Absolutely Hilarious....
- Thread starter peachexploration
- Start date
DWise1
Well-Known Member
I'm really sorry to spoil the fun, peachexploration, but here the scenario that I see having played out:
Object lesson: Make your people who answer the phone as knowledgeable of your entire product line as possible. And train them in how to reply effectively to questions they cannot answer ("I'm sorry, I'm not involved with the Salsa classes. I've written down your questions and will ask the instructor (or whoever's knowledgeable). If you leave your number I can call you back with the answers or you could call back here in [whatever amount of time it will take]."). The person who answers the phone is the face that your company presents to the world. Make sure that it is a face that you want to present.
- The studio teaches a number of different dances taught by a number of different teachers; ie, there's some degree of specialization there.
- The person you spoke with was not one of the "Salsa people". Either she taught one of the other dances or she was office help.
- If you had talked with the Salsa instructor or someone else directly involved with the class, you would have probably gotten a more knowledgeable answer to your questions.
Object lesson: Make your people who answer the phone as knowledgeable of your entire product line as possible. And train them in how to reply effectively to questions they cannot answer ("I'm sorry, I'm not involved with the Salsa classes. I've written down your questions and will ask the instructor (or whoever's knowledgeable). If you leave your number I can call you back with the answers or you could call back here in [whatever amount of time it will take]."). The person who answers the phone is the face that your company presents to the world. Make sure that it is a face that you want to present.
peachexploration
New Member
DWise1 said:
This is quite true DWise1 and definitely agree with your statements. But, I expect MUCH more from the OWNER. Also, if your facility has been teaching Salsa for over a year, then there is no excuse.....But that's just me. Professional schools should be professional in my opinion. Sorry friends. I've been through too much in the last year. I have ZERO tolerance. :?
DWise1 is, as usual, quite wise, but, knowing the Orlando dance scene, I bet peach is completely correct in her assessment. Orlando is not like NYC or MIA, where there's real genuine salsa being danced everywhere. In Orlando, there are a few places where people actually know what they're doing and a few places where people are trying to make a buck from teaching salsa, the latest partner dance craze. The trick is knowing the difference. :? Generic (or geriatric take your pick :lol: :lol: ) salsa would make me wonder, for sure. Of course, there's always the free or cheap sample lesson approach.
peachexploration
New Member
pygmalion said:
Right Jenn, this is exactly what I'm saying. Some of these schools could care less about Salsa and what it really means/requires to be able to teach it. It's nothing more than the "latest dance craze that can make you money" swindle to them. They will say anything that may sound good (read BS) to get you in the door and take your money. :evil:
Here in Corvallis a cuople of the local bars have "Salsa Nights." The teachers run lessons a few hours before hands, and a drop in just before the "dance." From what I saw of the teachers they looked pretty good, but I'm sure if you called the bar on any other day they wouldn't know crap about Salsa other than that they have a Salsa Night and someone runs classes.
Heck, the place I teach is a roller rink, I'm sure if you called the regular number and asked the roller rink people about my lessons they'd be just as lost.
Of course, that's why I put my own number on all the advertising.
Heck, the place I teach is a roller rink, I'm sure if you called the regular number and asked the roller rink people about my lessons they'd be just as lost.
Of course, that's why I put my own number on all the advertising. 
Vin
New Member
If this was a studio environment then there is no excuse for them not knowing what style(or styles) of salsa they teach.
That being said I am going to ruin the fun.
Aren't we trying to get away from classifying our salsa as being part of any specific style? Don't we all just dance salsa and do what we feel rather than dance the way someone else tells us to dance? Wouldn't this qualify as generic salsa?
That being said I am going to ruin the fun.
Aren't we trying to get away from classifying our salsa as being part of any specific style? Don't we all just dance salsa and do what we feel rather than dance the way someone else tells us to dance? Wouldn't this qualify as generic salsa?
borikensalsero
Moderator
Vin said:
I think that is what they meant Vin... I wanna dance that generic stuff too!
DWise1
Well-Known Member
In my online readings into the history of swing, that has been a recurring theme, where a dance craze has started and everybody wants to learn it, so studios would just pull an old similar dance out of their syllabus and call it the same thing. One site even mentioned the practice of franchise studios hiring teachers who did know the dance and would draw in business by dancing it in the clubs, but once they were back in the studio they had to teach from the chain's syllabus, that being a condition of employment.pygmalion said:
What we out-of-staters tend to associate with Florida are the retirement communities, so "geriatric Salsa" does have a certain ring to it.pygmalion said:
peachexploration
New Member
Vin said:
Right Vin, as individuals, yes, we or at least I do not want to pigeon held into one particular "type" of salsa. However, I do need to know the mechanics of/if it's Casino Rueda, LA style, Cuban, etc. because they are different philosophies for the lack of a better word. I need to know more than it's "generic". In this case, the idea was to just get me in the door. Instructors who care, know their Salsa.