Two corrections in my text!
annyon, 13 months straight but spending 2 months overseas. So it'd be 11 months of practice. I'll be bronze 4 in 1 month.
Muska "I hate to be touched by older men..." Older man will touch you with more respect than the younger ones.
But if you "hate" older man, come to to Los Angeles area and you'll find out that 70% of students are 30 and younger. IT DEPENDS THE STUDIO YOU'RE ON.
$154 per lesson in Los Angeles or NY is nothinng. Don't compare with other states. Here, 45 minutes of any good professional time is at least $100.
If you don't believe, try to have a good haircut here for less than that.
operabob, you think you're smart by paying for what you have in your association. Here in Los Angeles you can have what you have for FREE at the dance clubs. FREEEEEEE!
I'm talking about 100% undivided attention for a 1st class professional in the LA area.
It all depends what you want for your dance education.
My teacher is awesome! She's a winner of international contests and so on.
Now muska, if you don't like your teacher, just ask for you money back and leave the studio. You don't have to regret. Or ask for another teacher.

annyon and when I say Bronze 3 almot bronze 4, I mean full bronze.
Rumba, Cha Cha, Salsa, Tango, Waltz, Fox Trot and swing.

Correction,



Tell me more.

I'm interested.

Your teacher must be getting paid somehow. Do you buy drinks at the Clubs, etc.?

I might be in LA soon and would like to come to these clubs (only I'm an older man, 56, LOL!).

OB

Yes man!
These night clubs pay the teachers in the same way they pay the music bands.
They do this to attract people to their clubs. They make money by selling drinks, food, etc.
But there is no obligation to drink or eat anything.

Operabob. I believe you wrote that your club doesn't have a permanent home. Have you aproached your local authority to see if there is a Heritage building that you can use and take care of. This is fairly common in Europe where the Amateurs are the club and the teacher is an employee.I would create an image that you are helping the community of all ages. Then hit them with , are you willing to help. This can be a good vote catcher at election time especially if you can show a 1000 membership. Thats a lot of votes. That can be trippled with parents or other relations.
I am told that in Germany the clubs are in charge and teach competition dancers. They never teach Social dancing. The Social teachers never teach competition. There is a hands off understanding between them.I can see that any government is not going to donate a building to a Professional. But an Amatuer group that's different. Just some food for thought. good luck with your club.

What would you say to someone who has spent $1,500 on a showcase number only to experience the instructor forgetting several steps throughout the performance?

I'd say you need to find a new teacher who doesn't buckle under the pressure and ask that you be refunded some of your money or be compensated by way of some free instructional time to make up for the irreparable damages to both your enjoyment and integrity.

Not all teachers are evil devils out for money - I get paid for the quality my students put out, not quantity. The better my students understand the working knowledge that I have passed on to them and continue to demonstrate that through regular progress checks and occasional competitions or showcases, the more I am compensated both monetarily and emotionally.

You have a right to secure your enjoyment through dance, no doubt about it. But the instructors also have a right to protect our passion for what we do.

It happens sometimes. The more important issue is - how well did the couple recover? That's the true test.

Arthur Murray is a world chain. The dance world is ALL about the $. If you want to have the best training, you are going to have to pay. Even dance dresses, shoes, accessories, everything for dancing is expensive. All I have to say is, if dancing isn't what you really want to do, find something else! The only reason why I am at Arthur Murray is because I want to become a Professional dancer. Plus, it's a great outing. You know...they have the parties and our studio has student night out. All the students at our studio and two of the other local Arthur Murrays, go out. I really think that dancing isn't that important to you. If it was you would suck it up and get over it. I am not trying to be mean, but it's the dead truth. In the dance world most people don't get a good glimpse of reality. So this is your dose from me.

"What would you say to someone who has spent $1,500 on a showcase number only to experience the instructor forgetting several steps throughout the performance?"

I'd say don't spend that much money on the expectation of performance inconsistent with human nature.

If the experience of preparing for the showcase was worth $1500, then it was a good buy. If it wasn't, then it was a bad buy.

If there's a business foul here, it's not in the very understandable error, but in the marketing of the actual performance as a discrete goal, rather than in selling a good learning opportunity with more enduring rewards.