newbie needs advice

[pie-man]

Greetings all!

I am new to this board, but i can see it is populated with great people with a lot to offer.

I have a question concerning what to expect from my next lesson at the local dance franchise. About 2 months ago my wife and I took 2 intro lessons (upcoming wedding), and subsequently signed up for the general variety program. Kinda expensive, but we are havng fun and we think we are learning. We are just about half-way thru and have been pitched the next (bronze) program--- 10 dances, 240 lessons, $25K!! Of course, we can do the first half of the program 120 lessons for $16K. We told them we would let them know at our next lesson, but really, if these are the only choices we will not be spending this kind of money.

Am I correct in assuming that this is only the beginning of the negotions? What do you think will be the next step when we decline their offer?

Sorry if this post is rather long. Thanks for reading and for any advice you may have.

[pygmalion]

hi pie-man. Welcome. :D

I won't ask which franchise, but I think I can guess. I started at the same place in a different town.


My advice? Tell them no, even if you want to dance. They'll come back with a better offer. Or even better, try to find an independent studio not affiliated with the franchise. The quality is often better, and the prices are lower. Check out the Franchise Experiences thread for more discussion on this topic.


Good luck.

Jenn

[Genesius Redux]

Well, being just a man, I naturally see three possible options:

1. Go visit a loan shark. You'll have the same relationship but at least he won't pretend he's got your best interests at heart.

2. Embezzle the money. Even with the prison time, you'll still be able to take lessons elsewhere when you get out, and probably finish a bronze syllabus more cheaply and faster than your friends who bought into the franchise plan.

3. Go dance at an independent studio where people sell you individual lessons and don't fasten leach-like to your precious heart blood until you are nothing more than a quivering husk waiting to audition for the host of "Tales from the Crypt."

Cheers,

Genesius

Incidentally, you may want to do a little research and see just how much of that money is actually going to your teacher--you will be shocked and even outraged.

[pygmalion]

GR. I have one thing to say to you.

:kissme:

[pygmalion]

btw. No offense on the just a man thing. What I meant is that the person in question is just an ordinary guy, nothing special ... except to me.

[Genesius Redux]

:oops:

[johnnywalker]

I agree, find another dance school and one which is not of the franchise variety. My wife and I had a similar experience some years ago and decided to look elsewhere. We eventually found one which we both thoroughly enjoy. The teachers are far better, my dancing has improved and we pay for private tuition at a considerably lower cost than what we paid for at the other school. I'm sure you want to enjoy your dance experience but I don't believe you do so when you have the prospect of being broke or in debt.

[Sarah]

Greetings all!
10 dances, 240 lessons, $25K!!

Hi Pie-man

That works out to $104/lesson if I'm not mistaken? Do you get top notch private instruction for that, a heap of extras or what?

You might want to check out the thread
Average Cost of Private Lessons and Group Classes. (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=2875) to compare how this stacks up against what others are paying.

Cheers
Sarah

[Sagitta]

Welcome to df pie-man!! :) Do you like your pies?

Let me chime in along with the others to say that you are being ripped off. :evil: I would say that even 20 dollars an hour is a lot for class lessons, and you are being offered over 100 dollars an hour!! I typically pay about 8-12 dollars an hour for group classes. Definitely check out the df thread that Sarah suggests.

[pie-man]

Thank you all very much for all of the insights and advice. We have a lesson this evening which should prove to be interesting if nothing else! I'll keep you posted on our progress.

Thanks again,
Pie-man

p.s. we are also checking into independent studios.

[dTas]

let us know how it went. i'd like to know if they reduced their prices or stuck to thier quote.

just like everyone else is saying... go independant!

you should be able to get about $50/private and $15/group. if not, move to Washington! :D

[pygmalion]

If you're at the franchise I think you are, and given your location, I'm pretty sure you are, they won't lower the price. I assume they're already giving you guys the "couple discount." If not, ask for it. Beyond that, what they will do is offer you extended payment options. Beware, and read the fine print. With extended payments, the hourly rate generally goes up considerably.

And it doesn't end here. When you get about mid way through the general variety program, the pressure to buy bronze will begin. Then part way into bronze, the pressure to buy silver begins. And so on.

What I expect will happen tonight is that the studio sales manager will give you the top line, do a bunch of hocus pocus math, and make it look like they're giving you a significant discount. They're not. The top line was artifcial to begin with. Before you sign anything, ask about the adjusted hourly rate. Also, what they may do is offer to break your bronze progam into parts - bronze I, II, III and IV, so you're paying a few thousand dollars at a time, rather than tens of thousands at a time. Make no mistake. The goal is to get you to pay tens of thousands at some point, preferably soon.

Hmm. I could say more, but I won't. I think I've said plenty.

[pygmalion]

Oh yeah, and one more thing. Many, if not most, independent instructors give couple lessons and charge the same hourly rate as a couple as they would singles.

This particular franchise works very hard to discourage couple lessons, and will therefore be charging you 2X. They'll assign two teachers to you and your wife, then charge you for both teachers' time. A word to the wise. :wink: :?

[Genesius Redux]

Thank you all very much for all of the insights and advice. We have a lesson this evening which should prove to be interesting if nothing else! I'll keep you posted on our progress.

Thanks again,
Pie-man

p.s. we are also checking into independent studios.

Want to hear all about it!

[DancePoet]

Oh gosh!

Please do review the local independent studios. You will be pleased with a format more to your liking. Some can be very flexible and no pressure outfits that can give you the freedom to choose and learn at your own pace. They need to stay in business, too, and they certainly will encourage you to take lessons, but they understand the customer is king.

[dancin_feet]

A friend of mine just recently signed up for 60 private lessons in our studio, and I thought that was a lot!! 120? :shock: Considering the exchange rate Aussie$ to US$ 16,000 is a lot of money! I say ditch 'em (unless you really like the instruction and think that it is worth the price!) and find another studio.

I'll never complain about the price of my lessons again. :o

[pygmalion]

Hey pie-man. I hope your dance lesson negotiations went well. Meaning, well from your perspective. If you're still out there, please check in.

Either way, know that whatever decision you and your wife made is okay. It's not about the cost of lessons in an absolute sense, but about how much value you place on the lessons, and about what you want to get out of the experience.

DF is full of some pretty hardcore and cynical people (like myself, sad to say). But the final decision, either way, is yours. And dance studios give a lot of value-added, in terms of the social support and personal interactions you get.

Check in and let us know how you are, okay? 8)

[Genesius Redux]

Yeah, Pie-Man--strong second to Pygmalion! Let us see your ware!

Many of the DFites, like Pygmalion, are here to offer a lot of support and encouragement to dancers all over.

Then some, like me, just wanna hear the dirt! :wink:

For both groups--give us an update!