Franchise dance levels

R

Rumbagirl11

New Member
I joined an AMDS in my home town about 5 months a go, it started out very innocently with me winning an intro package there through a silent auction in a charity event.

I went with the intention of just taking the intro package and leaving. Thus through a good sales pitch and a flirty dance instructor (there is another story here that I won't go into ;)) I singed up for a 6 mo' package as a newcomer wanting to learn latin for social dancing.

Turns out I am pretty good at dancing :D (I had taken some vallet classes back in college and I always liked to dance) I am a quick learner and I have been told I am fast and sharp in my moves I can also pick up the steps just by looking at them. I have been taking the Bronze I and II group classes and sometimes Bronze III and IV.

Thing is my instructor won't teach me allot of technique or advanced steps, since these are saved for more advanced levels. I guess I thought these studios or any of them for that matter would teach based on ability but I have a feeling that since I only paid for newcomer status that is all I am going to get from my instructor until I pay more for the next levels. Does that sound right?

Does anyone know if that is how it works on these big franchise studios? I feel they are holding me back and I would like to maybe find another place/instructor where I can learn as much as I can and maybe even start participating in comps. Any ideas where I should look? I am on a roll here...;)
 
Our stories are eerily similar! lolol

The idea is to learn slowly, one step at a time, which is lower stress for us, and (sigh) more profitable for them. But if you are going to all the classes and enjoying the parties and the nights out and meeting people and having a blast, it's all worth it. I have also tried an independent teacher, and with him I could learn a lot faster, for example in one hour I learned the entire bronze syllabus for foxtrot. At the end of the lesson, I could "walk through" all those steps with him. Did I do them well? No. Could I remember them the next day? No. It's too much information in an hour.

I just graduated up to bronze 1 from newcomer myself, and it is very basic, but my teachers don't seem to have a problem teaching technique on the basics they taught me in newcomer... What's nice is right now our studio has virtually no newcomers, so newcomer classes are me and a couple of my friends. We're all associate bronze so we just technique the crap out of the basics that would be taught in newcomer. :)
 
Hi Rumbagirl11!

I do not have any personal experience with the franchise system, but it is my understanding from reading discussion on this topic in other threads, many of them do keep students to a certain level of steps or technique based on the package they buy.

I take my lessons and classes at a independent studio, with independent teachers where my advancement is not limited by packages. Do check your local dance scene out to see what fits best for you.

If you would like to post your general location, our members are usually quite helpful in suggesting studios to check out.
 
Varies a lot by studio, teacher, etc. I've been at my studio 2 years and 8 months, actually dancing 2 years of that time. I'm still on stop 6 of ten in bronze. But we spend a LOT more time on technique than on steps. I could learn the rest of the bronze syllabus steps in a month or so, if that long. But personally, I'd rather learn the technique. Sadly, it sounds like you'er not getting either, or feel that way. I know my teachers (on #2 and 3 now, since we work with two teachers), have never limited what they were teaching to "level I had paid for". I have a silver open/showcase foxtrot I'm working on right now, and have learned other silver stuff too when mood hits one of us.
 
wonderwoman said:
Our stories are eerily similar! lolol

The idea is to learn slowly, one step at a time, which is lower stress for us, and (sigh) more profitable for them. But if you are going to all the classes and enjoying the parties and the nights out and meeting people and having a blast, it's all worth it. I have also tried an independent teacher, and with him I could learn a lot faster, for example in one hour I learned the entire bronze syllabus for foxtrot. At the end of the lesson, I could "walk through" all those steps with him. Did I do them well? No. Could I remember them the next day? No. It's too much information in an hour.

I just graduated up to bronze 1 from newcomer myself, and it is very basic, but my teachers don't seem to have a problem teaching technique on the basics they taught me in newcomer... What's nice is right now our studio has virtually no newcomers, so newcomer classes are me and a couple of my friends. We're all associate bronze so we just technique the crap out of the basics that would be taught in newcomer. :)
Click to expand...

LOL and I have a feeling we are not the only ones outhere....
 
Depends entirely on the studio. It could be that you're "being held back." It could be that you're not actually learning as fast as you think you are.
I personally don't like the idea of packages based on "level." I'd rather just pay for a group of lessons and customize those 10 lessons to my learning needs and ability. (And no more than 10 at a time, because who knows what will happen in 10 lessons, much less more than 10 lessons.)
 
etp777 said:
Varies a lot by studio, teacher, etc. I've been at my studio 2 years and 8 months, actually dancing 2 years of that time. I'm still on stop 6 of ten in bronze. But we spend a LOT more time on technique than on steps. I could learn the rest of the bronze syllabus steps in a month or so, if that long. But personally, I'd rather learn the technique. Sadly, it sounds like you'er not getting either, or feel that way. I know my teachers (on #2 and 3 now, since we work with two teachers), have never limited what they were teaching to "level I had paid for". I have a silver open/showcase foxtrot I'm working on right now, and have learned other silver stuff too when mood hits one of us.
Click to expand...


MM.....??? Maybe a talk with the instructor would do it, if I can learn something new every private class weather a step or technique I would feel I am getting my money's worth. Just last couple of months I don't feel I have progressed any.
 
Rumbagirl11 said:
Thing is my instructor won't teach me allot of technique or advanced steps, since these are saved for more advanced levels. I guess I thought these studios or any of them for that matter would teach based on ability but I have a feeling that since I only paid for newcomer status that is all I am going to get from my instructor until I pay more for the next levels. Does that sound right?

Does anyone know if that is how it works on these big franchise studios? I feel they are holding me back and I would like to maybe find another place/instructor where I can learn as much as I can and maybe even start participating in comps. Any ideas where I should look? I am on a roll here...;)
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right. I used to teach for them, and they will only teach you the level you have paid for, regardless of your ability. If you want to go faster, you will have to find a non-franchised studio.
 
wooh said:
Depends entirely on the studio. It could be that you're "being held back." It could be that you're not actually learning as fast as you think you are.
I personally don't like the idea of packages based on "level." I'd rather just pay for a group of lessons and customize those 10 lessons to my learning needs and ability. (And no more than 10 at a time, because who knows what will happen in 10 lessons, much less more than 10 lessons.)
Click to expand...


Wooh, don't take me wrong I am no prodigy by any means LOL :D but my observations are based on several incidents that I didn't mention, (i.e. when my first package was almost gone the owner try to sell me another package where she mentioned they could get me out of newcommer and bump me to start Bronze II by the time the second package started.) I don't think she would have said that if she didn't think I was able to do it just to sell me the package. It was too much money so I declined. I have also had silver students come up to me and tell me I dance very well and some even say I should be taking higher level classes than Bronze I and II. I've never heard anything from the instructor (s) on how well I am doing or that I can do more which seems odd to me (I am suspicious in that way :cool:) I would think they would want to encourage me where ever I am at but who knows.
 
I am in San Antonio, Texas if anyone can recommend an independent studio/instructor I would really appreciate it. :D Thank you all for your comments.
 
Without making gross generalizations applicable to all franchises, I will say that my first instructor came from a franchise environment and did indeed promote the idea of holding back information as being the smart approach, business-wise...that giving it all away freely was not smart biz.

That approach isn't for me. I've since chosen instructors who give away their best...and they know that they have nothing to risk doing so because it can take so long to learn how to apply and execute good technique.

Devoted students IMO shouldn't stick around waiting for scraps of info...they should stick around because their instructors desire and give their best to their students, and coach them to excel as efficiently as possible. Now that's a great way to do business...but customers have to choose it over the other paradigm.
 
I agree totally with sam and have the same kind of instructor she does. I first started with him at an independent studio. He now owns a franchise so, not all francise instructors hold back information based on the package you purchase.
 
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