dance4joy..........applause, applause..........WELL SAID!!!!!

Danz4joy, I understand you're angry of the negative publicity, but we're merely stating our experiences at AM/FADs. We were once naive, but we got burned and learned and we want to educate new people on how to choose wisely. If you are not getting businesses, change or go work for an independent. If you are truely good at what you do, you wouldn't have any problems getting business, right?

"If you are truely good at what you do, you wouldn't have any problems getting business, right?"

More like, if you are truly good at doing something for which there is a market.

Guest1,
It would be more accurate then to simply say, "here is the expierience that I had at this particular AM or FADS" rather than saying "they all stink" don't you think? This way you are not making statements about some other 400 studios that you have never been to or know nothing about. This way good hard working studios aren't getting the "credit" that the other less than stellar studios have earned.

I'm all for specific location, but I don't think the host of this site will allow it. If we're allowed that, you'll see that it's all over the place and not just isolated to one specific region. This issue is wide spread because they have the same business model. The so called "good studios" that Danz4joy and a few other are defending for their lives are very rare.

The chain studios are in the special position that they could provide unqualified teachers to serious dance students who are capable of and are desirous of learning really good ballroom dancing. Their unqualified teachers would find no business as independents, or at least no serious student would go to them and stay. In such instances, the chain studios would be using their blend names to offer inferior service, tantamount to consumer fraud. The student may not find out, given the self enclosed nature of many of these chain studios, until much harm has been done. I see that happens personally.

To be an ethical business, the chain studios should retain and assign qualified teachers for such students. I confess I don't know to what extent that is happening.

Amen!, Danz4joy. Amen.

Many like myself have never come in contact with an AM Studio. I know what a franchise is. What I'm wondering , are the franchisee answerable to anyone. Do they please themselves to what standard they teach, or what the standard is of their staff. Here , to teach in a studio one must have done a Level O course and past an examination. Even then to take a class or an idividual lesson, a Level O must have a fully qualified teacher in the studio at that time. If they were a competitor and broke the rules they would be in big trouble along with the studio owner. Sometimes the people in control do go a bit too far. A while ago one of our top amateurs was asked to judge a Rock and Roll event, which isn't even ballroom. It was only a small fun thing at a local club. He was brought before the board and they tried to slap a ban on him. He immediatelly turned professional which took him out of their control. He later won the Professional title.

Hey there. I know this thread is a bit old now, but I live in the same area as you, and take down at Dancer Avenue in Lomita. All the teachers originated from either AM or Fred Astaire, so they are well-trained, but better priced and much more flexible (less cult-like).

They are on Narbonne, sometimes still found under 'Stardance Studio' as well. Also, there is the Regency Ballroom in Lomita, just a short drive away from Dancer Ave.

I hope that helps, and hope to see you there!

Try WalkInDanceOut in Redondo Beach.
They have a web site. Redondo Beach is not that far from Hawthorne.
Also, the Hacienda in El Segundo (down the street literally from Hawthorne)offers group classes via qualified instructors. They normally have a great group of people that come as well as WalkInDanceOut. Many of them know of studios closer to you. If you can drive to Torrance/Lomita there is another studio as well.