethernet connections, and Zoom.
My business model has been transformed in weeks. It is believed that the Fitness industry changed its business module in 6 weeks with interactive classes and on live formats. The industry as a whole was making the initial changes but its thought the knock-on effects of Coronavirus lockdown brought forward the changes by 2-3 years!
If you had said to me in March 2020 that I would be delivering 10 weekly Dance/Fitness classes, online kids Dance parties, and fitness masterclasses I would have laughed at you. I ve delivered Fitness Ball masterclasses ( 20 people on a screen sat on inflatable balls is hilarious! It resembles some weird scene from the film The Prisoner.
I ‘ve arranged kids’ birthday parties with scavenger hunts and Dance routines. I ‘ve launched new Brain Fit stretch classes which are hugely popular the beauty of it is that a Sunday Morning class can now be easily done in the front room, wearing your pyjamers
The freedom and accessibility of online workouts has enhanced me as a teacher and business
It’s not been without its problems! My front room has complete furniture change around every time I teach a class. I dream of having an additional room or area that I could utilize as purely a class studio! I have a couple of occasions where the wifi and Zoom have not played nicely!
I feel so grateful that online teaching has allowed me to continue delivering Dance and Fitness sessions to my clients. I can still get the satisfaction of teaching albeit not quite the same I know my attendees are thankful for the classes, it’s us all through some dark days of the Corna roller coaster of emotions. My classes have anchored me and remained the usual thing every week.
Delivering online classes has tested and enriched my teaching and delivering expertise. I’ve always considered my self to be a highly skilled instructor. I qualified in the 1990s back when the course to become in qualified Group Fitness was intense skills-based delivery, focusing on the presentation, cueing, and timing skills. Teaching online demands clear demonstration, visual, and verbal cues. The screen and absence of personal contact mean that as an instructor you can not pick up on the finer details of the body language of the clients. As an instructor, there is a part of you that has to also be a performer and entertainer. On line I feel that’s required, even more, to add that extra edge to a class and the attendee’s enjoyment. Let’s face it the potential barriers to not attend a class are far greater and simpler online than in physical it’s SIMPLE, the attendee simply doesn’t open the laptop.
HERE ARE MY 5 TOP TIPS TO CREATING A SUCCESSFUL ONLINE DELIVERY AND TIMETABLE OF CLASSES
Admin.Easy to access and understand and clear instructions for the clients of how to attend, how to pay, and what to do. Make this process as easy as using Netflix! .Have all of your clients inaccessible Facebook or whats App groups, use email lists and functions.
Technology. Get everything in place and perfect it. Practice beforehand and plan a backup plan or system. I don’t have the latest microphone or mixer. I simply have my Mac next to a speaker, it works for me.
Be flexible and embrace change . Screen classes are subject to greater boredom and fatigue for all parties! it’s draining teaching into a screen with reduced feedback as the instructor. It can be frustrating for the clients exercising at home with family members, pets, furniture, and dodgy wifi signal! .Have a toolbox of ideas to help keep your clients motivated, rewards for attendance, prizes, shoutouts and mentions
Do what you do best. Don’t be a jack of all trades and master of none.Focus on your skills and style and develop that. If your class forte is High Intensity and high energy find ways to deliver that to your attendees don’t try to deliver stretch and relaxation if it’s not what you enjoy. Existing and potential clients will find you and follow you and your classes because that is what they are into!
Take time Out. Online teaching is hard, not only are you delivering a class you are managing admin, creating content, I’ve found that constantly moving and dancing on my carpet is beating up my body !!, I think it’s the extra resistance. Take time out, maintain the balance of healthy diet, rest, and recuperation. Since drafting this post I have since twisted my ankle during teaching, I simply fell over the carpet!!. I have to LISTEN TO MY BODY ! and practice what I preach
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