A couple of weeks ago I posted a message regarding my interest in possibly switching to from an Astaire studio to an independant studio. I had not at the time made up my mind and still have not. My reasons are mostly financial; the independant is far more affordable......which means more lessons. I also loved the family atmosphere of the independant studio. I had a blast at the 2 parties I attended at the indie studio........far more than I ever had at the Astaire parties. I have been dancing only 5 months and feel quite comfortable at the studio I am at. I also adore my teacher..........he's had 7 years of experience and he is very articulate and he works hard to meet my needs as a student. The other day I mentioned to him that I had attended a party at the other studio. He told me that if I took any lessons at that studio that the owner of the FADS studio that I attend would probably return the balance of my money and sever ties. This has not been sitting well with me. It didn't bother me so much at first,,,,but as I thought about it, I became a little upset and almost offended. Is taking lessons at two studios at the same time unethical? I have not taken any lessons elsewhere at this time............but isn't this my money and my time and my decision? Am I wrong for considering this? Or are they wrong for stating that I should not study with any one else. My instructor used the term...."private club". I ran into several students from the FADS that I attend at the party (at the independat studio) and I mentioned to them what my teacher had said. I almost felt guilty and like I was cheating on my instructor by going to this party after what he said. I just wanted to take a couple of lessons at this other studio to see if I like it. Also, the indie studio teaches the Argentine Tango.....which I desperately want to learn...the Fads does not. I'm confused.......am I wrong for wanting to save a little money and also learn from some different teachers? Am I caseing a conflict of interest..........I would love some unbiased advice.....Thank You!

Yeah, but they just want it to be their's.

Not trying to sound flip, OB, but I have enough to do both, if I plan carefully........it is more than the money to me.

Hi there... thought I'd put my two cents in, for what it's worth.

I taught at a FADS, and now have my own independent studio. I opened my own studio just as much because ballroom courses through my veins just as much as blood, as for the reason that I think franchised studios have it backwards. FADS is very particular and very rule oriented. They are VERY against independent studios, which they refer to as "pirates". You are not wrong for going and checking out other studios if you feel it's time to make a change and your interests fall outside what they can offer. I think the only downfall here was maybe sharing with FADS that you were exploring other options, until you were ready to switch.

Here's their thinking: Learning from multiple instructors causes confusion. Instructors have MANY different teaching styles, and may give you conflicting information to get you to the same end goal. What they are afraid this translates to you is that one is right and one is wrong, or worse, one is better. Ego has a big role in it.

I'm sorry for the frustration. Keep to yourself, but explore teachers until you find a right fit for what you want, then stay put until your needs/wants change. For what it's worth...

Hugs,
T

You have a right to do what you want withh your time and money. A good teacher should WANT you to take from other instructors for different perspictives purposes. As long as you keep taking lessons from your current teacher he/she shouldn't care what you do with the rest of your money. It's a private and personal matter.

I am a dance studio bigamist. I take private lessons at one and group lessons at another. At first, I was careful to keep it a secret and then I thought "hell no", I don't care who knows. One studio is a little more sensitive than the other but they don't want to lose my business completely so I have not received any negative comments. There are lots of great instructors, and FA knows it, don't let them dictate where you dance.

5L,

Didn't take your comment as flip at all and hope you recognized the humour intended in mine.

Regardless of whether you hve the money to do both it is

I'd be wary myself of any studio situation that tried to control me. What I'd suspect they are doing is trying to maximize the amount of money they get out of me over my needs. The ballroom world is filled with this the ultimate example being Gaynor Fairweather & her husband:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06215/710853-51.stm

You've got the money? I can tell you there'll be lots of people happy to help you deal with it.

It's your money and your needs so you can do what you want.

I'd ask this as well:

Do you want someone else to make you look good or do you want to learn to dance?

OB the Cynic

Ladydance, I think that is great advice. I may take a few group lessons at the indie studio to get a feel for the way they teach and see how I like it.

One thing I forgot to mention was that I recently performed in a FADS showcase..........the number we choreographed is really awesome and I am committed to perform it 2 more times in the next two months. My instructor insisted that we had the number choreographed by a coach that frequents the studio and I agreed......I had specific moves that I wanted incorporated in the dance and he did that......so I believe that this dance is MY dance and I can take the routine with me. The number is so much fun and it challenged me to rise above my level of dance......I just hate to give up the routine if I leave. Since I paid for it and I chose the music and came up with the ideas and theme for the routine......doesn't that make it mine? If I leave FADS can they say that I can't perform it anymore? Do they have any rights to it? I do have video of both the routine being choreographed with me, my teacher and the coach.....and also me performing it. Does anyone know about this type of issue?

My husband thinks I'm silly to care so much about one routine, but it went so well at the showcase and was recieved so well.........It's so much fun to perform and I love it. I put so much into it.....I don't want to let it go..........perhaps a silly reason to consider staying at a studio.

I must say I'm not unhappy at the FADS studio(just a bit uneasy and put off by them telling me I can't take lessons elsewhere)........just wanting to see what else is out there and also to pay less money, if it is possible to do so and not give up quality. It seems that this other studio may provide that. This has really been tearing me up..........

There is nothing wrong taking lessons at two different studios at the same time providing you choose different dances at each studio to learn. A top coach would tell you to get lost,not because of the money but because he does not want to waste his time with a student who is not concentrating and following his teaching.

A looooooooooong time ago I went to an AM studio and had inquired about places to go out social dancing. All they would tell me was that I could go to any AM studio on their Friday night parties if I were in another town.

This is way back when the internet was a new thing, so I began looking on the internet for places to social dance. I found several right in my own town, which happened to be where the AM studio was also located. I told a few of my friends at the AM studio about these other places to dance. (We wanted to go out on a Saturday night, rather than a Friday).

One of the AM instructors overheard me telling people about these other ballrooms and places to dance and pulled me aside and told me I would be kicked out of the studio if I told anyone else about these other places. At that time I wasn't even looking for new instructors or anything like that. I merely wanted to be able to go out to places other than the usual AM Friday night party to dance and I wanted to be able to dance on a Saturday night when I was refreshed, rather than have to race over to the Friday night party after work when I was worn out from the work week.

When I did start going out to other places to dance, that's when I discovered that AM wasn't the only place to take instruction and that there was more to life than American style smooth and rhythm. I quickly fell in love with international, which suits me much better.

To the girl who wants to take the routine she worked so hard to perfect and had showcased it already, I say take it. You paid for it. It's yours. I don't think anybody has a patent on any dance move or set of figures strung together and formed into a routine. Let's face it, anyone who dances can watch DWTS or whatever dance show on TV and copy a routine and perform it. Who's going to stop anyone from doing this? Nobody.

I think you should check out any studio you want, but just don't discuss it with your FADS instructor. After a period of time you can decide what you want to do with your time and money and where you prefer to dance. And just anothetr thought - a lot of people also take lessons from different instructors in different disciplines. You may want to take smooth or standard from one instructor who specializes in that form of dance and you might want to take your latin or rhythm from another instructor who specializes in that form of dance. There is nothing wrong with doing that.

I wish you well in whatever you choose to do.