Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Tip Number Two for Beginners

Choose a studio carefully. All dance studios are not the same. It has been my experience that the best value for the money is with a locally owned, independent studio, rather than one of the nationwide chains. This is not always the case, but I've found it to be true more times than not. I would also strongly suggest that you find a studio that caters specifically to ballroom dancing, not one whose primary interest is ballet, tap or jazz, with only a couple of ballroom classes added as an afterthought.

Don't give in to strong-arm sales tactics. Some people can be quite aggressive in their sales pitch and before you know what hit you, you've signed up for thousands of dollars worth of lessons. (And yes, the price CAN run into the thousands.) Know what your budget will allow before your first trip to the studio and stick to it.

It's a good idea to visit a studio at least once before you ever even sign up for a lesson. Most will allow you to come and observe before you become a student. You'll want to note if it's a busy, active studio with lots of students participating in classes.

And while you learn the most from private lessons, Tip Number Three will tell you why I recommend NOT starting with them. Stay tuned.