Arthur Murray System? what is it? and what are the levels?

[kingrat]

Hello all, This learning to dance is becoming quite a hobby and after months of complaining about the small town I live in (500 K people) I finally found a place to dance that is reasonable. Every place I looked at was about $1000 for 10 to 20 classes. Anyway, enough of my ranting, I found a place that is offering 6 classes at first a basic class on each dance (Foxtrot, Rumba, Cha-cha, etc) and then each month you focus on one of the dances for an entire month and then you move on to intermediate and advanced, etc. they have about 100 people each week and I just started taking the basic classes. I love it so far and I wished I would have done this years ago. Anyway they are students from Arthur Murray's that are teaching the classes and they are using the Arthur Murray system. Is there anywhere that describes the basic and the levels such as bronze, etc? Thanks for anyone help. KingRat

[kingrat]

Basic
This program develops the most important dances you plan to use immediately at a basic level. Emphasis is placed on the three most important elements of dancing: (1) the foot positions, (2) the rhythm and timing and (3) leading or following; while learning enough variety to keep things interesting.
Associate Bronze
With this program you will acquire freer movement around the floor while expanding your variety, technique and footwork. Associate Bronze Dancers also begin to develop the portrayal of a dance's characteristics in the form of styling. This dance program is very popular with the person that wants to get on the dance floor right away.
Full Bronze
Full Bronze is the complete Social Dance Program taught by the Arthur Murray Dance Studios. It is designed to develop timing and technique in all the Social Dances selected by the student.
The styling will make you look nice and feel comfortable while on the floor. It will strengthen your lead and following to the point that no matter who your partner is, what kind of music or what type of dance floor, you will look poised and comfortable. Bronze Dancers have all the confidence a person could ever need on the dance floor because they have reached the fun point in dancing when you don't have to think about anything but enjoying your partner and moving to the music. Dancing at this level will be yours to keep as you will never forget the elements of each dance.
Silver
Silver is a dance standard with a high degree of styling. Flashy movements ensure the Silver dancer will stand out on any dance floor. Continuity of movement makes a couple glide around the dance floor, with many natural changes in direction. Styling makes this standard develop an individual's character. Technique, balance and control take on an entirely new meaning as the Silver dancer glides across the floor. This standard is the beginning of the showy and flashy dancing standards used mainly on the ballroom floor.
Gold
Our Gold standards are for the stars! Strictly a standard for the hobby dancer interested in performances, exhibitions or competitions. Its intricate patterns are only to be used when both people really know what they're doing. Choreography, styling, technique, and showmanship are necessities in this standard. This material is generally not used on a crowded floor. You had better be prepared to work if this is your standard, but you will truly be regarded as an outstanding dancer able to excel in any dance.

Where are the details in what these levels consist of? I'm sorry that I'm asking for this inofrmation. Being an engineer I like to look at all task with all the details. KR

[Sagitta]

This probably is obvious, BUT have you asked your instructors if they can provide a more detailed syllabus? They claim to be teaching from the Arthur Murray syllabus, but it may not be covered in exactly the same way as an Arthur Murray studio.

Also, perhaps you could go to an Arthur Murray studio and purchase a syllabus for the level you are interested in?

[Adwiz]

You want more details?? Those descriptions are more detailed than anything I ever saw before.

Are you serious about the $1000 for 10 or 20 classes or was that an off-the-cuff generality to make your point? That would be outrageous even for private lessons (at least the 10-class version would be). Group lessons are typically priced at $100-$200 for 10-16 lessons, depending on the level and type of dance. At the studios around here, members (you pay a small annual fee) can repeat their group lessons, even at Gold level, for half that price as many times as they want. So the real cost is only about $6-8 per group lesson with a free party night thrown in after most lessons -- perfect for practicing.

We still spend about $1000-$1200 per month on dancing, but that includes privates, attending competitions, videos, CDs and other stuff.

[Porfirio Landeros]

Your teachers are students of the Arthur Murray system, eh? Were they trained as teachers or were they former students? You will not find too many details/steplists for that system, since Arthur Murray considers that information highly proprietary. In fact, former teachers are not even supposed to remove any documentation (steplists, contracts, reg forms) from the studio, since this is what the franchisee is paying royalties for.

Since many professionals start out as teachers in a franchise system, most teaching plans are very similar. As described earlier, there are the three medal plans (bronze, silver, gold), which usually have around 10 steps in each dance. A good instructor will not just dump steps on you, but make sure that your technique and styling get better along the way. Tests usually compliment this plan, so that you can gauge your progress.

It is possible to find 'open source' syllabi for bronze American style (i.e. http://www.ballroomdancers.com/Dances/Default.asp ), and there are also published syllabi on the web for the International dances ( i.e. http://www.ee.princeton.edu/~aria/syllabus_ISTD.html ).

Good luck with your lessons...

[Sagitta]

Are you serious about the $1000 for 10 or 20 classes or was that an off-the-cuff generality to make your point? That would be outrageous even for private lessons (at least the 10-class version would be). Group lessons are typically priced at $100-$200 for 10-16 lessons, depending on the level and type of dance. At the studios around here, members (you pay a small annual fee) can repeat their group lessons, even at Gold level, for half that price as many times as they want. So the real cost is only about $6-8 per group lesson with a free party night thrown in after most lessons -- perfect for practicing.

We still spend about $1000-$1200 per month on dancing, but that includes privates, attending competitions, videos, CDs and other stuff.

I wasn't sure if those figures of $1000-2000 were believable myself!! :o :shock: :) Very reassuring to see that I am not disconnected from the reality of today's world. Prices of 100-200 for a 10-16 group lesson series sounds right!! :)

[twodance]

I live here in the town you are talking about and used to work at the A.M. studio here. Yes the lessons do cost that much at the franchise studios. The current rate of instruction is $127.00 per 40 minute lesson. (the lessons are 45 minutes long with a 5 minute break on each lesson). The rates do come down if you sign a large contract but only by a small %. If you are taking from the Dayton Ballroom Club they are a good social dance club.I am the alternate teacher for the club. If you are taking from former students of a studio, you have realize that most students only know their part and not both male and female parts. So be careful about that. But the most important thing is if you are happy there. If you are learning and having a good time..have fun with it.

[Mich]

Kingrat, you did a great job of differentiating between the levels. But the franchise's basic syllabus is well guarded and not handed out to to us mere mortals.
At each level, there will be a few basic steps. Bronze Three cha cha had a half moon, progressive, and back spot turn. But you're also expected to demonstrate some basic styling.

Usually AM moves among all dances each month, rather than focusing on one or two.

Do you feel the instructors are adequately prepared and able to give clear instruction? Your studio courses should buy you some quality control. It sounds like you're well on your way to being prepared to ask questions about the steps which are introduced.

Ballroom is my positive additiction and AM is my primary supplier. But I occasionally move out to find other venues and teachers for other areas.

Enjoy.

[pygmalion]

Yes, twodance, the price of lessons at franchise studios DOES sound very plausible to me, too. Check out the cost of private lessons thread for more information. Prices vary dramatically between studios, especially if you consider franchise versus independent.

I'd also highly recommend shopping around for prices and for recommendations of others, and being sure what you want from dance instruction. As you see, it can become a sizable investment, and quickly. So I think you should try to know what you're getting before you sign on the dotted line.

[pygmalion]

Oh yeah, and Mich is right. It's very hard, if not impossible, to get your hands on one of those syllabi/step lists, because they'er copyrighted and very well guarded. I seem to remember seeing someone's personal step list on the web, and I'll try to find it again (good luck! I've been to a LOT of dance web sites!)

Also, since many of the bronze syllabi are similar, you might want to take a look at dancevision.com. I'm pretty sure you can buy a summary sheet, and even manuals, from them. The steps won't be the same, but It will give you an idea.

[pygmalion]

Okay. I found a step list from the ISTD syllabus.

http://www.rso.cornell.edu/ballroom/BeginnerNotes/StepLists.html

[pygmalion]

I guess I'm thinking about this because I have my first lesson with a new coach today (wish me luck!)

How do you define what level you're dancing at? I've seen two different approaches, and I don't like either one. At my first studio, you were automatically promoted after so many lessons -- 50 lessons got you to bronze I, another fifty to bronze II, and so on. At my next studio, you were basically at a level of instruction until the coach said you were ready to move on. Buth seem kind of arbitrary to me. The second method actually seems best, if you have an excellent coach with lots of experience and insight, which I did. The only problem I had was that it's hard to stay motivated if you have no idea where the target is. Hmm. I believe FADS has a system where you can take different types of testing at each level of instruction -- basically get marked out as knowing the patterns, then later the footwork, styling, partnering techniques, etc.

Dance teachers, especially, but others as well. What have you experienced in this regard? How do you think promotions from level to level should be done?