Drama at the Studio - Opinions

[fiesta0618]

The teachers I had privates with (in BR, salsa, tango) were always at the height of their success and didn't need to be hired by a studio. They traveled the continent, skimming the cream. Studio owners were always grateful and subservient when such a star showed up.

Ah, well, this is a different scenario entirely. In the ballroom forum, you'll hear these personas referred to as "visiting coaches." There is never any restrictive contract language for working with them.

No, the situation being discussed here are is about small-time local teachers, most of whom are beholden to the studio where they work. They don't have a reputation that would allow them to teach independently and command that sort of power. But they are the ones we work with the most, because they are vastly cheaper, vastly more available, and are much more likely to take a personal interest in our growth. All of that adds value, which is why restrictive fraternization language is tolerated at all.

ETA: I picked up the American style fairly late, and could credibly claim that, at this point, I only study that style with visiting coaches. But the only reason this works is that I've already put in a decade of intense focus on closely-related dance skills, and so can do a lot of self-guidance in between those rare visits. Working exclusively with visiting coaches is not a realistic formula for someone of intermediate experience or less, I think.

Unless they are wallowing in cash and have essentially unlimited budget, that is. I have seen that a couple of times, too. Folks who travel across the country on a bi-weekly basis, or pay a coach to do the same, and think nothing of the staggering cost.

 

[lucia_l]

The teachers I had privates with (in BR, salsa, tango) were always at the height of their success and didn't need to be hired by a studio. They traveled the continent, skimming the cream. Studio owners were always grateful and subservient when such a star showed up.

It seems to me that normally, these sorts of teachers at the height of their success travel to studios to do what we call coaching. If an ordinary garden variety student wants them to teach near the student's residence, they either need to (a) find a studio that has invited them or (b) hire them for a mega ton of lesson that is sufficient to cover the coaches travel, hotel, food costs and pretty much an entire day's worth of lessons. The coach isn't going to want to travel unless they earn at least as much as they would if they stayed at home.

So, I think with regard to a typical student, they aren't going to get this coaching unless they go through a studio. It isn't a way to get around the studio rules for anything!

Of course the studios are grateful. The coachings are a money making opportunity for them and also benefit their students. And the studio's gratitude is going to be visible. Visible thanks to the coach also helps to promote opportunity for the coaching which drives more sales both for the coach and the studio! And these coachings are often a value to the at least some students and assists with student retention. It's a win-win-win for the coaches, studio and student. (Not infrequently, teachers at the studio also take coachings.)

I don't want to be cynical about the economic aspect... (and in fact I'm not. I applaud the economic aspect. People teaching lessons need to make a living and deserve to make a decent one. ) But I also don't want people to get the impression they can easily pick up the occasional lesson from someone famous, who will drop by near their home with no studio promoting a whole bunch of lessons to make it economically worth while for this premier dancer! And if you are on the outs with a particular studio, they are probably not going to give you a coaching slot. So this is not a way to get around studio rules!