Should dance instructors get into dances for free?

[jxntwinkletoes]

This is a very hot issue our new swing dance association is grappling with. The area ballroom dance association lets dance instructors in free to their monthly dances if they are paid members of the association. Right now we have less than 30 members and we think everyone should pay admission to our dances even the dance instructors, unless they are teaching a workshop at the dance, etc. But some members think to promote swing dancing we should let them in free because it encourages them to come and bring their students and maybe their students will join the association, etc. Problems are how do you define a dance instructor? Do they have to be full time? Teach in the area? etc. Also what if the dance is being held at the studio where the instructor teaches? should all of the instructors working for that studio get in free to the dance? What if there is limited seating? Does it matter?
Your feedback on this pro and con would be appreciated. thanks!

[d nice]

As a general rule letting instructors in for free is the best policy... it ensures a high quality of dancers present, increases the chances that they will promote your event and association among their students.

Who qualifies as an instructor... anyone who teaches weekly classes in my book counts, anyone who teaches regular workshops in the region, nationally or internationally counts.

Now if the dances aren't breaking even, and you'd be losing money on letting the instructors in for free, then I say no. I also say no to people who teach here or there, or only have one or two private students and no group classes.

It is as much business as politics. If the instructor helps add something to the event, be it students or just atmosphere, or incidental entertainment for the newbies and intermediate dancers I think it is worthwhile.

Another way to approach it is to have them as taxi dancers. Let the teachers or advanced dancers in for free with trhe understanding that the first hour they go out of there way to dance with new dancers rather than just their friends and students... this is an investment in new dancers who will eventually become regular dancers, and maybe even regular students of theirs.

As to letting the teachers of a studio the dance is at in for free... it depends... are you paying for the rental flat out or splitting theprofit? If you pay for it flat out, I'd let the owner/manager in for free, or maybe the head of the swing dept/program, but that is it. If it is a profit split then yes, I normally would because it adds a bit of flair, increases the chance that students from that studio will attend the dance, and the studio shares in whatever minor loss that may bring.

[Hank]

My experience in dealing with dance organizations is that a set of complicated rules will be hotly debated and after much argument will be memorialized into the minutes of the meeting, perhaps even written down on a folded piece of paper in the bottom of the cash drawer. But, the volunteer who actually sits at the door and takes the money won't know what the rules are. Thus, the rules, no matter how well-intentioned originally, never get implemented in practice. The more complicated the rules, the more likely that this will occur.

The reality is that the person taking money at the door 2 years from now will be a volunteer who will not know what the rules are. Even if the volunteer on a particular night does know the rules, they will grab somebody from the dance floor and ask them to take money for a couple songs while they dance. The draftee will make up whatever rules they think make sense.

I once belonged to a dance club that charged separately for the lesson plus had different rates for members, non-members, students (depending on age), seniors, first-timers, volunteers (depending on job), and dance teachers. When I was drafted to take money, I charged everybody the same rate, unless they explicitly asked for a different rate, then I gave them whatever rate they asked for without even knowing whether such a rate existed.

Whatever rules that you actually want to be followed must be publicized in every notice or advertisement for the next dance, so that everybody knows what they are. For example: "Dance next Friday at 8pm, $10 non-members, $8 members, join at the door and get in free." If you aren't comfortable widely advertising that dance teachers get in free, then you shouldn't have this as a rule.

[pygmalion]

My local USABDA chapter lets teachers in free if they bring five or more students with them -- a nice compromise, I think.

Edit: Of course, they're well established and much bigger than you -- 100 to 300 dancers consistently at every dance, so I don't think there's a problem breaking even. Your situation is much different.

[dancin_feet]

I would say that if they are a genuine teacher and want to get in for free to help promote the event / studio, whatever, they should fill out some sort of application form detailing how often they teach and where, and if approved are issued with a laminated card for ID. That way the person at the door is under no confusion, if they have a card, free entry, if not, they pay. There could even be a discount card for part time teachers, or regular dancers.

[salsachinita]

I can only speak from a salsa club perspective. Yes, there is the advertised admission. But there are also guest list, VIP (teachers, promotors, musicians, dancers, SO of one of the above etc.), early birds (free/cheaper before a certain time)..........

Being a small scene, promotors/managements need to walk the finelines between doing the right thing politically (ie. not to offend anyone....coz you may need them next week :roll: ), and making profit/breaking even.

In my experience, the VIPs generally get in for free. Most of them are not used to being charged at the door (and likely to get peeved if asked to pay, some might get so offended they boycott the event etc.), yet they tend to spend big bucks at the bar (ok, maybe not dancers). Most of us recognised these faces right away, and know that it's far more beneficial to get them in, and let them dance/drink.

On the other hand, salseros/salseras (who are there to get their fix) don't mind paying at the door (but hate waiting in line :roll: so I get them in if I see them) but they will drink water all night.

For any given salsa event to be successful, we need to have both groups present. The rest of the patrons are all potential students/regulars who will only return if the experience had been a positive one. The atmosphere is what will make or break the night.....word-of mouth is generally the best (or most lethal) form of advertising.

[twnkltoz]

I was going to make the same suggestion as dancinfeet!

At my studio, we have a swing club that has dances there once a month. Staff instructors of the studio do not get in free, but I don't know about others (probably big shot swing dancers do).

We had a USABDA club for a while; instructors did not get in free but got in for the member rate. It was a small club.

As an instructor, I don't expect to get in free to any dance that's not run by my studio. BUT, I'm more likely to go to one I don't have to pay for!

[KevinL]

The area ballroom dance association lets dance instructors in free to their monthly dances if they are paid members of the association.

Our local USABDA charges everyone, except for the teacher giving the lesson, the same rates. Of course those rates are different if you are "general public" vrs "USABDA member". I don't have any problem with paying at the door. I dance for fun, just like everyone else, so I should pay for that privilege. Maybe as a teacher I should even pay more since everyone there will see me dance and want to take lessons with me. (Or not, 8^))

However, I have attended other dance instructor's dances and they have let me in for free, and I have always appreciated it. I promote their events unless they conflict with my own, so letting instructors in for free is a good thing politically as long as the association is breaking even.

Problems are how do you define a dance instructor? Do they have to be full time? Teach in the area? etc. Also what if the dance is being held at the studio where the instructor teaches? should all of the instructors working for that studio get in free to the dance? What if there is limited seating? Does it matter?
Your feedback on this pro and con would be appreciated. thanks!

What makes a dance teacher is a good question. I think D nice has the right answer, "anyone who teaches weekly classes in my book counts, anyone who teaches regular workshops in the region, nationally or internationally counts." People who say they are teachers, but only have a couple of private students, or only teach group lessons once or twice a year aren't really "instructors" in my mind. They just like to promote dancing occassionally (which is a good thing).

If you have a dance at a studio, how will you keep the instructors out? It's their place of business, after all. I would let them all in for free, but perhaps keep track of how many there are to negotiate with the studio.

Why would limited seating matter? I thought you were planning to hold a dance...

Kevin

[pygmalion]

This issue became a bone of contention here, because some dance promoters let all dance teachers in free, and some didn't. So, as twnkltoz said, teachers started boycotting the non-free dances in favor of the free ones.

[jxntwinkletoes]

Thank you for the feedback pro and con. Right now we are having to hold dances at dance studios and it is byob. Our town doesn't have any good nightclubs to hold a swing dance (or any kind of dance really, unfortunately), at least not yet, but this will be good fyi for if/when that time comes. We are meeting sat night to decide this issue. I will take your points with me for discussion. It sounds like there are good and valid reasons to let bonafide dance instructors in for free.

[dragon3085]

I think it depends on your association's business policy. If one of the perks for an instructor to sign up was free entry then you have honor that agreement, espcially if it was in writing. If that was not an issue then I don't it would be unfair for a stuggling association to charge an admission fee and maybe comp an instructor by letting him or her do some self promotion.

[JohnK]

I would hope your local dance instructors understand yours is a struggling association trying to get off the ground. As such, they should understand it's in their best interests to support your growth as it ultimately means more business for them, either by paying at the door or by promoting your event in some way. It's in your interests to compensate them in some way IF you're convinced they're doing so.

Due to your current size, your primary goal is to build up attendance as it not only pays the bills but improves word-of-mouth advertising for future event(s). Why not offer to admit an instructor for free if they bring (your number here) paying students along? Then you don't have to worry about instructor / non-instructor cut-off's; any group of N+1 who shows up at the door proclaiming one of them is an instructor gets said instructor in for free. This gives the instructors their "deal"; you can always "sweeten" the admission policy as you grow.