How to Become a Jazzercise Instructor

Starting Your Application

Submit an application form. The first thing to do to become an officially licensed Jazzercise instructor is to download the application form from the Jazzercise website. The form will require you to provide some basic personal information and contact details, as well as specifying when and where you are able to attend New Franchisee Training. The form is a PDF file which you will need Adobe Reader to use. You will need to complete it on your computer. When you have filled in the form, you should email it directly to the Jazzercise District Manager for your country. The contact details of District Managers across the world are available online here: http://www.jazzercise.com/Franchisee-Links/District-Managers

Attend a casting call. After submitting your application form you can attend a casting call so that your physical fitness, technique and rhythm can be assessed by a qualified Jazzercise representative. An initial assessment will be made, and if you are deemed a good candidate, an official will contact you in due course. You will then be invited to attend an audition. Contact your District Manage for the dates and details of the upcoming casting calls near you.

Sign up with Jazzercise. Before you continue on to the audition, you are required to sign a Franchise Agreement and Offering Circular with the Jazzercise company. This document will be specific to your state or country and will be sent to you by your District Manager. You will have to pay an initial fee of $1250 to Jazzercise, Inc. in order to sign up. You have to make this considerable payment before auditioning, so you need to be very confident of passing the audition. The $1250 is the initial fee, and once you have passed and begun your own franchise you will have to pay annual fees, as well as hiring a space to work. Be sure to read the form thoroughly and talk it through with your District Manager if there is anything you are uncertain about.

Getting Qualified

Become CPR certified. Before you go any further, you need to make sure you are CPR certified. All Jazzercise instructors must be certified in CPR before having their audition and then maintain CPR certification at all times. Search online for accredited CPR training classes near you, or ask your District Manager. The Red Cross are one accredited organisation who hold CPR and first aid classes across the country. You can search for a class local to you on the Red Cross website.

Pass the health and fitness exam. As well as being certified to do CPR, you need to pass a specific health and fitness exam before you can attend your audition. The test is designed to ensure you have a good working knowledge of basic anatomy, exercise physiology, injury prevention and nutrition. The exam is based on the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America’s (AFAA) manual on the theory and practice of fitness. The textbook that the exam is based on is available on the AFAA website: http://www.afaa.com/602.afa. A Jazzercise official will send you an email invitation to take the exam before your audition. You have pass the exam at least seven days in advance of your audition.

Prepare for your audition. While you are getting qualified in CPR and health and fitness you should be working hard to prepare for your audition. You will be sent various training materials to work through in advance of audition, which will include specific routines for you to learn. Thoroughly rehearse your routines until you are completely confident that you can produce your best work in the audition. To help you prepare, you can attend three rehearsals which will be led by a qualified Jazzercise representative. This is a good opportunity to hone your skills and ask any questions you have.

Ace your audition. Now you are ready for your audition and the beginning of a new career as a Jazzercise instructor. The audition aims to test your ability to lead a class with an enthusiastic and positive attitude, whilst maintaining safety and control. You must demonstrate your physical capabilities and skills, not least your ability perform choreographed movements to music with the intensity appropriate for your class.

Complete the New Franchisee Training. After successfully completing your audition you can go on to complete the short training programme for new franchisees. The dates for New Franchisee Training are available online, or via your District Manager. Once you have completed this training, you are ready to begin your own Jazzercise franchise. Passing the audition and completing the franchisee training makes you a franchisee and a certified Jazzercise instructor.

Getting Your Business Going

Start as an associate instructor. Once you are a qualified Jazzercise instructor there are two main ways to begin your new career. You can work as an associate instructor, or you can become an owner instructor. Associate instructors work for someone else who runs their own Jazzercise business, and you will just be teaching rather than dealing with business side of things. An associate instructor can be a sensible way to start. You will limit your initial costs, and you can keep your day job while you develop your knowledge and client base. There are still considerable costs involved to start as an associate. Jazzercise, inc. estimate the annual costs for an associate will be around $3,000. This includes an initial franchise fee, an annual associate fee, as well as insurance, music downloads, and some equipment.

Become an owner instructor. If you are ready to quit your day job and become your own boss, you can set up as an owner instructor. Every qualified Jazzercise instructor can do this, it just requires extra work and costs to get going. As an owner instructor you will be running every aspect of your Jazzercise business, and you should plan out how you will pay for all of the following expenses: Hiring space for the classes. Obtaining the required equipment and facilities Advertising and marketing your business Keeping clear business and accounting records.

Understand the costs. The costs of being an owner instructor entirely depend on the level of investment you put in, but you should have a clear business plan before you start spending money. Jazzercise, inc. suggest that the cost of setting up and running a new Jazzercise centre could be anywhere between $9,000 and $38,000. As an owner instructor you will be required to pay a Monthly Continuing Franchise Fee to Jazzercise, inc. This is 20% of gross revenues or $250 per month minimum. There is no minimum for the first six months.