Studios that hold/don't hold open dances

[Spitfire]

Many studios hold open dances to the public and then again many don't.

I was just wondering what the reasons are for those studios that only limit their dances to their students.

One studio owner here told me one reason was that a lot of people would come there just to hang out :? I find it hard to believe that someone would go to that trouble for the boredom; when people want to just hang out they generally do so at bars.

[SDsalsaguy]

Some studios don't hold open dances because they don't want their students to realize that there's a dance world outside the studio and/or that one can dance (and learn to dance) anywhere else. Certainly not the reason for all studios with closed dances, but it is the case for some...

[DanceMentor]

I think some studios are just paranoid. Maybe they have been burned in the past. For example, maybe an instructor from another school came by and started trying to take their students. On the other hand, if you have a good program and you charge competitive rates, opening the school to the public can make your school bigger not smaller. I've observed closed schools more in the chains and less in the independant studios. On possible advantage to a closed setting might be that the curricullum can be followed more strictly.

[Spitfire]

I have noticed that some studios will hold both a students only dance and an open dance on different nights; I guess that's splitting the difference. :)

[DanceMentor]

One popular type of party is the "champagne guest party" and often people from the general public are welcome to attend. It's kind of fun going to one of these and dance silver with everyone. You'd be surprised how many people will say, "How did you learn to dance like that?" I've actually done that, but I wouldn't recommend it. :lol:

[Spitfire]

With regards to admission I'm guessing that many of us here attend dances at studios which sell activity passes good for a month or as in my case 11 activities - group classes and open dances. This saves 16 dollars for me as opposed to paying standard price for each dance I attend. :cool:

[MissAlyssa]

Yes yes, the "champagne party". I think all of you have got the right idea. For one, the studio doesn't want the students to realize that you can learn somewhere other than their studio and they also don't want outside "thieves" to take their students and/or instructors. :shock:

[pygmalion]

Yes yes, the "champagne party". I think all of you have got the right idea. For one, the studio doesn't want the students to realize that you can learn somewhere other than their studio instructors

Yes. This is exactly what I ran into. One studio I attended gave a total dance package, and I think it was because they didn't want their students to realize what an active ballroom/salsa/swing world there is within a few minutes' drive.

Some teachers even got offended when studio students had the nerve to ttend non-studio dance events. :?

[samba ajr]

Our studio (a franchise) holds weekly student parties, occasional "guest" nites and also a monthly open social. The socials have just started up again--the studio owners used to do them (before they had the studio) and they had quite a following.

Only problem, there are quite a few other established socials (about an hour away) that invariably occur on the same nite. There are people who live closer to us, but their instructors have socials too. And they should support their own--it would just be nice if we could all go to all the socials.

We've often made the drive to go to some of these other socials--since there wasn't anything in our area. Now it's a trick not to hurt anyone's feelings. "Come to my social, no, come to mine." Sometimes it's who asks (and who you accept) first.

At first we got the impression from our instructor that he was a bit uncomfortable with us attending "non-studio" events (as Pygmalion mentioned). I can understand that he might feel a loss of control--but hey, dancers must dance, and if you don't have something for us to do on Saturday nite, we'll go somewhere that does. Not that we'd ever leave the studio. Now we make a point to tell him who/when/where dance events are occuring.

We're developing into a wonderful dance community here on Long Island--great hosts and more than enthusiastic dancers. Let's keep it up!
[/u]

[pygmalion]

but hey, dancers must dance,

I LOVE this quote. This one, I'm going to print out and post on my wall. So, so true. Dancers must dance.

By the way, samba ajr, is there a local USABDA chapter where you are? My chapter publishes a monthly calendar of all the upcoming dances and socials, and it seems as if the local dance promoters have developed a sort of "gentleman's agreement" not to overlap (too much!)

[dancergal]

We travel quite a distance to go to the monthly socials in the Bay Area. (there is not a lot of dancing in our little beach town) Most of the studios that have a newsletter or website publish all the monthly dances in our area and they try not to overlap each other, so we can dance almost every weekend at a different studio. I don't think the instructors here are afraid of other instructors stealing their students, because we don't really have a lot of dance studios to choose from. All our dances are open to the public so it's nice that we occasionally get some new people to dance with.

[Vince A]

Too bad you're 2 hours away . . . we have great dances at Gone Dancing.

Always less than a 100 people . . . great music . . . usually several Pros . . . a bunch of good dancers . . . small, but fun! Usually it's over around midnight, with maybe less than 10 at that hour really working on moves or teaching each other "new tricks."

We'll dance at BBB??? Yes, maybe, kinda sorta???

[dancergal]

Too bad you're 2 hours away . . . we have great dances at Gone Dancing.

Always less than a 100 people . . . great music . . . usually several Pros . . . a bunch of good dancers . . . small, but fun! Usually it's over around midnight, with maybe less than 10 at that hour really working on moves or teaching each other "new tricks."

We'll dance at BBB??? Yes, maybe, kinda sorta???

Sounds like fun, Vince, but you're right, we wouldn't want to travel that far. It's already pushing it to go to Emeryville at the Allegro Ballroom once a month which is almost an hour and a half away. Do you ever go to Two-Left Feet in Danville? We go there every once in awhile, but it's far too. It's usually great fun there on a Friday night.

Looking forward to the BBB dance with you, but this build up is making me nervous! :oops:

[Vince A]

2 hours is our limit fro traveling . . .

Of course we go to Danville . . . at least twice a month . . . we've probably danced right beside each other and didn't know it. You'd probably recognize my wife before you'd recognize me. She is just about every competition around. Intermediate level, but soon to be an Advanced dancer after World's. She's a tall (5'8") thin blonde, curly hair, always in red, and has a smile bigger than anyone on the dance floor. That's her!

Regarding BBB . . . why so nervous. I dance very normal . . . I've just learned to dance to the music and my partner for that dance . . . you'll be very at ease!

[dancergal]

2 hours is our limit fro traveling . . .

Of course we go to Danville . . . at least twice a month . . . we've probably danced right beside each other and didn't know it. You'd probably recognize my wife before you'd recognize me. She is just about every competition around. Intermediate level, but soon to be an Advanced dancer after World's. She's a tall (5'8") thin blonde, curly hair, always in red, and has a smile bigger than anyone on the dance floor. That's her!

I think I can place your wife, but since I don't have a clue what you look like, I can't place you. Maybe you'll look familiar to me like a lot of the regulars at the dances and conventions. Don't they all start looking very familiar after awhile? Even if you don't know their names?

[Vince A]

I think I can place your wife, but since I don't have a clue what you look like, I can't place you. Maybe you'll look familiar to me like a lot of the regulars at the dances and conventions. Don't they all start looking very familiar after awhile? Even if you don't know their names?
Yea, they all call me "Carolyn's husband."

Not really . . . I was competing about 5 years before she started, and we know most people.

I'm sure I do look like everyone else that is there . . . and yes they all do start looking very familiar. Start competiting and they learn your name, and the good Pros will go out of their way to remember your name and will say "hello, Pam." If that means anything to you???

It's nice to rub elbows from time-to-time, but . . . that's about it!

[dancergal]

Start competiting and they learn your name, and the good Pros will go out of their way to remember your name and will say "hello, Pam." If that means anything to you???

It's nice to rub elbows from time-to-time, but . . . that's about it!

You know that's true. Wayne has been competing I think for 5 yrs. A lot of the Pros say hello to him and even stop to talk to him. He likes it. I guess I would too. :)

[samba ajr]

is there a local USABDA chapter where you are?
As far as I can tell, our "local" chapter in in New York City. A while back, there was an article in the local paper looking for new chapter creations (I think it was USABDA). I guess I've got to start my own. :wink: Anyone in the area interested? This would be for Eastern (primarily) Suffolk County on Long Island, NY.

There are ballroom calendars in our area, but there isn't one that lists everything. I can usually find at least one place to go each weekend.

By the way, our Southampton monthly social is this Saturday nite--let me know if anyone wants details. :)

[pygmalion]

Hey samba ajr. Sounds like you're having fun dancing, regardless. And that's the important part.

There is a USABDA national website. Maybe it contains info on local chapters. NYC seems a little far from you to call "local." Either way, I hope you're having a good time.

Jenn :D

[samba ajr]

Thanks Pygmalion! I've got a big comp coming up and I'm a little preoccupied, but after that I'll check out getting our dance community organized. And I appreciate being quotable. Always wanted to be a writer.

"Dancers must dance!" 8)
Alicia

[pygmalion]

Yes. Dancers must dance. Have fun and much success at your comp. And when you're done, please come back and tell us how things went.

Take care. :D

Jenn

[SDsalsaguy]

Good luck Alicia!!! :D

[samba ajr]

Thanks everyone for your support. The comp is still over a month away, but I'm doing every dance but polka and have a bit of work to do. No offense--next comp I'll be doing that too!

This will be my first "take a plane to get there" comp, in Puerto Rico in November. Anyone else going? We can have a Dance Forums get-together :idea: (as suggested in another topic).

Alicia

[pygmalion]

Puerto Rico! Sounds fun. A couple folks in the forum are quite active competitors (although I'm not yet :cry: ), so, if you have any questions, be sure to post. I'm sure these folks will be glad to answer, or just support and commiserate. Whatever you need!

Best of Luck! :D

Jenn

[MissAlyssa]

Thanks everyone for your support. The comp is still over a month away, but I'm doing every dance but polka and have a bit of work to do. No offense--next comp I'll be doing that too!

This will be my first "take a plane to get there" comp, in Puerto Rico in November. Anyone else going? We can have a Dance Forums get-together :idea: (as suggested in another topic).

Alicia

I don't have set plans to go but I would like to. I am also looking forward to a comp coming up in the bahamas :]

[pygmalion]

The Bahamas would be nice. But I'm finding, quite by accident, that there are lots of small local competitions pretty much anywhere you look. For example, here in Orlando, there has been a competition at least every six to eight weeks this year. Unfortunately, for the most part, I found out at the last minute. Where do you find out about these things? Are there websites or mailing lists out there?

[emanuela]

Some teachers even got offended when studio students had the nerve to ttend non-studio dance events. :?

... hmmm ... I told the owner of the studio where I'm taking lessons that I was going to a milonga (and this studio doesn't even teach argentine tango), and he had a weird reaction ... I was wondering what was that all about. My instructor even called me after few days to know what I was thinking about Argentine Tango. I was honest; I told him that I like it as I like ballroom dancing. If they have a problem with me going somewhere else it's their problem ... geez!!! I'm sure my instructor called me because the owner told him to ... :x .

[mamboqueen]

I could most definitely handle a competition in the Bahamas!


As for the studio dances, there are quite a few places in the Boston area to go on a given weekend. My issue is that I usually don't like to drive over an hour by myself. I know....lame excuse. I just feel "safety in numbers." And here, you really have to keep track of what dances are happening, because one big one on a Saturday night at "x" will diminish the numbers of available leads at place "y".

If you're a lead, you are pretty fortunate around here because many places let you in for free. You are a "dance host" for the evening.

[Sagitta]

If you're a lead, you are pretty fortunate around here because many places let you in for free. You are a "dance host" for the evening.

Hmmm... Maybe I move to your area? :wink: :)

[mamboqueen]

As long as you save some dances for me :)

[Angelo]

If you're a lead, you are pretty fortunate around here because many places let you in for free. You are a "dance host" for the evening.

Hmmm... Maybe I move to your area? :wink: :)


I live in her area and I've only gotten in for free once. Maybe I am not going to the right places

[mamboqueen]

I'll pm ya!