Dance teachers are once again being excluded from the fitness industry, with Lululemon rejecting them from their Sweat Collective membership. Therefore, they are no longer recognised as "fitness professionals". 

Historically, dance has been questioned and separated from sport and physical education, thus meaning its presence in public education has been neglected. Therefore, to ensure that dance is accessible and inclusive to all,  dance teachers have created their own studios and spaces to ensure everyone has the right to dance. This often includes private, public and community settings. Dance teachers hold qualifications with prestigious and global organisations such as The Royal Academy of Dance, the Imperial Society of Dancing and the International Dance Teachers Association, to name a few. This gives them the right to teach students confidently in safe dance practice, with an appreciation of diversity, inclusion and accessibility and expert knowledge of choreography, pedagogy and andragogy. 

The Lululemon eligibility states that you must fit one of the following groups to gain membership; however, dance teachers commonly pursue numerous roles, including administrators, social media producers, group leaders, studio owners, personal trainers and many more. Thus, with their multiple roles, dance teachers fit all the criteria outlined. These include Studio Managers, Group Fitness Instructors, Personal Trainers and Coaches. 

Lululemon also states they are looking for "inspirational" people. As a community, dance teachers aspire to be the touch point of creativity, communication, expression and acceptance. Dance is often the first class toddlers are introduced to, with movement and music being instrumental in cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development. Dance for older learners is also instrumental in autonomy, cognitive and physical rehabilitation or retention, and community outreach. Thus, teaching such a wide demographic engages people in the joy of dance for multiple social or professional endeavours. This is inspirational, whether teaching someone to dance on tiptoes for the first time in preschool ballet, training for vocational examinations, a top industry dance college for further education, or even dancing for fun with a community. 

Lululemon also sells "dance studio" specific items, including joggers, shorts and pants. Thus, it is confusing why this is branded this way if they do not consider dance a professional endeavour. 

The empowerment, social inclusion and physical and psychological benefits of dance are undeniably significant to those who partake. Dance teachers are qualified individuals who enable students of all ages, from preschool to older learners, to access the benefits that movement, music, and community boast. Therefore, I believe dance teachers should be considered "fitness professionals" as their role is instrumental to societal health and wellbeing.