Any advice on finding GOOD ballroom dancing courses?

Question

I've never danced and neither has he. I'm looking into this to find a very fun common hobby for us. The problem is that (like so many other things) this is a hobby in which there are good instructors and bad instructors.

I'm really just looking to have fun with him and enjoy each other. I would also prefer a group setting.

Answer 1

Congratulatoins on deciding to dance - it is indeed a wonderful hobby.

With group classes, it is hard to give general advise which ones are bad which ones are good. If they work for you - they are good. If they don't work for you and you feel frustrated - they are no good. Shop around before you decide on a particular school. Here is a couple of pointers, but this is all too theoretical. Class instructor should explain you the step but also expain the music. In a good Waltz class they won't make you stand in a circle for more than say 2 classes, because this won't teach you the correct alignments, i.e. direction of steps relative to the walls. But if it is your very first class, alignments are out of the scope. They also supposed to teach you how to use your foot, i.e. when you step on the heel, when do you step on the toe, rather than having you walk like a pedestrian. Again, maybe not in the first class, but if they never teach it - you will be wondering why your dancing feels heavy and ungraceful.

In my area, good instructors work independently (i.e. not hired by any particular studio) while franchises are really bad. This especialy concerns private lessons. Good instructor doesn't need you to sign a contract for a bunch of lessons. If he/she is good, you will be a returning customer anyway. On the contract, once they got your money, they basicaly don't feel the need to teach you well, they slack around and waste your lesson's time - you will come to the next lesson anyway because you've already paid. Another favorite BS of theirs is telling you that you have to learn dances in certain order making you learn what you don't really want. However, some package deals are not bad, especially if they come with free studio usage and free admission to social dancing, as long as they don't lock you to a particular teacher.

Practice at least twise a week if you want to remember your steps. My observation is those who practice less frequently eventually give up because they don't remember anything by the next class.

Answer 2

The right instructor for you will depend as much on your personality as the instructor's background, so to a degree it's going to have to be trial and error. If you can find local references that aren't invested (emotionally, I mean) in a studio or instructor, that will help. The franchises are a bit safer for beginners. You may get a fairly new instructor, but he'll be backed by a reliable system. It won't be long, though, before that assurance no longer applies, and at any rate many of the best are independent. You may find groups like USA Dance, if they have a chapter near you, that you can use as a resource. The teachers who volunteer to teach these groups may not be any better than others, but you'll hear enough trash-talking and moon-eyed admiration (keep in mind that most people are loyal to their teachers) from the ameteurs to get a decent idea of who's good in the area.
At any rate, whatever instructor you wind up with, the beginner lessons will be a good start, and you'll have tons of fun. Good luck.

Answer 3

start slow. Avoid studios that lock you into a contract. There are so many dances so start with a dance that is easy and popular. Take a 6 to 8 week class in 1 dance step at a time. This way you will remember it. Above all you must practice. I don't mean at home but at a ballroom. There are many, vfw's, park dist, not to mention studios that have fri and sat dances. It is the most fun you will ever have and a great way to meet people.

Answer 4

If you want to learn American Style ballroom dancing you have a wide variety of choices.

What we now refer to as International Style ballroom is somewhat demanding and requires considerable dedication from the student, so franchise studios like Arthur Murray and Fred Astaire basically invented the American Style in order to make it easier for the average person or couple to learn how to dance. They "dumbed down" ballroom dance and created a syllabus that was based on small incremental steps that made learning ballroom dancing easier for the average person. In order to make a profitable business out of teaching dance, they also created a business model that made the student commit to x number of classes over time. Typically, these classes were instructor led individual or couples instruction.

These days, if you sign up with a franchise studio, you can expect to spend a lot of money. How much you spend, will determine how fast you learn. Some studios have great instructors, some don't. Make no mistake about it though, people spend thousands of dollars a year to learn how to dance and so will you. Group classes are very limited if at all.

Private dance studios typically offer a combination of group lessons and private lessons. They are normally cheaper than franchise studios, and can be every bit as good. For the absolute beginner, group classes are a great way to get a taste of ballroom, and to get "dancing" fairly quickly. Private studios are also more likely to offer dances that franchise studios do not (like hip hop for example) as well as International Style ballroom.

Most private studios will let you sit in on a few group classes to see if you will like it. Talk to other students, if it looks like they are having a good time, you probably will too.

Private instruction, can be a very quick way to learn ballroom dance, but bring your wallet, and make sure the person teaching you is qualified to do so. People who are interested in competitive dancing should consider private instruction.

Many colleges and universties have ballroom clubs that offer group instruction at a reasonable cost, but like everything else, quality is spotty, and in my experience, classes are often really huge.

Having said all of the above, regardless of which route you choose, if you and your partner do not make a point of actually going out dancing or attending social dances, your odds of progressing as a recreational social dancer will be very limited.

There are accreditation standards of instruction for ballroom dance teachers. There are also standards for dance instruction in American Style ballroom. Below are a couple of links worth exploring.