JJ,
At our studio there is no promotional BS and level 1 group lessons are a very reasonable $120.00 per couple for nine hours of dance instruction. There is no pressure to take private lessons or even to come back again. Our instructors are all young and good-looking, except for me who does look good despite my 'middle-agedness' , but I'm merely a substitute teacher. We say 'good riddance' to the men who bully their wives and complain non-stop throughout the lessons. However, I feel very sorry for their partners who are trying very hard and want to dance very much.
When we were first starting out, I made my husband promise to give dancing an honest effort for a year. After that, he could quit if he didn't like it. Five years later, we're still dancing but I don't know if we would be if I had let him quit after six weeks.

LadyDance, three simple questions can determine the quality of a studio with regard to its treatment of students.

(1) Does a studio allow its instructors (staff or independent) to urge their beginning students to compete in pro/am?

(2) Does the studio encourage amateur couples to split up and each take individual lessons instead of taking lessons as a couple?

(3) Does the studio allow instructors (staff or independent) to discourage their single students from dancing with other amateurs?

If the answer to 2 or 3 is "yes" then the studio in question is one which beginners should avoid.

If the answer to 1 is "yes" then beginners need to be very careful. Pro/am does have legitimate applications but they are limited.

Also, some might say that studios have no control over what independents may do. Studios always have control over what they allow on their premises.

jj

I too fall into the category of middle-aged male, so many of my friends tend to be in that category. I'm in a little better shape than many of them, and I had previous exposure/training to dancing as a youngster, right up through to middle age. So I have an advantage for sure, but I have noticed that a lot of men struggle with their knees, backs, etc. because of poor core strength. I'm a little soft in the mid-section, too, but if I was feeling pain in the joints after dancing, I suppose that also would come into the equation of giving up on it fairly quickly. But I agree with a lot of the feedback on this topic. I do think the men look at ROI (return on investment)from the studios. It's another reason I do fairly well moonlighting on the side at lower rates. But if someone really enjoys it, I encourage them to go to a studio and continue on. I do it to promote dancing and advancement, not keep people out of studios. They are still the best place to learn the most.

dheun, you started this thread to discuss dance steps that we seem to forget easily. I think that we'd agree that it's also easy to forget the little things that we're taught about maintaining posture.

I once started a thread about the value of patience for a dance student. Impatience to learn figures on the part of their students can force some teachers to skip important training in the exercises which develop good posture (i.e. core strength), flexibility in the knees and hips, and steadiness in the frame.

BTW, I've found elastic knee and ankle braces to be very helpful for long sessions in the studio. I don't wear them for social dancing, though.

jj

Yes, it is amazing how often you have to stress that the posture, hold, balance, etc. makes all of the difference in the world. You have to go over those fundamentals constantly, as well you should. But, yes, for the beginners, that's probably the most common "forgetful" thing.
I also run into the "water pump handle" problem, where the man's left hand, for whatever reason, keeps going up and down with every move.

dheaun. Another is nodding or pecking. If you go straight down the floor at a reasonable arms length with your partner, all heel leads when going forward , palms touching, and can feel that the pressure at the palm is not constant when going either foreward or backwards, then they, you or both are nodding. This must be elimenated. Between the partnership the touch should be very light. one out of ten.