pgruener - I agree that there are many benefits to the Arthur Murray program, and I have received some good instruction, but your point about going out wiht students from other Arthur Murray's is EXACTLY the issue here. I too have met excellent people from other Arthur Murrays in the area, and this is how this problem came up in the first place... my studio, Ann Arbor, said I was not allowed to take any lessons with a person from another SE Michigan studio and we were not allowed to visit one another's studios to practice together.

dpalincs, When I spoke of going out dancing with other AM Studio students I was referring to other venues, not at AM unless it was an open to the public event such as the dance this past Saturday. In regards to combining lessons with students from other studios and practicing at other studios, I don't know the policy and as I stated before, I cannot comment on that.
From an adminstrative and operational view I would guess that to be a nightmare to control since they are individualy owned franchises and businesses. It also has the potential to crowd a facility and inconvenience other regular students at that studio, but that is my view.

For practicing and dancing with others there are numerous places to go at a very reasonable cost $5 - $10. One is right in Ann Arbor at UofM on Sunday nights, huge dance floor. A group of us has come across town and we had a great time and plan to return. On Facebook there is a Southeastern Michigan Arthur Murray Studios page perhaps some of the places we go to can be listed, check it out. I believe AM Sterling Heights made mention of several places. Hopefully we will see you at some of the events, we always have fun.

Dpalincs, there are threads and threads and hundreds of previous posts regarding chain studios, policy practice, charges and the like. I too, when i started was with AM in Southern California. It was not a problem to attend group party nights at other AM venues - however that was the call of the franchise owner(s). Some other regions, here, the owners would prefer you go outside the 25 mile boundary. The social circles that develop in the AM studio - get together and find a dance e.g., as other posters have suggested in your area - and all of you go to it. Or you and your friend go to a dance venue. It takes some research, and yes, there are policies that can leave you scratching your head, for the most part it's a matter of protecting ones business student income from going elsewhere. We left AM years ago, and while we loved our instructors - the owner/managers literally drove us nuts with the policies. We found plenty of other independent studios and teachers that had no problem with us visiting, or going to someone elses dance/show/party/open houses - etc etc. Good Luck!

This sounds more like the fault lies with either the franchisee or the manager of the studio (if they're different people).
My wife and I have gone to an AM in Morton Grove IL for a few years now, and not only have we taken lessons (and attended parties) at other AM studios (owned by other franchisees), there's even a standard AM form that the branch you're visiting sends to your regular branch.
The Chicago franchisee seems to run a very tight ship, and the instructors have never been anything other than completely professional both in their conduct in the studio and in their teaching methods.

Big time difficulties. A cookie cutter approach, and if anything happens to you--a move, a debilitating illness--you won't get a penny back for unused lessons. You will be stonewalled. This is what happened when my wife became ill last spring. Check out "Arthur Murray Dance Studios Ann Arbor" at ComplaintsBoard.com for the story of someone who lost $800 to the studio because of a job transfer.I might note that Curves was very compassionate toward my wife when refunding the unused portion of the package deal she had with them.

Again, each studio is independantly owned, and the obligation by each studio is normally up to the franchisee.

I have worked for both A/M and F/A in past yrs , and there are decent and good owners, and some that are otherwise.

One should not use a broad brush to decribe the whole organisation .

"Again, each studio is independantly owned, and the obligation by each studio is normally up to the franchisee.

I have worked for both A/M and F/A in past yrs , and there are decent and good owners, and some that are otherwise.

One should not use a broad brush to decribe the whole organisation ."

This claim always struck me as pointing out the fallacy of the whole idea.

What's the point of having a brand name - and paying a premium for it - if those in the know will then point out that each individual franchise location is different, some being good and some unfortunately not so much?

I've always felt that ballroom teachers must be evaluated as individuals. Sometimes that meant taking from people who happened to own franchise studios, but such fact was never relevant to the decision - in effect owning the franchise location was their "day job" unconnected to their real teaching role which was entirely separate from the commercialized offerings available to walk ins at the reception desk.

A natural extension of this is that one is a student of a specific teacher sought out for one purpose or another, not of the studio where they happen to be operating on any given day.

Then "rail " at the people who buy the franchises.

ALL franchises, no matter the product are good, bad, and indifferent.. its a BUSINESS model that works, whether you or I agree or disagree on its merits wont change one damn thing.

Started dancing not long ago. My instructor has made dancing FUN for me. I can tell you if it was not fun I would not be doing it. I do think the prices are rather expensive. If you figure in how much I dance every week including two lessons I can't say enough about the format. This is the corporate world, which I was a part of for many years. They provide floor space, good instructors and weekly activities. You need to take it for what it is and what it provides. Now go out and have some FUN!

To the official poster. I've been a Fred Astaire student for a couple of years now and I sometimes wonder why I'm still there. I guess I don't have the guts to move on. I totally see what you're talking about when it comes to concerns basically being ignored by management. I sometimes even wonder if they gossip about me or any other student which is something else that you brought up. For some reason, my instincts are saying that they are. I'm not going to go any further in explaining my situation since I know what I should do to make things better and I can't find the nerve to do it so I only have myself to blame.