Dear everyone
I'm a little confused right now. I took international style ballroom dancing as an extra-curricular activity at university in South Africa for about 4 or 5 years, and then again in London for a year. The steps, syllabus etc. was obviously the same. Recently, back in South Africa, I've started taking classes from a franchise studio in what I assumed was American style ballroom. It's a very popular American franchise, but I don't know if I'm allowed to say the name. Anyway, here comes the confusion: The technique I've been learning in this franchise doesn't look anything like the American style technique showed in the videos on this website! For instance, I've been taught to give small forward and backward steps in the waltz, while in the videos on this site, these are long steps. Actually, most of the time the studio seems to be really set on small steps (which for me, with my dancing background, is difficult!), but I don't see the dancers on the videos on this site giving such small steps.
And a few other things I've noticed, like for instance where I've been taught absolutely not to step on my whole foot on a backward step -- in the Cha-cha, I think -- the lady in the video steps back on her whole foot. What syllabus have I been learning? Help?

Some teachers/studios start people out with a scaled down version of Waltz. Step length and rise/fall are minimized. The videos on this site are correct. Where we dance, unforetunately most people never get past this scaled down Waltz.

We were lucky and had teachers who pushed big steps and rise/fall, early on in our lessons. That resulted in Waltz/Foxtrot becoming our favorite dances.

Try not to take big steps with the feet, instead try to move the body. If the body moves a lot, the step will end up bigger, but because it had to be to support the body. Wheras if you just move your foot a long way, all you've done is moved your foot - when what you should have done was sent your body.

Beginner level American style waltz starts with bronze level. All the steps close on beat three. This is very similar to some of the simpler International waltz steps. This produces shorter steps than that of silver level where the feet pass as in foxtrot. As a matter of fact , there isn't much difference between American style silver waltz and foxtrot except for the timing. Still, at bronze level the steps should not be short. They should look the same as International style. When starting, most beginners automatically do small steps, and they have to be taught to do longer ones. I can't imagine why any studio would teach you to do short steps.

As for the cha cha back step on the whole foot, I don't see that in the videos.

The answer is simple, and if you had a good teacher, they answered it for you.

When teaching, you have to modify your methods for different students. Some are extremely technical and want the whole thing at once whereas some need to learn it in baby steps (literally).

It sounds like you were taught in baby steps. Your teacher wanted you to concentrate on the pattern and timing and not the technicality of long steps.

Now, if you have been dancing for years like you say, another teacher, or the same one, should have come in and worked on your steps after you demonstrated the ability to do the pattern with the correct timing.

Just remember everyone learns differently, and everyone dances differently.

Did you tell the new studio that you have 4-6 years of previous dance experience? Maybe they are assuming you are a beginner and treating you as such.

"I can't imagine why any studio would teach you to do short steps. "

On the contrary, it's quite common to have to tell those of a certain limited amount of experience not to try to take such big steps.

The problem is that we don't move by moving our moving foot. We move by MOVING OUR BODY. Until the student figures that out, they are going to frequently be out-stepping their body with their moving foot. The fix is to keep the foot movement small, and work on sending the body. Once the body is moving well, then the step size will naturally increase so that the foot is there to support the body.

There are no "big steps" in dancing - there are only big movements.

Yes, of course, but that's what I meant by "long steps". I am fully aware of the correct technique in this regard. I think this may be a case of where the studio expects beginners to have a certain look, which includes having small steps.

What is your opinion on teaching the full technique in Waltz/Foxtrot early on? Our teachers pushed that early on and we really benefitted from it. The first few lessons were very challenging and frustrating, but before to long the Waltz/Foxtrot felt like a dance, rather than an klutzy way of getting around the floor. We were willing to be frustrated a bit at lessons, to insure the dance was enjoyable when we went dancing.

In a few dances they were easy on us. We are still trying to fix those dances after 6 years of dancing.

Dennis- you unfortunately were in a school where the advancement of your capabilities, were stymied, by inadequate teaching skills .

Synon. is quite correct. When taking beginners thru the early stages, one has to be very careful to not put the " icing " on the proverbial cake, before you bake it !!

it takes time ( as you are well aware ) to develope consumate skills , that is part of the reason we try to create a more " social " aspect to the beginners intro.
Medal classes , of course, are more geared to what you are now experencing-- but-- the average person, is not driven by that mode of teaching .
Today , is the day of instant dance !!

Key to being an excellent teacher is understanding your students. Their ability, their attitude and their willingness to put forth effort. Our teachers had that ability and pushed us early on in smooth dances. Which was without doubt, the best approach for us. The lowest common demoninator approach is what goes on in group lessons and is one of the reasons, people are not learning much technique.

One of the potential benefits of private lessons, is teachers can teach you at the best pace for you. I here a lot of complaints about private lessons, that are not paced to the individual students, but to some slow pace, that everyone can handle.

About 6 weeks after they started pushing full technique for waltz, it was our favorite dance.