Apparently you don't train at a good AM. We have a practice session alloted with the top teacher every day. We work before and after work many days. We have many traveling world renowned coaches at least once a month, which the teachers have at least two training sessions with, and many of us pay to do extra coachings before and after work.
We don't have to talk students into coachings, they want to. We just offer the opportunity, all this just dance training.
And as "sales" training goes, there is none, just how to be the best teacher possible and to give the students what they want. If that is sales, then every teacher in the world in every field with training is really good at "sales"
As to chains not learning and teaching technique, that's just stupid.
None of us teachers care about money any more or less than any other person trying to pay the rent, because we love to dance and teach dance.
To other posts, yes chains have accountability, more than many independents, we are constantly (at least 4 times a year) checked for quality of dancing, teaching, and competition fairness. We just had Nick Kosovich at our studio doing just that. We also have multi studio training weekends at least twice a year by top end professionals, such at Nick and Lena, Lola Volair, etc. All world champions outside of the AM world as well.
Every single blanket comment I have heard negative about chains is false except in certain circumstances. Isn't that true for all studios though?
Last, if we can't accomodate a students needs then we will happily recommend another studio that can. I have never heard animosity from any AM teacher towards independents, only the other way around.
The big question is why, what are they scared of, let's all just teach dance to all the different kinds of people, why do some of you not want everyone to dance, at whatever studio makes them happy. So have fun dancing wherever works for you, shop around, be competitive or dance socially, just everybody dance and have fun. Quit the ignorance.

As you implied in your first sentence, there are good AMs and "not-so-good" AMs, for both teachers and students. (They same is true for independents, of course.) You're lucky to be at one of the good ones. But those reporting other kinds of experiences at AMs are not ignorant--in most cases, they are reporting their own personal experience.

You must have come across an unusual situation--

I coached and taught for chains for over 30 yrs, allover the states and with both name brands-- staff NEVER paid for training-- only if they requested a private lesson with me ( which did happen, but very rare )

As i stated -- small schools cannot always support a full time training schedule ( I always, in my schools, chain or indie-- did )

I started at a "non-profit" ballroom dance society which followed ISTD. I've never been involved with a chain.

The Society costs less than half the chains, doesn't require contracts and employs ISTD or CDTA certified teachers or student teachers under the supervision of a certified examiner. (I'd have had my Associateship years ago but for a car crash that left me with major whiplash. It's coming around now so I'm aiming at late October or November).

In my own situation I'm an ST under the supervision of an ISTD examiner (Former NZ champ & 7 times judge at the World Championships). We're a bit isolated here on Vancouver Island but I take every opportunity to take inservice (at my cost) with top professionals. Recently/currently with a former US National Open Smooth Champ). What I learn from them makes me more saleable to students.

As for the chains: There are good and poor just as there are good and poor independents.

Because of the high overhead for chains I think it entirely reasonable to charge more.

At the same time I think the consumer, paying double, has the right to expect and enquire whether they are getting the highest qualified instructor. Certainly there's a difference between a beginning instructor with years of dance experience and an instructor with little experience and an 8 week training course.

Terr,

BTW: Are you aware of any ISTD examiners in your area and how I might contact one? I'm getting nowhere contacting USISTD or USDA.

Thanks,

OB

amteacher. I dont mean to be picky here. But I keep reading from different sources, you are only one among many who throw these claims about world champion teachers. Those you mentioned have never been world champions and would be embarressed by this claim. The person you mentioned and his sister have been Australian champions dancing with other partners and are both world class teachers with years as competitors. But to me to claim that this or that person is a world champion, they must have won a World Championship. In Modern since 1950 there have only been 56 couples who can claim to have been a World Champion. Many of those are no longer with us. My apologies but we must stick to facts.
To add a bit more. Very often , to back up a statment made we get the person who throws in I have been dancing or teaching for years, which to them means they must be right. Once upon a time we used to have a saying. Lets get the violin out and play Tell me the Old Old Story. Sometimes someone sitting in the corner might imitate playing a fiddle.

Hello Serindipity,
Was wondering who else posted talking about getting training from world champions? Everything I have read was stating that they recieved training from champions in general. As far as the posts about people training/dancing for years, I personally have been training for many years and am very proud of it as I have worked very very hard admittedly I am not as versed in smooth/standard as I am in rhythm or latin but I suppose one is always a bit stronger in one style or the other based on their interests and what they compete in most. Well, maybe with the exception of 10 dance or 9 dance couples, I have to commend those couples because that is some serious dedication!!!