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Audition teach basics?
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redrox
Posted 2009-02-11 4:51 PM (#113573)
Subject: Audition teach basics?


I'm not even sure I can pose what I am trying to ask appropriately, but what do you feel is most important during a 15-20 min. audition/evaluation? If you have hired, what do you look for, understanding that each person is likely different in their evaluations. And if you have hired for or applied for a position at a health club, how do you think that evaluation process might differ from a dedicated yoga studio and what is more important to a "Fitness Director" who has an exposure to yoga, but does not necessarily practice?

I guess what I am wondering is it mostly just about presence, cueing and ability to direct a class, or does the choice of asanas, their sequencing and how they are presented come into it significantly at all as well? Or in a nutshell I guess, does it matter what I do, or more just how I do it?

My situation: There is a new health club opening very near to my house and they are currently in hiring mode, so need staff in all areas to open in 6 weeks. It's a smaller, regional chain new to my state (2nd location in Colorado) with a more "premium" and "family" image than folks like 24 Hour or Bally's. Hiring manager is new to her position and probably has not hired staff before is my impression. She wants me to come in after one of her 60 min. fitness classes and 15 min. abs conditioning classes to audition to her and anyone in her classes who wants to stay around. So I am thinking they are going to be pretty tired to begin with and launching into a vigorous set of sun salutations is not going to serve them very well and she said some "stretching" would be good. Oy! So I feel I am being asked to audition a different approach than I would actually be teaching so if she judges me on how I do it, then I'm fine with that, but if the focus is more on what I do as being representative of the approach I would take with a class that is fresh vs. after 75 mins of physical non-asana work, then she isn't going to see that. I don't have a problem structuring something appropriate to the situation, I just don't get how that helps her understand what I would actually be teaching if she hires me. KWIM? And given that it's my first audition, I don't have much experience or familiarity with what goes on in one to begin with! Hence the post and question!!

All thoughts, comments, and advice are welcome!!
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Posted 2009-02-11 5:05 PM (#113575 - in reply to #113573)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


from a fitness director standpoint, you'll want to make sure that you have credentials of different sorts such as RYT, CPR cert, and so on. the main focus of many fitness centers is safety. so, if you focus on teaching safely (eg, offering modifications for different problems even if they're not present in the room such as 'if you have knee trouble, this posture does X or try this modification."), you're likely to get hired.

at a yoga studio, they're looking for a "fuller" package. sequencing theory, presentation, information about your background and so on will all come into play.

in regards to this person, i would tell her just that BEFORE you go in. that way, you can say "i'm happy to teach to those student's needs, but my style is more like this." and go from there.
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redrox
Posted 2009-02-11 5:23 PM (#113577 - in reply to #113575)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


Thanks. Yeah I had sort of the same thought on that sort of conversation as well. And as you say, if safety is one of the primary considerations, and yes it did come up as part of the interview as being something important, then presumably the fact that I am willing to alter my approach for the students' benefit would be seen positively as well.

You are the second person who has mentioned a CPR cert. and I currently do not have one anymore, but there was no mention of it during the interview either, so I wasn't going to be the one to bring it up! But it sounds like a good thing to look into in general anyway and makes sense to have one.
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linky99
Posted 2009-02-12 3:00 PM (#113592 - in reply to #113573)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


When checking into your CPR cert you might also want to get an AED (Automated External Diffibulator) most gyms require that too and some CPR courses offer training for both.
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Posted 2009-02-14 6:48 PM (#113633 - in reply to #113592)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


yeah, and many gyms actually provide certs. so, you can ask if you need your cert before you start (call the red cross--they'll have a training that you can get into within a week or two), or if they are going to run a training and when. usually, recerts are free through the gym where you work. i get recert'd every year through the Y where i work--and i'm only a sub there now!

good luck, btw, let us know how it goes!
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Posted 2009-02-14 7:18 PM (#113635 - in reply to #113573)
Subject: RE: Audition teach basics?


I have a bit of a different approach. Go figure:-)

My preference is to NOT do pieces of teaching. What I teach mandates integration. I convey yoga through a curriculum. That curriculum is conveyed over a specific span of time which is almost always too short. To shorten it further and expect an observer no less to get it....it's highly unlikely.

Instead what I prefer to offer the hiring person is subbing a full class. I'll gladly come in and teach a 60, 75, or 90 minute class. They can come in and take the class and evaluate me that way.

Another option I would offer is coming to a local class of mine. This would be my second choice.

If these were not acceptable to the management AND I was very attached to teaching there then I'd probably work them like banshees in standing poses for ten minutes then make them heavy as lead in Savasana for five.

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Posted 2009-02-15 4:54 PM (#113653 - in reply to #113635)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


it is a good suggestion, purna, but one that not every person would agree to.

first, some people do not teach elsewhere (yet). for example, one of my teachers-in-training (she's already completed 200 hrs, but is working toward 500 now) is applying for her first job, so there is no class that she can invite someone to come to and see.

second, as is common here, many of the employers are women who are doing this as a 'side gig' to mothering. by "this" i mean teaching and running a fitness program for a gym. the amount of time that they can schedule for such a thing is very limited, and you're lucky to get more than 20 minutes of their time.

third, if they do not know me or my teaching, they do not want me subbing a class just so that they could see. this puts them (and their clients) at liability. they want the audition so they know what they are getting, which is why they're willing to audition for a short span (which they can always cut short if they feel that it's too dangerous or wrong for the place).

thus, while i think they are *great* suggestions and definitely worth offering/asking for, in my experience, it's not likely to happen and therefore you have to give a taste of what you do in the time allotted, and do your best to convey your process through other means (conversation, written documents, video, audio, or what have you).

fitness centers are such strange places.
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Posted 2009-02-16 1:16 AM (#113670 - in reply to #113653)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


I stopped worrying who agrees with me Zoe on the second day I posted here.

However I wasn't really offering a suggestion. I was instead offering a perspective. And, it was my hope, that it would inspire some thought on the part of other teachers and readers.

But I'll play the game...

While a teacher that has yet to teach doesn't have a place for someone to come and see them they also do not have a bevy of things in the cupboard. Ergo they can't really modify what they do in an audition and this thread, for them, would be moot. New teachers simply give what they can give and the cards fall where they fall.

I can't at all speak to what the majority of fitness directors do or what their background is or whether they are male or female, with child or without. So I'll defer to you on this.

I've witnessed staff teaching yoga at gyms. And I've been one of them. I find it difficult to believe there's a heightened risk by having a qualified teacher with an appropriate training, and supporting documentation, plus an interview and references come and teach a one hour class. A local fitness club had me come and sub a class as audition AND the fitness director, a single woman without children, took the class:-) So in my experience this in fact worked and no one seemed particularly concerned about safety. After looking at credentials, of course.


Edited by purnayoga 2009-02-16 1:39 AM
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redrox
Posted 2009-02-16 2:13 AM (#113674 - in reply to #113670)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


Thanks to you both for continuing the discussion with your observations, suggestions and perspective. I might try the subbing a class approach next time, but this is what was offered to me and has been agreed to, so will stick with it, although I agree it is basically a flawed approach. I do teach one other class elsewhere at the moment on an occasional basis, but I actually think a shorter audition probably is to my benefit at this extremely early stage of my teaching journey. baby steps! ;)
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tourist
Posted 2009-02-16 10:10 AM (#113681 - in reply to #113674)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?



Expert Yogi

Posts: 8442
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The whole idea of auditioning teachers sounds tricky and fraught with peril. Again it reminds me how incredibly grateful/happy I am to be in an area so immersed in Iyengar yoga. We either have teachers come through our own mentoring system or, if they are from out of town, we know without even seeing them that they are qualified to teach. Personality, of course, is always an issue, but the students seem to self-select to find the right teacher (or at least the one they like) and it all works itself out that way.

Hmm...I seem to be in the mode of counting my blessings this morning. Not a bad way to start a week! What are you grateful for today?
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redrox
Posted 2009-02-16 4:10 PM (#113697 - in reply to #113681)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


Agree it is a good way to start the day and the week! I am always grateful for my lovely family who manages to put up with me and to all those who inspire me and my continuing good health.
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Posted 2009-02-16 5:16 PM (#113700 - in reply to #113573)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


Karl, I've auditioned similarly to what you've been asked to do for Spectrum and LifeTime Fitness and the audition was the easy part. Seems the hiring person just wants to make sure you know what you're doing and you have a rapport with a class. In fact I was exactly in your shoes with those staying behind having come out of a rigorous session. I used that to set the tome for the audition and worked on some centering and breathe and some basic stretches with some very mild adjustments. That seemed to be fine as I got hired. The extreme agony came afterwards when I was hired and that newbie manager doesn't have a clue what he/she is doing.
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Posted 2009-02-17 11:50 AM (#113715 - in reply to #113700)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


purna:

the meaning of the first sentence of my last post was that an interviewer may not agree to coming to a class, allowing a sub, or what have you. and therefore, it is perfectly fine to audition in a short span of time. i know that it is not preferable, but here, that's pretty much the current norm.

so, i encourage people to do it. and, i do it myself. it seems to me to be as bruce says.

tourist:

i have to say, that is the truth. it is partly why i like to train teachers--so that i have 'go-to' people whom i can give jobs that i can't take, to sub for me when i'm out of town, and so on. it makes it all easier anyway.

the gyms where i worked before hawk was born, i've been able to pass on to two of my teachers-in-training. it's working out great for them. they still have to audition, but it works out great for all of us.
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Posted 2009-02-17 1:31 PM (#113725 - in reply to #113715)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


You're completely correct Zoe. Of course it's "perfectly fine". No one said otherwise. :-)

Though... an interviewer may not agree to anything at all - they may not agree you're very qualified. They may not agree to pay you more. They may not agree that you can OM, they may not agree to provide clean props, they may not pay you every two weeks.

The point is that while yoga teachers should absolutely go and share the yoga they are deeply called to share wherever and whenever they can (and audition if they are so inclined) they DO NOT need to be lemmings and merely fall in line and do "what they're told". Sometimes doing as instructed is perfect. If I accept a job at Gold's and they say get here earlier for class I'm responsible to do so without whining. After all, I accepted the position and all that goes with it.

Since we are yoga teachers our bar is raised. We can speak up (when timid) and shut up (when loud - my particular work). We can negotiate, modify, customize, and follow our heart - even when faced with someone's corporate policy.

It is in this very way that we live yoga and demonstrate it for others - not by standing on our thumbs - but by standing on our principles.

Edited by purnayoga 2009-02-17 1:34 PM
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Posted 2009-02-17 1:33 PM (#113726 - in reply to #113725)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


yes, of course.
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Posted 2009-02-17 1:52 PM (#113729 - in reply to #113715)
Subject: Re: Audition teach basics?


There is no perfect way to see what someone can do as a teacher until you hire them, give them some time (several months) and see what they do. You need time to see whether the prospective teacher has the knowledge, experience and authority to safely run a class as well as the ability to connect individually with a unique group of students. Every method short of that has some serious flaws.

That being said, if you want a job, you do what they want. If you don't want to go through a particular hiring practice, you need to find another venue that fits your expectations. An important part of being a yoga teacher is being flexible and thinking on your feet. I look at these kind of situations as a challenge.


Edited by jimg 2009-02-17 1:54 PM
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