I have been dancing for about a year (mostly lessons at Arthur Murray once a week with a group about 4 times per month). Lately I have stepped up my dancing - and have a few AM lessons left - but have engaged two other instructors (half the price, full hour lessons, as good or better than AM).

My question: will the multiple instructors be counter productive? I seem to be able to keep the lessons clear. Any advice on this would be much appreciated.

Although I will not be continuing with AM, the people there (albeit very graciously) pointed out the other lessons were using 'higher level steps' than my beginner status. Is there any merit to the AM strict adherence to their syllabus?

Thanks

The answer is yes and no, on both questions.

If you have only good quality instructors, then you should not have any trouble with having more than one. In fact it may reinforce your learning and perhaps expose you to different teaching styles that may help you understand more quickly than someone with one teacher. If you have even one bad instructor it can undo what a good teacher is giving you.

Honestly I am in the one teacher camp. I know a lot of people who have more than one and are happy with that. It was hard enough just to find one good one and I'm sticking with him. He still brings in coaches for his students that want it and he gets coaching as well. This isn't like Psychotherapy where you have to stay with one professional.

I do other styles of dance and I feel like what I learn there contributes to my ballroom. So sure have more than one but they need to be good quality teachers.

As to steps...tricky subject. This has to do with balance. You can spend years perfecting a single step and you can also blow through them and learn a modest amount about each one and then go back and continue to work on them once you have built a basic 'dance vocabulary'

The basic steps are building blocks. They are more important than you can understand and they seem simple but to do them correctly is an art. They are about building stamina and endurance and teaching your body about what you are expecting from it. In the bronze level you learn posture, frame, proper footwork and you do it with those deceptively simple steps. It really doesn't matter which ones they are using to teach you, specifically, as long as you are being taught. A decent instructor will adhere to the medal system (for the most part). They may not teach you every single step and they may jump around but a good teacher isn't going to throw a reverse fallaway at you until you've learned how to do a proper chasse.

This is not to be confused with instructors who can't do a proper chasse themselves who won't teach you the next level of dance because you haven't signed up for the next block of lessons.

Having multiple instructors is good, but only if they talk! Instructors are proud of what they do, just like everyone else, and keeping everyone on the same page is beneficial. Sometimes one person can tell you a bit of knowledge and it goes over your head, and the other tells you the same thing and you get it instantly. Other times, vice versa. Don't pit them against one another since you'll be the only person who loses.

Belle and Uranium gave good advice. Also, be wary of any situation wherein you are given contrary information on the same figure or on some principal bit of knowledge from different instructors because some of them might not know what they're teaching. So long as two instructors are providing you with the same, good information but using their own idiosyncratic way of speaking, you're OK. You then just have to decode the information given. (But hopefully not.) But if you hear, "I don't do it that way," from an instructor, be wary. Bigotry exists even in ballroom. And, once you have a foundation of understanding, multiple syllabi can be very helpful. I study from 2, and I gain new perspectives, particularly on transitions, all of the time. On another note: A former, 5-time US champion from the 90s challenged me to find a copy of the AM syllibus. To date, I haven't had any luck.

You could always go in and 'borrow' it and return it. I've seen it so it does exist...

I've had several instructors, sometimes at the same time. If your able to keep things clear and you are achieving your own dance goals, keep in mind that dance is a process, always and foremost. Several of my teachers, while quite experienced and knowledgeble continue, even after all these years to learn, receive their own coaching from others to improve upon their own dancing as well. I find this enlightening. I started at an AM studio but continued with independent teachers for alot less money - and yes, AM syllibus does exist - I have seen the document. Get a good foundation in technique from your instructors in your beginner levels, - this will be the grounding for your more advanced dancing regardless of discipline. Note those instructors (regardless of studio association or not) that ask for your $$ up front or the signing of any contracts. Many will accept pay as you go. Enjoy the process and your own progress.

I coached for A/M for many yrs, and the quality of teaching one recieves is very dependant upon the individual school. Tho they all use the same Syl. that does NOT guarantee an understanding of complex dance issues.

Many yrs back, all schools employed dance directors, a luxury today, that most cannot afford . Today,Dance board members may visit on occasion ,but again, is cost prohibitive for most.

The large metro areas tend to get more advantages thru visiting coaches, but the smaller locales may go yrs before they are able to bring some one in .( those are studios I like to visit )

Richx. There would not be one top dancer in this world who only goes exclusivly to one or two or three or more Professional teachers. All of whome would have been past champions with big reputations. Fortunately or unfortunately thats the way it is.I am refering to of course to both Amateur as well as Professional competitors ranked in the top hundred or so, and who make their way to Europe for lessons and to compete in the big comps. Those who already live there have a great advantage.

I can give you an e.g. by one of the greats of all time.. Scrivener.. he did not want any of his comp. couples going to other teachers, and he made this quite clear ( thats not to say they didnt! )

There is much conflict in theory in the higher ( and sometimes lower )echelons of Standard for e.g.

Much depends on the style wants to adopt ( Italian, English etc. ) in and of themselves, they are not wrong ,but approach the subject matter, in some instances, from a different view point, which can be in conflict with other top Pros theories.

The major problem for beginners ?.. discernment.. at the outset, they do not have the knowledge to evaluate their current teacher, and will, in most cases, defend their teaching at any cost.

The abilty to convey information ( teaching ) is a skill that develops with time and guidance in the hands of well seasoned Prof.

Thanks Belle! :) We have no AM studios where I live, so it may take some time before I ever get a chance to view their syllibus, but I would be curious to see it.