Actually, I'm someone who spent some time on the POS site and figured out that it does not work properly.

You failed to address even one of the QA issues which I listed.

If a user has to waste time figuring out a website's tricks and turns then the website is a piece of garbage as this one clearly is.

A first-time user on that site would have followed same steps as I did and wound up with the same inaccurate result.

You failed to address my point about "Atlanta" appearing twice in the drop-down list of cities with the two different selections producing different results.

You also failed to address the point that even the longer list is incomplete - and therefore also inaccurate.

So, for someone who claims to "do a lot with just a little information," you still can't produce an accurate list of the dance schools - or studios - in Atlanta with your site.

And for your information, I do software QA for a living. Your site needs a lot of work.



jj

No, it isn't my site. (You seem to make a lot of statements based on poor research.)

My initial comment was not to complain about the site; it was to note that you made statements that were based upon incomplete research of the site.
Instead of acknowledging that, you were the one who then tried to avoid responsibility by blaming the site itself.

A poor workman blames his tools.

Those tactics say a lot about the manner in which your opinions are formed when you make postings in other threads, too.

And now, as you seem to be the type who MUST have the last word on everything, I'll step aside . . . . over to your last word. And I'm sure that everyone who reads your last word will give it all the credibility it deserves.

Well Ann - it is really unfortunate that you have had bad experience. My husband and I have been with Arthur Murray for 3 years, found just the opposite experience. Perhaps you did not clarify what you wished to experience during your interview. We have learned an amazing amount of steps, patterns, expression, and have had a wonderful time with all of the instructors. The depth of what we have been taught is soooooo evident when we dance with people from other studios, and groups - their technique is so poor, and because it is so poor they forget what they have learned, and look quite funny actually. As far as the instructors are concerned, they have to undergo rigorous testing with master coaches (at least at the studio we are at), and must be in an ongoing learning program - they are always being taught to upgrade when they do not have lessons. I have had discussions with some of the people who are teaching at other dance studios, and find it quite funny that they do not understand even the basic positions, steps, etc. One of my favorite was - "what is Cuban motion". Hope you have a better experience somewhere else - most likely you will stop dancing because you will not like anyone or anything taught to you. To comment on the $$ thing - it IS a business, and like you and I these people have to make a living and pay the rent, so when it all boils down to the time they have spent, it is well worth the money and it is fabulous. The only other reason that I think you would place such a mean, & nasty diatribe is that you are an owner or instructor with a competing studio - this type of tactic never works. Dance on!

I'm so glad I'm not alone. I thought I was the only one who was unhappy with AM. Everyone in my studio loves it! I have been dancing at AM in the MD/DC area for years now and the amount of money spent is causing issues in my family. I think it's time to switch but I just don't know where to go. I'm pretty serious about dancing and have looked into other studios but I can't seem to find a studio for dancers who take dance seriously. I don't know how that could be? Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place. Could someone please offer some suggestions of studios in the MD/DC area?!

The link below takes you to the website for the Maryland/DC chapter of USA Dance.

At the bottom of this page is a list of studios. Location information seems a bit spotty but you can probably look up these names in local directories.

Md/DC Studios

Good luck.

My problem with AM studios is the teachers charge the same rate regardless of their experience, the teachers pushed to sell DOR and festival nights and some of the teachers I met while at AM studio in sydney australia had no integrity. Some students were bullied by the older or newer students, the manager of the studio said she did not want to get involved well her exact words were " I cannot be seen with that student" surely this is a lack of business ettiquette. There was a couple of outstanding teachers who showed only professionalism and were thee to teach however one of the female teachers rubbed people up the wrong way quite often and seemed to get away with it, would quite often as reported by her male students use her body to sell lessons, fair enough you could pass it off as a joke but I was there for 2 years and over the course of two years 4 male students bragged about their conquest. As it turned out she was a stripper before a teacher at am. Im now with a reputable independant studio and my dancing has improved dramatically. I am glad my time with AM is over and I would never recommend that studio to anyone.

I would not recommend that studio either!, But it has nothing to do with the fact that it is an AM studio. That's just bad studio management, and bad ethics. Period. That is not even close to the AM standard. It is unfortunate that a few bad apples ruin the perception of the majority who hold themselves to higher standards of professionalism. Please remember that AM and FADS studios are franchised, and individually owned and operated, and unfortunately there are a few bad ones, but they are not indicative of the whole.

Dear Passion,
Spoken directly from the syllabus.
Keep repeating it, you might start to believe it after a while m8 lol.

I'm not sure what studio you went to, but the Arthur Murray I've been too was awesome!!! I got all my lessons there, I went to Fred Astaire and took a couple of lessons but I didn't like it. And like other's have said, it is a business and they are out to make money. I honestly loved them, but they are very over priced.

My husband and myself have recently started dancing at AM. And we have had a wonderful expirience! Yes, it is costly, but all the other Dance studio's around this area are just as much or more. We origanly started out only wanting to dance for social reasons, but have recently decided to start training for our 1st compitition.
All of our instrustors are wonderful, and are very knowlegeable.
They are also registered with the BBB. Which we have found a handful of AM studio's are. Maybe you should dig a little deeper into finding out about a studio before hand?
I can't say anything bad about our studio though!
I don't think you should place all AM's in the same basket!