Where do you practice?

I have 3 preferred practice areas. 1. Aerobics studio in my gym. 2. Studio where my teacher rents space 3. My living room. Each area has its pros and cons.
 
I built a dance floor in my house. I drive a long distance for lessons every week, and there isn't a dance studio nearby where I can practice on a regular basis. It's much easier to just wander onto my own floor any time I feel like working on something. It isn't big enough for much smooth or standard, but it's fine for latin and basic technique.

That said, I really end up practicing anywhere - the hallways at work, rumba walks through the kitchen while I'm talking on the phone, hip motion while I'm standing around waiting on people...it's all fair game!
 
I practice at the Dance studio and on my Apartment Patio. My Neighboors will sometimes walk by on their way getting the mail and they take double takes of me. :p
 
I often have access to a beautiful hotel ballroom. It's great to have so much room to practice with, at full-throttle!
 
My studio charges for practice time unless I have a class that day. I practice before my lessons and my kitchen also has a wooden floor that I try to mark out routines on. It would be nice to have an official practice space in my home but the cost of mirrors and a floor is way too expensive!
 
MultiFaceted Dancer said:
I do believe studio owners should all be on the same page everywhere. If they believe in teaching than they should have a consistant open door policy for all students who frequent their studio who either take private lessons or group lessons to be able to practice at no charge for that month. The instructors will promote better dancers in the long run which will bring in new business for them when other students ask who taught them and it will make it less fustrating for the student who is trying to learn muscle memory(without mirrors you can't see for yourself your mistakes or how good or bad you look) and for the instructor who has to go over and over and over again the same material because it hasn't sunk in. The better the student feels about their dancing the more they want to learn. The more fustrating It is the less they want to continue. It would be in the studios best interest to keep their students from giving up and wanting thier friends to get involved than to nickle and dime the students beyond what they are capable of doing financially. The long run aspect is a little good will goes along way always has in business -the studios will make more money from the appreciating students than to charge them for every possible oportunity to learn.
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I understand your post, and respect it, MultiFaceted Dancer. I have a different view. I think it makes perfect sense for studio owners to charge for floor time, or anything else, where their resources are being used (whether it be the slow wear and tear of a floor, the 'space' available, etc.). If someone can't afford something, as is proven time and time again on DF, there are numerous ways to practice and save money. I also think sometimes people respect things more, if they have to pay for them. I'm sure various studio owners set their policies based on what they think is right. In my experience -- allbeit limited -- it isn't related to nickle and diming students, but rather providing a fair service and expecting fair pay in return.
 
I too think an owner has a right to limit floor acces for a variety of reasons...first of all ...a determined dancer WILL find a way to practice regardless...and can't use lack of access as an excuse.....I practiced on an asphalt driveway in jazz sneakers, in a hotel laundry room, at the gym, in university co-recs, in my garage, on a ship....

but I have also seen people who are bored and have no life abuse free floor time by simply hanging out...practicing maybe an hour but sitting there for three...they disrupt other people who are really there to practice...use what they see there as gossip fodder later, take up floor space needed by people actually on paid lessons, etc...studio owners have a right to make decisions that they feel are best for the dynamic of their studio...
 
I think it can vary so much from studio to studio. I, for one, love the open door policy of our studio to practice whenever you want. This does not seem to be abused, and--as MultiFaceted Dancer points out--it keeps the place vibrant and exciting. Of course, I do see where the ownership has the right to set their rules as they see fit. I am just ecstatic that our studio has so much going for it, including having lots and lots of space to practice outside of lesson and coaching time!

MultiFaceted Dancer said:
Well thats another opinion.But --Here the studio's are more Empty of Students than having that Problem. Just because studio owners think they are right doesn't make them right. Lot's of studios here in Sw Florida have closed and some are some still on the verge of closing due to not listening to students and thier financial issues of not having enough students but standing on grounds of what they feel is right and how they use to run their business- say 10 and 20 yrs ago compared to how things are now. It would behoove people to remember there hasn't been an economy shift like this in over 30 yrs and since life has changed so does the mind set of all business owners no- matter what business they are in. We also have more oportunities to have access to better instructors than ever before since they are more seasoned around this area giving us more choices. Studio's are a customer service oriented profession and with the amount of studio's that have closed,people are not as trusting as they use to be. Again a little good will goes a long way. Look at the medical profession when you get a bill from the hospital for $10.00 aspirin or box of tissues. How mad does that make people and resentful or when a dental office charges you for osha required material or any other extra item they feel they can charge for----nickle and diming you. Since I have been a manager of dental offices for 21 yrs up north and down here,I can attest to how many people resent and leave those offices for just that reason alone-being nickled and dimed. The impression is the busier a studio appears to be the more successful it is -the more you want to be there. So if a bunch of people are there practicing it will look busy and it will attract more people than a large floor empty.
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MultiFaceted Dancer said:
It will be very interesting to see if others will write in and what they have to say. Hopefully they won't be concerned about the reprocussions of telling how they really feel truthfully and not be bending to the politics that keeps their opinions to themselves or voices them to others who don't care about reprocussions. Since RS has an open door policy she seems very happy where she is -as it should be.
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MultiFaceted Dancer, :) I know that it might be hard to tell (from user ID's and other things), but RS is a "he"... Cheers... :cheers: Sometimes I get thrown off by other people's user ID's, too...

And good thoughts, and you make a lot of good points. Everyone has a different take, based upon their own situation--and I see a lot of sides to this. Given all that, among one of the things that I love about our very nice studio is its "open door" policy to use the floor to practice with. Add to that its lack of contracts and lock-ins to big blocks of lessons--and it's close to incomparable... :)
 
don't get me wrong...my statement has nothing to do with politics...I have always been at studios that are very open and flexible...I just happen to see the down-side of that...and regardless of your valid points MFD, the fact remains that it is the owner's call to make...it is their studio, their financial security, their mistake to make.....
 
CANI said:
I understand your post, and respect it, MultiFaceted Dancer. I have a different view. I think it makes perfect sense for studio owners to charge for floor time, or anything else, where their resources are being used (whether it be the slow wear and tear of a floor, the 'space' available, etc.). If someone can't afford something, as is proven time and time again on DF, there are numerous ways to practice and save money. I also think sometimes people respect things more, if they have to pay for them. I'm sure various studio owners set their policies based on what they think is right. In my experience -- allbeit limited -- it isn't related to nickle and diming students, but rather providing a fair service and expecting fair pay in return.
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I am sorry but I really disagree. I haven't read the other posts but this one just had me. I grew up in a poor environment. My parents went through a separation and all I wanted to do when I was little was dance but I couldn't because of my parents pouring their money into other things and not paying attention to what was important to me. I wanted to be a dance prodigy-and I wont lie I do envy those young girls who dance gracefully on the dance floor. I wanted to be like that. Money has always been that enemy to me. Now I am older and have my own paying job that I work hard at just so I can dance. This is something really really special to me. I don't make enough money as other people I know. So if they started to charge for dance floor practice times and group lessons and anything else that is now complimentary I feel like they are taking a way a chance for a confident and ambitious dancer to be born.
 
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