Hi! I am 46 and recently began lessons for ballroom dancing. It is a little intimidating since all the instructors are in their 20's. I have been told I am a great follower and have rhythm! The dancing is not difficult. I am wondering how much of a con the studios really are. Of course there are dashing young men to pursuade you to give them over 3 thousand dollars to teach you to dance however it seems my instructor is withholding and hindering my progress by not teaching/telling me as much as he could. Also, I would like to locate a partner for practice and don't know exactly how to go about it. Any suggestions most appreciated! Thanks!

Thanks for the insight David. I must admit that all the instructors at the dance studio are in their twenties. I was hoping for someone a little older! The same is true for female instructors..they are all very young. I was assigned a young instructor and had four lessons with him. I signed up for additional lessons and requested another instructor. I had one lesson with the new instructor, he then called me aside and suggested it would be better if I had smooth dances from one instructor and latin from him. Was then told to call the smooth instructor when I got home and go over it with him before making an appointment. I do not think the owner is aware of this. I am wondering if the instructors get a percentage of the tuition but am uneasy as to exactly what is going on. I have a lesson today so will be asking a few more questions. I am not pleased with all this confusion.

If you find dancing easy, be cautious. If the studio seems to pair up young female teachers to teach the older men as well as the young male teachers teaching the older ladies beware. If there are couples who are only taught by the older teachers, then you are being taken. The best studios will usually give new people the next available teacher unless they request someone they want to teach them. There are good studios in Pittsburgh, check around. If Blair is reading this, jump in and help her out. As for partners, that takes time. Just keep a look out for a potential student.

Over $3000!!! I hope you are getting a lot of "private" lessons for that sum - say 35-50, depending on location, quality of instructor etc. If you are not, I am putting London Bridge on sale, again, for just $5000, checks or money orders only..

Sri.

Actually, this may be a good sign, assuming the comment on your following ability was genuine and not purely motivated by a desire to sell you lessons. (Remember dance instructors have to eat too.) While some professionals do 9 or 10-dance competitively, most specialize in either Standard (Smooth) or Latin (Rhythm). And pros take lessons from whoever does a particular style....or technique....or choreography....best.

So if an instructor suggests taking one style from him and another from a different instructor, he may be trying to steer you toward the best instruction there. Certainly he isn't trying to get all your lessons for himself, which I'd think would be the case if all he was interested in was $$!

If you're getting the impression this is being done on the sly, maybe it is. But that doesn't necessarily mean bad things for you. Perhaps the second instructor will get a slightly higher percentage of the money you already paid for lessons and the owner will get a little less. Perhaps the other instructor just had a time slot open up, and if word gets out before he fills it, a couple he DOESN'T want to teach will be assigned to him. Could be some other reason too.

In any case, from the people I've danced with, I'm convinced having more than one instructor simultaneously makes for a more flexible, well rounded partner. Especially at the start. Just adapting their frame and lead to 2 different teachers makes men much more pleasant to dance with. They learn to automatically tune in to their partner instead of dancing by rule and mechanics. I've had as many as 3 instructors at once, and it's helped my following skills enormously. Plus while one is concentrating on some minute detail of Cuban motion week after week, another will be working on musicality in waltz or expression in tango. Less boredom, less chance of burnout.

As for the ages of the instructors, well, dance is a very physical activity, rough on the body, and pays poorly except for top coaches. By definition, there can't be very many top coaches. Then there's the hours; working nights and weekends is OK for college students, but imagine trying to sustain that lifestyle while schlepping kids to soccer practice or finding time for meals with a spouse. That's probably the reason why dance instructors are often young singles or married to each other.

I am an "older gal" also. Began lessons this past January. Yes, the instructors are young - but in the studio that I go to, they are teaching, teaching, teaching! We do laugh (usually at each other) and cut up some - but the instructions are constant. The benefits (for myself, anyway) are stress relief and great exercise. Plus, as a guest instructor stated, when you enter the door of the studio, you can be anyone that you want to be. It is a fantasy land, and that is very true. We all should learn to "pretend" a little more. It certainly improves my outlook after a particularly hectic day at work. Good luck and happy dancing.

C

Over $3000!!! I hope you are getting a lot of "private" lessons for that sum - say 35-50, depending on location, quality of instructor etc. If you are not, I am putting London Bridge on sale, again, for just $5000, checks or money orders only..

Sri.