Originally posted by Laura:
Hi Kevin, it's so sweet of you to mention The Metronome (I've been a student there for the past 5 1/2 years),
We probably know each other, then. I was in the Teacher Training program there from 2001-2002.
but there are many other studios with far better competitive DanceSport programs and far more successful competitive dancers. The Metronome is more geared toward social dancers, club dancers (as in salsa, swing, and argentine tango), and begining-to-intermediate competitors.
Sure, but the question was "best/most prestigious ballroom studio", not the best competitive DanceSport program. I feel that social dancing and club dancing is the "best" kind of dancing because it is available to everyone. Also, the Metronome always wins awards in the local press, so that seems prestigious to me.
This is slowly changing, as some really great people are starting to teach there as independent floor renters, and some very good couples from the Bay Area practice there, but still if you were talking about "number one" studios for competitors in the Bay Area I'd pick other studios long before The Metronome, and for social dancers I'd probably pick The Starlite Ballroom because it is even bigger and has huge beginner social dances and parties.
Since my focus is on social dancing, I would pick Metronome over any competitive studio as the "number one", but clearly we have a differing view about what "best" means, 8^). That's one of the best things about dancing, we can all do it for our own reasons, and it's all god!
I've also heard good things about The Starlite Ballroom, but since I've never been there I can't really vote for them!
Kevin
