I am in search of an instruction program/format for Ballroom Dancing. My wife & I attend our local Ballroom club monthly dances and in doing so have attracted a small following of couples who wish to learn some of the moves and patterns that we do. So we began teaching on a very small scale (4-8 couples once a week). Then new beginner dancers wanted to join, and so on and so on. For the sake of keeping couples interested in dancing, at what ever level they wish, we need a program. My wife and I are probably comfortable Silver level dancers in 6-7 dances, and bronze at best on a few others. However, the couples we have been helping are pre-bronze at best and we spend the majority of time trying to get them out of the Box and moving around the floor. What we are finding is that the very new beginners end up dropping out after a short while because it is a large jump from beginning to Silver patterns. Or perhaps the reason they fall out of dancing is because they cant see their progress and get discouraged.
Please understand that we are not professionally trained, we are not certified with any designations, nor have we ever competed (Although my former partner and I did make the "top ten" couples in Atlanta in East Coast Swing in '92), and we barely break even after paying for a location to teach dance (that is why our group classes are so inexpensive; $5 a couple). Our back ground is Western Dancing in the late 80's to early 90's and Ballroom dancing since 1995 (learning primarily from professional videos). However, in our rural/suburban area, it is an hour and a half to the nearest dance studio in Atlanta. Our ballroom club has approximately 15 member couples and normally 10 visiting couples per dance. Not to boast, but what little we know is very impressive to the brand new beginner.

Can someone please advise me on a program or a format to increase the number of couples that stay with dancing?

Best Regards,
Joe

If you want to keep your beginners occupied after learning the pattern so that they have something more to think about. At first not to music get them on a change steps down the floor in the Waltz to keep the rear leg behind them longer and make them bring that foot under the body before stepping to the side after flexing the supporting knee. That usuall stops them getting bored.
If you think they can handle it tell them to commence to rise at the end of step and beat one. Then continue to rise on two and three. Lower at the end of three. You are at your highest and lowest on three. And is counted three (and) Only teach this as a question, and ask it often. Tell them then to take this with them and practise at home. You will always get people drop out. With the rest I find it gives them something to think about,and stops the class from being a bore after the first week or so. Those basic down the floor steps should be done every time you teach, this includes the more advanced also . It is something you never stop doing. Best of luck with your classes.

Quickstep's advice is missing the forest for the trees, but he (she?) is on the right track. You'll lose students when they get bored, frustrated, or feel like they've learned all they need to know.

If they're getting bored, you might want to look into your presentation. Ballroom dancing should be fun in and of itself, but it's amazing how the presentation can affect it, especially with beginners. A good presentation can make it even more exciting, while a poor one can suck the fun right out of it. Try to be creative and think of entertaining ways to present the material, especially to your beginning level classes. I thought I was a fun group class instructor until I taught a class alongside a guy by the name of Barry Reed. The guy can work a crowd like nobody I've ever seen.

If students are getting frustrated, then you're either teaching material that's out of their league, or out of yours. If it's the former, the simple answer is to slow down and try not to squeeze so much material into one class. As teachers, we forget how challenging (and also rewarding) the simple movements are to a beginner. Just because it doesn't seem exciting or challenging to you, doesn't mean it isn't for them. You can also find ways to stretch one pattern before moving on to another, like working some aspect of the technique (as Quickstep suggested), doing a number of partner rotations, doing it first to counts, then to music, or putting it in different contexts (eg two boxes to four change steps, then try two change steps to a hesitation, etc). Using these techniques, you could probably stretch 3 patterns into a one-hour class.

If you're teaching material that's out of your league, the answer again is to cut back. The problem is, nobody wants to admit his own shortcomings. If a student is struggling and can't seem to get a concept, it's easy to place the blame on him -- "Oh, he's just not talented enough". But it could also be that you don't have enough experience teaching the concept to be effective. Coaching lessons are the best way to improve your skills in the teaching department, because you get a chance to see firsthand a pro in action. And no matter how good you are, there's no better way to improve your teaching than to watch someone better than you teach a concept to your student that you weren't able to.

Finally, if you're losing students because they feel like they've learned all they need to know, the best way to improve your situation is to make the students' environment more inspiring. if everybody around them is mediocre, they will quickly reach that level and feel no motivation to move beyond that. This, of course, starts with your own dancing, and the best way to improve is with private lessons. Having a well-trained staff is beneficial, too, but if you're the only teachers, then a few key highly trained students is a plus... Something the rest of the students can aspire to. You can also take the students out dancing once in a while, or take them on a field trip to a competition. Anything that makes them realize through their environment how much their is to learn will keep them wanting to learn more. Without sufficient inspiration, you won't keep them around very long even if you do emphasize technique over steps, because they won't really get the point of it.

If lessons are inconvenient for you, be creative. You say you have a 1 & 1/2 hour commute, which is certainly tough for two lessons a week, but not so bad for say, twice a month. So double-up. Go twice a month and take 4 hours at a time -- perhaps two hours, take a break, then two more. The cost of the lessons will ultimately be offset by the increased business, even if not right away. Just think of it as an investment.

You can also import your coaches. If you have a few key private students, then you can probably work up enough hours (between their lessons and yours) to bring in a coach for a day. Quite a few coaches would probably be willing to make the commute for a full day's worth of lessons.

If you don't have any private students for coaching, there inlies your biggest problem. It's extremely difficult to run a business based entirely on group classes. The people who do it successfully are usually based in large cities, teach 3-4 group classes per night, and have classes of 100 or more. For the rest of us, private lessons are where the real money is. All it should take is a half-dozen privates per week to put you in the black. And not only does this improve your bottom line, but you'll have more highly trained students to help you bring in coaches and inspire the rest of the student body.

Beyond the teaching, there are other ways you can improve your business. Advertising is extremely important. Don't be put off by the cost... Remember, it's an investment. They key is to be creative and think of the most cost-effective ways to spend your advertising dollar. Offer incentives (eg first lesson free, first 4 lessons 1/2 price, etc), as it sometimes takes a few visits to get someone hooked. You can't expect everyone to stay, but the more bodies you get in the door, the more you'll keep. It's the law of averages.

I hope this helps. Good luck with your business!

Sincerely,
Jonathan Atkinson
www.ballroomdancers.com

Jonathan. An excellent article especially your pharagraph four. I haven't a clue what goes on where you live. I do know what goes on here and the attitude. Which is. Its only a Social class. Therefore anything will do. So do we have two manuals. One for competition and medals, and one for sloppy social. Maybe I came from a much stricter era. But if I have a sign over my door saying. Come in and learn to Waltz. That is what they will get. Not some sub standard teaching allowing pupils not to do heel leads. How long does it take in a class to have everyone doing Change Steps in Waltz down the floor to the count of twelve and then backwards to the count of twelve. making sure that they are told about the heels on the way forward, and on the way back no footrise on one. Maybe next week or session, we might introduce rise and fall with the correct footwork and so on but to a plan. This is not a medal class. Just and ordinary dance class. In the medal class we are straight into the correct technique right from step one. All of the above is how things are conducted in the classes I go to. For Latin I go to another school who do only Latin. The teachers were seventh in the world professionaly. I think they only know one way, the correct way. These classes are to say the least very intense and more than popular. Those who can't hack it soon leave or take private lessons to catch up. We do miles of Rumba Walks around the hall being corrected all the time. As usuall I make a copy of your words and make sure it is seen. I hope you don't mind. Best Wishes.

After attending 3 years at a Jazz-based music school with intense studying and an average homework load of 6-10 hours daily, I came out a polished musician with the ability to write, produce and play in almost any modern music style. A couple of years later I took a piano class at the local community college to brush up on my sightreading skills and was appalled at the general understanding off jazz musicianship techniques -- not by the students, but by the teachers. "Jazz is a free-for-all", they would say. "play whatever you want. It all sounds the same in jazz".

As it turns out, this total lack of understanding of (and even contempt for) jazz theory is common amongst the elitist snobs of the classical music world, particularly in our college system. They don't care to learn anything about jazz, preferring to think that it simply "has no rules" and is therefore unworthy of study. Nothing, of course, could be farther from the truth.

The moral of my story: Don't be a Standard elitist snob.

If competitive Standard is all you care to study, it's ok to limit yourself and your skill set to that one discipline. But don't let your lack of exposure to other forms of dancing rob you of your ability to appreciate them. Or at least, if you don't appreciate them, don't speak publicly about them (other than perhaps to say, "They're not for me"), because you can't speak on matters for which you have no knowledge without exposing your ignorance... not to mention arousing hostility in those who do.

If you had spent 10 years studying disciplined social dance practices and techniques, you would not be calling it "sloppy social" or "sub standard". Those who have spent a lifetime pursuing social dance perfection would beg to differ.

Regards,
Jonathan

Thank you Jonathan for your valuable information, not only Joe will appreciate your help, but every reader on this site will. Because you are giving all the information you have so that we can benefit from your experience.
By the way, Joe it's very important to take your students to dance parties and competitions, it's the best way for them to get excited and feel the need to learn more. Good luck!

My wife & I are/were in a somewhat similar situation but with a bit of an advantage (or disadvantage depending on your point of view).

We were both classroom school teachers and therefore had a background in classroom methodology. After ballrooming for several years we were encouraged to take teacher training and eventually attracted a following as well. At the sametime we were exposed to all the ballroom teachers in our community.

The biggest mistake I see ballroom teachers make (especially with beginners)is they talk too much.

Rule #1: Keep 'em moving.

People get tired standing and listening especially to technique. We keep technique to a minimum for beginners. In our experience it doesn't start to be an attraction for most students until Silver and above. But we don't neglect it either. Remember they came to learn to dance not to learn to listen. Also realize they most likely came to learn to dance to go to a dance not to compete (however, with all the TV shows lately we're finding more competitive types).

Rule #2: Review, review, review.

We taught a beginners class last night. The first 35 minutes of the hour was review of the previous week. Even Gold students love review.

Rule #3: Laugh, laugh, laugh.

Keep it light and self-deprecating. My wife and I have a whole comedy routine worked out: I'm the idiot and she's the person who puts up with the idiot. This really relaxes the men who were often dragged down by their wives. (If that idiot can do it I guess I can too!)

Rule #4: Always find the positive.

Never tell a beginning student what they're doing wrong. Instead tell them how they can make what they're doing even better.

"I like what you're doing here but I just want to change this a bit to make it a bit better."

Eliminate all "not" and "n't" words which leads to:

Rule #5: Tell the student what to do rather than what not to do.

One thing that keeps levity in our group classes is changing partners. We've been to too many classes where people hate to change partners. The reason was the teacher's approach:

"Would people like to change partners? You don't have to but those that would like to can if they wish."

This kind of approach gives the student an out.

After we've taught the basic step we put everyone in a large circle/line of dance and get them moving. After about 2 or 3 phrases I yell "STOP". Pause. "Gentlemen, move one lady forward please". This usually creates a confused laugh situation but they move to the next person (failing to move forward would be embarassing and besides I didn't give them a choice). Once they know the pattern I just count "One, Two, Three, Move, Four" so they don't have time to think about it and have to get to the next partner fast.

After they've built patterns we just say, "Change partners" and it's such an element of the class virtually everyone does all the time. It furthers a social atmosphere and helps to keep things fresh.

We were paid the greatest of compliments last night:

"For 26 years every once in a while I've dragged my husband to dance lessons and he's hated it. He's taken two lessons each time and quit. But there's something about your class that's got him telling me to hurry up or we'll be late for class."

The husband was standing there as she said it and gave my wife and I a great smile.

Now, we make money off these people but I really want to feel I've earned it and that statement says so much to me.

Now, despite all this you're still going to lose 50% of your students. People move on. They always do.

A couple of points for your dances:

1. Add some ballroom line dances and mixers.

2. Socialize (aka "Work the Room"). Visit every table and say hello, etc. Dance with people besides your partner.

Hope this helps,

OB

http://www.dancingdragon52.com

Joe,

On re-reading your post re: program

I think I understand what you're really asking.

Are you teaching International or American style?

If International contact me at my wife's e-mail:

info (AT) dancingdragon52 (DOT) com

We do have access to a series of sequential DVDs designed as a teaching program. They are very low-cost.

The beginner set is 5 DVDs (foxtrot, waltz, tango, jive, cha-cha) and includes a music CD.

This set follows the ISTD program and matches what we teach.

Including all taxes it's $67.75 Canadian which is approx. $58 US. We also don't try and make money off of shipping and handling. If you're interested I'd just go to the post office and you'd just pay what they charge.

We sell these to our students. The series was produced by our 13 times provincial champions and you can link through to their webpage from my wife's page. You can order from them if you wish but you'll save a bit through us.

OB

http://dancingdragon52.com

Joe,

(Sorry for being long-winded).

Just to add about these DVDs (beginner all the way up to Gold):

They are not like the usual videos that teach individual steps.

They teach the steps but also put them in combinations as they are taught in their own studio group classes. So while they show the individual steps you might get a sequence something like:

Waltz (Bronze)

Basic Amalgamation, Natural to Hesitation, Double Reverse Spin, Chasse, Back Lock, Impetus.

This way the steps aren't taught in isolation.

OB

http://dancingdragon52.com