Arthur Murray is just a money maker the teachers are not qualified and have no integrity. I was at the Sydney studio and there was a female teacher who would date her male students all the time at first she would pass it off as gossip but when personal photos of her surfaced there was little she could do. She managed to split up a couple only to then gloat to everyone about her relationship when it was obvious the studio wasn't going to do anything. The female student ended up leaving eventually but only after the teacher gave her such a hard time. Everyone just stood around and watched from the sidelines no one had the decency to fire this teacher. She was a horrible dancer as well.

Nicely worded, Passion for dance! I work for Arthur Murray as well. I'm very proud of it! I'm tempted to say that this person who is complaining about the studio had a bad instructor..maybe not on the dancing level, but obviously on some level there wasn't a connection made. It really is fulfilling when your wedding couples bring in pictures and dvd's of their weddings and share those memories with you. And aside from the sappiness of this, can you argue with the fact that AMI has produced some of the finest amatuer and professional dancers out there?? I am very proud of the company I work for and it's heritage, and my franchisee as well. I'm sure you'll know who I'm talking about, she's been dancing for 60 plus years and has performed with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. She is the oldest franchisee in AMI and has been with the company since Arthur Murray himself was teaching. She was a student of his at one point. If that alone doesn't impress you about the company, then think more of the dancing. To be able to say that you danced with someone who's name means so much in the ballroom world is phenominal. I'm very sorry that this person had a bad experience and wish them the best of luck in their future dancing.

Im sorry comparing AM teachers to International trained instructers the two do not compare. The amount of money AM teachers charge is ridiculous considering the vast majority of AM teachers do not have a name nor the experience to evn charge the ridiculous amount of money for lessons, when one can have a lesson from well known instructors worldwide in the international arena for half the amount. I have been to both AM studios and international. I found the teachers at AM did not go into as much detail when teaching technique and it seemed that $2000 bought me 10 steps which i learned until I made a further payment of $1000 which bought me another 5 steps, of course I would be going over the same steps with no more focus on technique continually until it was decided I could move up a level. The international world of ballroom dancers have more more recognition than anyone at AM. I have made my choice as have hundreds of others as proven on this thread

I am an instructior at Arthur Murray. And something that alot of people fail to realize or even care about is that, AM hosts most of the major ballroom comps, many pros out there who have won titles are associated one way or another with AM.

And I dont know about your area, but where I teach, the people who run the independent studios, were the ones that could not cut it at AM, either teaching or competing wise.

So be vary careful where you spend your money.

Think, would you rather spend your money at an independent fly by night studio or at a studio that is owned by one of the oldest franchises in history for almost 100 years and survived the depression and the World War, and still kept growing strong?

AM is the only studio to advertise for new staff offering a job as a dance teacher without any experience as long as you love to dance!!!!! The teachers are not qualified. PERIOD. International dance studios are run by people who have dedicated their whole lives to dancing and have competed around the world in major comps including blackpool the most famous dance comp - AM teaches dance from a social aspect not a competitive aspect that is a hell of a lot of money to spend on dance lessons to learn to dance socially, and why is it that the fred astaire studio and AM studio who both teach american smooth yet have different syllabus'. At least with an international studio you can learn the same syllabus from any city in any country around the world, without having to start all over again. AM is a MONEYMAKER the teachers charge a flat rate regardless of their experience this is wrong! $140 a lesson with an AM teacher who is the co franchisee with 10 years AM experience or $140 a lesson with new teacher with a jazz background who has spent the last 3 months learning from a teacher at the studio and watching dvd's to learn the steps? It's not rocket science. You can defend the studio as much as you like. It does not cost $10,000 to learn 2 levels. I am an accomplished piano player it did not cost me $20,000 to learn to play the piano in 2 years.

"AM is the only studio to advertise for new staff offering a job as a dance teacher without any experience as long as you love to dance!!!!! The teachers are not qualified. PERIOD."
- not true, I see similar ads for Indy studios all the time. Also in AM, instructors typically go through at least a 6 week training period before they are even allowed to talk to even the most beginner students- and then they typically turn the students over to a more advanced instructor after introducing them to a few basic steps. meanwhile (at least in the studios I was associated with) they are in constant training for both dancing, teaching (and yes, sales- if no one sells the lesson, how will you buy it? duh). And most studios bring in the same coaches you use in the indy world.

"International dance studios are run by people who have dedicated their whole lives to dancing and have competed around the world in major comps including blackpool the most famous dance comp."
- Nick & Lena Kosovic, Bob Powers & Julia Gorchekova, Daniel Heroux, Bill Sparks & Shirley Johnson, Lukasz Rogowski, Luca & Lorraine Baricchi, Sam Sodano, Bill Jacobsen, Forrest Vance, Ingvar Geirsson & Leslie Spearin, up and comers like Joe & Leisa Howard, Luis Dettling & Rachel Whitney, JUST TO NAME A FEW off the top of my head......all Arthur Murray, either currently or formerly. ALL. Heard of 'em? If you haven't, then you don't deserve to make the above statement.

When I last went to Ohio Star ball in 2007 - my student - an AM student - placed top 3 in every single heat but 2 in both levels of Silver. And one I helped coach placed 7th (just short of the final) in the Pro/Am Latin Scholarship- it was only her second comp.
Our studio regularly attended independent comps, and more often than not took home a top studio and/or student award.

I'm sorry I feel the need to be defensive, but it is grossly unfair to state that AM(or even FADS) instructors are any less qualified than any other. Belonging to a franchised system neither necessarily qualifies nor disqualifies a teacher's credibility, dedication, passion, or experience. I was often APPALLED at the level of instruction some students had received from so-called "highly qualified" indy teachers when those students came to my studio. More often than not, they stayed at my studio, even though it cost more than the others in town. Quality sells. And you get what you pay for. (if you don't get out and get your money back!)

As "DanceTheNightAway" points out.
"Be very careful where you spend your money." Ericka, it's all in what you want. Having danced in AM, I personally didn't feel that for social or competition purposes, $140 for a 40 minute lesson was of value. I got alot of sales pitches and the ever present - you can't learn the next steps until...blah blah blah. While the teachers might have had a passion for dancing the pressure to sign paperwork and $$ committment was up there with a used car saleman trying to make quota. Once the AM studio learned that students either planned on leaving - for whatever the reason...there was no longer any interest in the student. The developed syllabus that the AM method of teaching might be great for some - the franchise owner is there to pay bills and make money..there is...in the long run the always present profit and loss statement. You will find the always present personal viewpoints. Mine? I love my independent instructors (two of them currently) and the studios. Quite successful at that - not that they didn't cut it at AM - but their passion for dance overrode the need/requirement to get customers to sign on the dotted line. Rather - they want happy customers - not bankrupt ones.

You are so wrong that idependent instructors are wash outs.In fact sone have yeard of experience compared to AM teachers

If you want to find a different studio in your area, here is a great directory. check it out: http://www.itsaboutdance.com

The only dance school that it lists for Atlanta is Fred Astaire.



jj