Your Dream Dance Studio...

[BayAreaBallroomLady]

http://www.budapesthotels.com/hotelpic/royal/ballroom.jpghttp://www.arthurmurray-israel.co.il/pics/jerusalem.jpg
I have an interesting question to pose. IF you had money as no object, what would want your dream dance studio to have? Let's say that in this studio is also nice ballroom... what do you want in your ballroom?

Would you like it if they offered a full bar?
What about a "stage" area that would be raised up for the live bands/exhibitions?
What is the best type of floor that you like?
What would it take to make you drive to this super cool studio/ballroom? What do wish they had or did at your current studio?
Lots of windwos? Patio? .... it would be nice to seem some of your dreams!

[Sagitta]

Floating floors!!! Don't really have this around here! I dance on concrete, plain wooden floors... :(

[pygmalion]

Hmmm. ...

A huge dance floor. Lots of bottled water. Guys to dance with. :?: :?

[Spitfire]

An evenly mixed music format instead of one that's heavy on certain dances and less so on others.

I'm wondering; has anyone been to a dance where music was played in short sets for each dance style? I've never seen this myself.

[Sagitta]

An evenly mixed music format instead of one that's heavy on certain dances and less so on others.

I'm wondering; has anyone been to a dance where music was played in short sets for each dance style? I've never seen this myself.

Yup. The CU ballroom club dances are pretty good. Not aboslutely there, but close enough.

And of course a huge floor and lots of lovely followers.

[Adwiz]

I have two nice studios that I dance at. Both have 5,000 square foot sprung maple floors. That's a must. Both have chairs and tables scattered around the edge. That's a must. One has a mirror along the entire length of one long wall. That's very nice. Both have a practice floor, also a must. Both have curtains that can divide the main floor when necessary. Both have a great sound system and a DJ booth. Both have reasonably priced group and private instruction and bring in many international champions as special guest teachers. Both have low-price annual membership programs where you get half price group lesson repeats and discounts on everything from private lessons to party night fees. Both have lots of free parking. Both organize and hold regular competitions. One sells shoes and the other has a costume shop in house. Both have stereos in the practice area, and music you can borrow. One has a nice lobby with couches and a television set with dance videos you can watch anytime to review stuff.

I consider both of them near perfect as far as dance studios go.

What I would like to see in an ideal studio are all these things plus a few features that are missing. These are mostly little things that would make the whole experience better. For example, it is almost impossible to properly practice standard in a small square space. You really need a full 40x20 foot floor. One of my two studios has such a practice floor (in addition to the regular floor), but it is so busy with scheduled lessons you can almost never actually practice on it.

I'd like to have a little more in the way of *******ments during parties but not alcohol (neither of my studios serves liquor). I don't want just chips and pop but some healthier choices. I want to be able to pay for these at the counter where I get them without having to wait in a long lineup with people checking in for lessons, etc.

My ideal studio doesn't serve alcohol, because alcohol and ballroom dancing don't really mix well. But it has a party night every night following the evening lessons. It has one party night just for Standard and another just for Latin, in addition to the five mixed party nights. This allows competitors the chance to get in lots of time on the floor. It has enough room that you can have a competition and put up risers without sacrificing the ability to move around. In addition, a practice floor is still available when comps are happening.

[Adwiz]

I'm wondering; has anyone been to a dance where music was played in short sets for each dance style? I've never seen this myself.

The two studios where I dance play music in two-song groupings for each dance. That's just right. You'll get two Waltzes, then maybe two Rhumbas, then perhaps two WCS, two Cha Chas, etc. It's just the right length. One of them even makes sure that there's a Paso Doble played once every night.

[dancin_feet]

My ideals are simple. For me it's not so much the studio itself but the people in it.

My ultimate dream studio would have a huge dancefloor, plenty of water freely available, and a gorgeous, hunky, very fit, excellent male lead who only had eyes for me!! :roll: :oops:

[jon]

IF you had money as no object, what would want your dream dance studio to have?

What I really want is all of my favorite dance partners in one place, which, alas, money can't solve.

Good physical facilities too (http://www.pbase.com/image/21526380), of course (the ballroom at Filoli in Woodside, CA. Sadly not used for dancing these days since the place is a preservation trust now). Large amounts of money could solve this problem.

[tsb]

An evenly mixed music format instead of one that's heavy on certain dances and less so on others.

I'm wondering; has anyone been to a dance where music was played in short sets for each dance style? I've never seen this myself.

yeah. the mayflower ballroom on wednesday nights in inglewood, ca.

[tsb]

http://www.budapesthotels.com/hotelpic/royal/ballroom.jpghttp://www.arthurmurray-israel.co.il/pics/jerusalem.jpg
I have an interesting question to pose. IF you had money as no object, what would want your dream dance studio to have? Let's say that in this studio is also nice ballroom... what do you want in your ballroom?

Would you like it if they offered a full bar?
What about a "stage" area that would be raised up for the live bands/exhibitions?
What is the best type of floor that you like?
What would it take to make you drive to this super cool studio/ballroom? What do wish they had or did at your current studio?
Lots of windwos? Patio? .... it would be nice to seem some of your dreams!

besides other elements already posited, a sergeant-at-arms with a rubber chicken to flog the dancers who:
- clog the line of dance with hesitations;
- worse yet - move backwards against the line of dance;
- set their slot perpendicular to everyone else on the floor during cha-cha & west coast swing;
- insist on dancing east coast swing on the edge of the floor while everyone else is dancing either quickstop or a foxtrot;
- stand and chat on the edge of the floor during same quickstep or foxtrot;

[jon]

- set their slot perpendicular to everyone else on the floor during cha-cha & west coast swing;

Er, cha-cha isn't a slot dance. But I'm with you on the WCS.

[ShyDancer]

My ultimate dream studio would have a huge dancefloor, plenty of water freely available, and a gorgeous, hunky, very fit, excellent male lead who only had eyes for me!! :roll: :oops:

Here Here!! *Giggles*

I think where I dance is awesome! Plenty of seats, coffee & tea provided, floating floor, full length mirrors on 3 walls, the 4th wall is covered by the DJs box. Practice room out the back where they take beginners or newbies to learn a few basic moves for the upcoming dances.
They do a few songs for evey style too ..... 3 for cha cha, 3 for E.3 Step, 3 for waltz etc .........works very well

[Spitfire]

insist on dancing east coast swing on the edge of the floor while everyone else is dancing either quickstop or a foxtrot

A case for having an additional floor. :wink:

I believe there are some studios that have these, but none here.

[bordertangoman]

besides other elements already posited, a sergeant-at-arms with a rubber chicken to flog the dancers who:
- clog the line of dance with hesitations;
- worse yet - move backwards against the line of dance;
- set their slot perpendicular to everyone else on the floor during cha-cha & west coast swing;
- insist on dancing east coast swing on the edge of the floor while everyone else is dancing either quickstop or a foxtrot;
- stand and chat on the edge of the floor during same quickstep or foxtrot;

and the guy who decides to give his partner a lesson in the middle of the dance floor and after five minutes of talking moves off and barges into me.

[BayAreaBallroomLady]

This is great! You guys aren't just smart... you're funny too!

Keep 'em coming....

[tsb]

if it's going to be perfect we should have another sergeant-at-arms doling out appropriate punishments for:

- too much cologne/perfume - sergeant-at-arms sprays them with lysol;
- giving unsolicited advice - locked in room with 100 amway recruiters - or 100 elvis impersonators - take your pick;

i'm sure there are some good ones out there....

[DanceMentor]

I'd like to get a two story building in the city, and live upstairs, and have the dance studio downstairs.

[Spitfire]

I think I'd like 60's style psychedelic lights for occasional use. 8)

[Neil]

... Guys to dance with...

I heard that there is a ballroom around here that has "taxi dancers." I think that you get two tickets when you pay your cover that each entitle you to dance a song with one of the taxi dancers. I think you can buy more tickets. At the end of the night, the taxi dancers cash in their tickets. I'm surprised that isn't more popular.

The one thing that I would like to see but hasn't been mentioned yet is a powerful blower at waist level to quickly cool us off in between dances. I think about 200 - 300 cubic feet per minute should do the job.

Here's the ballroom where I go now. www.GoldcoastBallroom.com

[DanceMentor]

I'd buy Lincoln Center.

[cocodrilo]

Fabulous floor, ample seating that surrounds most of the dance floor, mirrors on two sides, dimmer switches for the lighting, and most importantly for latin dance, a FABULOUS sound system! A stage for a live band would be great, too! Another important thing to me is having ample bathrooms and changing rooms. A bar would be great. No ashtrays (meaning smoking is not permitted) would make this "dream studio" of mine complete. I will be renting a new place that meets most of these requirements (except for the smoking part, unfortunately) next month for a latin dance gig. Let's see how it goes!