We have taken lessons at a FADS studio for almost 5 years. Our only purpose is to dance socially as a couple. They have been pretty good at supporting our purpose. We have had a few teachers that left a lot to be desired, but most have been really good. They allowed us to switch teachers and in one case, refunded our lessons with a new teacher, who was completely wrong for us.

We have not had a problem with them holding us back. They started teaching us silver foxtrot when we were in the first bronze level, because we did not like doing the bronze foxtrot. We really liked the Waltz at that time and the silver foxtrot quickly became one of our favarite dances. We did not want to focus on 4 majors, we wanted to work on all the dances and they have been very good about doing that. They do make us specify 4 majors for level evaluations, but work with us on whatever dance we want to work on.

Major problem for us is teachers come and go so much. Switching teachers so often is a bit frustrating and recently the departure of a lady teacher, who was perfect for us, was dissapointing.

As far as promoting dancing as a way to meet someone, I have no problem with that. We know quite a few older couples that met through dancing. On our last cruise, there was an engaged couple at our table, who met at a group lesson. It was the first lesson for both of them.

Because of the teacher switching and the level we are at, we are going to finish our FADS lessons and look for an independent teacher, who we thing will be around for awhile, to work with us every few months on technique. We can now learn new moves from videos, easier than from teachers.

At our independent, we pay $175 a month. That includes the group lesson (every monday) for two, and four private lessons. We've scheduled those for every Wednesday.

We were actually "cast-offs"- we learned too slow and bungled too much, so our current instructor kind of had us pushed off on her. I'm so glad that happened. I love the other instructors at the studio, but I feel we've really grown and learned under this lady's tutelage. We spend more time dancing and less time being lectured. Our problematic areas are addressed and corrected in a professional, friendly manner, and when we're discouraged, we're reminded that EVERYONE started somewhere.

I haven't attended any of the AMs around our area (but then, we'd have to drive fairly far, too, to do so), but any time we call or email them to ask the simple question "Do you have any new-comer, out-of-towner friendly socials for us to attend?", we either receive no answer, or hear the standard reply "What level are you?"... and that's off-putting. Dance parties should be about dancing and trying out what you've learned. How can you do that if you're "segregated" from being able to so much as WATCH either advanced or more rudimentary dancers? THAT is the only thing I don't like about Arthur Murray. Too exclusivist. Dancing is for everyone. When someone asks someone to dance, all one has to say is "Now... I'm a beginner- there are some things that haven't been shown to me yet, is that ok?"... and you either go dance, or you wait that one out.

If it's to protect your "good" dancers at the studio from "dumb newbies", think of this: If your advanced dancers are so good, why can't they exercise a little traffic control? Are they above honing their floorcraft?

I've seen fewer bumps and oopses among beginners because at least beginners CARE whether or not they injure someone. The advanced dancers (archetypically, at least) are more worried on showing off, or working on their own elements, and not looking around them to see who's coming.

The only forgivable collision on the dance floor is two leads back-to-back.

Perhaps Arthur Murray should teach that, instead of "This dance is for silver dancers only. If you don't know what you're doing, get off the floor NOW!", which is exactly what I heard at a studio near us. It wasn't an AM, but it was run by former AM instructors.

Tacky.

"Perhaps Arthur Murray should teach that, instead of "This dance is for silver dancers only. If you don't know what you're doing, get off the floor NOW!", which is exactly what I heard at a studio near us. It wasn't an AM, but it was run by former AM instructors."

That may sound harsh, but it really only takes a handfull of slow or unpredictable moving couples to choke up a floor to the point where the advanced dancers will either be sitting out, tutoring beginners, or crashing into couples they can't see while trying to avoid the ones they could. Designating certain dances for different types of traffic flow makes a lot of sense in that situation.

"it really only takes a handfull of slow or unpredictable moving couples to choke up a floor to the point where the advanced dancers will either be sitting out, tutoring beginners, or crashing into couples they can't see while trying to avoid the ones they could."

... which is why they need to teach and stress floorcraft with which to begin? LOL.

".. which is why they need to teach and stress floorcraft with which to begin? LOL."

Macha, it doesn't matter how good a driver you are, gridlock is still gridlock. Halfway fill a floor with social american foxtrot and for the purposes of the more advanced swing style foxtrot it is essentially gridlocked. Maneouverability does not good if the only way to avoid one couple is to bump or cut off two others. Even simply waiting doesn't work, because then you increase the size of the tangle blocking the person behind you.

much as the solution to gridlock on the roads is to not have everyone trying to drive at the same hour, the solution to gridlock on the floor is to not have everyone trying to dance the same song. with dances beginners won't do the advanced couples get a chance - but they should get to do some waltzes and foxtrots, not only get a chance to dance when the floor clears for a quickstep or viennese.

ok everyone, I am an AM instructor, yes we have manuals, yes we have dvd's, but exactly how the hell did you come to all of this info? just for your information, each instructor gets trained personally by the designated trainer. we teach a very high standard of technique. If your teacher didnt, thats the teachers fault, not the whole studio. Get your facts straight before you start throwing big words around...

I used to teach for an AM studio and what I can tell you is that the majority of the instructors are great people. While it is true that some steps are learned by video and manuals, any good studio will bring in professionals to work with their instructors. There are also opportunities through out the year for instructors to attend dance camps. I assure you that most instructors are well trained and completely sincere when they compliment you. It is a retail sales industry and overhead is high..franchise fees, rent, salaries, ect. Be a good consumer ask lots of questions. How long have been teaching, where did you have your instruction ect. Don't sign contracts if your questions aren't answered, and don't be afraid to ask for your own personalized contract. Not everyone wants to learn the entire bronze syllabus. The people at AM know that and want to make money.A good studio owner will work with you.

I went to their free lesson and was disappointed to see that my teacher was overweight! I really couldn't understand that. Since I wasn't sure I wanted to sign up right there and then, I said I would have to get back to them and the teacher raised his voice and seemed aggressive, asking why I wouldn't just sign up now and what would change between today and tomorrow. So I took that as a red flag and said I would let them know later but never came back. And now I'm so glad I didn't.

"I went to their free lesson and was disappointed to see that my teacher was overweight! "

Er.. Yeah... that would be bad...?