New Franchise Instructor
- Thread starter Esra
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Ah, Sorry, I didn't realize this was such a sensitive topic...
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A lot people have varying perspectives on some of the business practices of "chain" studios (some negative, but there are many threads existing on those issues), but there are a lot of other people, like Larinda, I believe? who actually got their start with a chain studio before branching out and moving to other things. Like many experiences, it can be good or bad, and how you do your research on it and proceed with that information affects a lot of the outcome.
Just make sure you do your homework- if you have a question, google it, ask here, or as twnkltz mentioned, ask other teachers- both at the studio, and if you make friends elsewhere, those places, too. If something feels off, or it seems unusual from how you'd perceive or do it, question it. Don't sign anything until you've read and understand it. Remember that it's for the love of dancing and teaching, and if it turns into anything you're not comfortable with, walk away. This, of course, can be applied to many things beyond working at a chain studio, an independent studio, an office supply store, you get the idea. It can be a stepping-stone, or a life-time career, depending on how you feel about it.
Hope this helps.
Just make sure you do your homework- if you have a question, google it, ask here, or as twnkltz mentioned, ask other teachers- both at the studio, and if you make friends elsewhere, those places, too. If something feels off, or it seems unusual from how you'd perceive or do it, question it. Don't sign anything until you've read and understand it. Remember that it's for the love of dancing and teaching, and if it turns into anything you're not comfortable with, walk away. This, of course, can be applied to many things beyond working at a chain studio, an independent studio, an office supply store, you get the idea. It can be a stepping-stone, or a life-time career, depending on how you feel about it.
Hope this helps.
I worked over the years for both AM and FA in all capacities, from teacher to manager and DD.
Pretty much all schools in which I coached/taught, were different, same syllabus but sometimes a different approach specially in business .
There are pros and cons.. some e.g.
Full time may become very demanding, because, even if you have no students ( or few ) you will be required to be there from 1pm to 10pm.5 days per week. Some studios do give a guarantee wage but its not usually more than 1 month .The pay structure varies from school to school as they are independantly owned, and are not regulated .
Training.. this one is a hit and miss proposition. The larger the studio, the better the chances for continuous training. Metro areas are pretty good for this, smaller ones cannot financially afford regular training in most cases.
You also may have to work on some w/ends, and trips with students local and distant.
You will have to learn the American style system,its nigh impossible to survive in chain studios without a good working knowledge. It is possible however, that they may use you for your Intern style.
You also may have to sign a non compete agreement .
Investing one yr with them, is a good background for your future endeavours in the profession .
MaggieMoves
Forum Master
I was only offered, but @tangotime hit every nail on the head I was about to make. It only would have been a part time proposition for me. The non-compete part of it made me reconsider though, as I wouldn't even be able to compete with a partner outside the franchise system. There are though a few people I know who competed through a franchise system professionally and took it fairly far. Most eventually branched out on their own, using it as a stepping stone.
It varies so much, not just chain to chain, but studio to studio. I dance at one, but I have see the differences. One question is what you want to do with your dancing. If you hope to become a top level competitive pro, it's a different situation than if you want to learn more and enjoy teaching, but aren't trying to compete. Here are some things to consider, if they matter to you:
1) Does the studio bring in high level outside coaches on a regular basis?
2) Do any of the teachers take students to non-franchise competitions?
3) What is the experience of the teachers who are in a position that they would be training you?
4) Do any of the teachers compete professionally outside the franchise? (I should add that the top levels of competition at the franchises can be quite stiff. This year one of the pros at one of the franchise studios around here placed better at mid-sized NDCA comps than he did at the national/world of the franchise. Thus, you might have some very good competitive pro dancers who choose to stay within the system.)
If it's a new studio, they may not have the student base to take to NDCA comps, but you can get an idea of the intent.
Also, the studios where I have danced have a continuing "guaranteed minimal income" agreement, but I'm told that it takes at least a year for a teacher to get established and develop a good student base. Some of the best teachers I know have acknowledged that they had to work hard at becoming good teachers which brings with it the ability to retain students. In other words, expect to not make very much for a while.
1) Does the studio bring in high level outside coaches on a regular basis?
2) Do any of the teachers take students to non-franchise competitions?
3) What is the experience of the teachers who are in a position that they would be training you?
4) Do any of the teachers compete professionally outside the franchise? (I should add that the top levels of competition at the franchises can be quite stiff. This year one of the pros at one of the franchise studios around here placed better at mid-sized NDCA comps than he did at the national/world of the franchise. Thus, you might have some very good competitive pro dancers who choose to stay within the system.)
If it's a new studio, they may not have the student base to take to NDCA comps, but you can get an idea of the intent.
Also, the studios where I have danced have a continuing "guaranteed minimal income" agreement, but I'm told that it takes at least a year for a teacher to get established and develop a good student base. Some of the best teachers I know have acknowledged that they had to work hard at becoming good teachers which brings with it the ability to retain students. In other words, expect to not make very much for a while.
Loki
Forum Master
There's been a lot of debate about the legality and enforceability of non-compete agreements. I'd suggest talking with an attorney who knows employment law in your state if that might be a concern to you down the road. Yes, it will cost you some money up front, but it might save you a lot of hassles later on.
JudeMorrigan
Forum Master
While my pro is currently happily teaching at an independant studio, I know she's a big fan of starting a career working at a franchise studio. But since I have no first-hand experience, I just want to give a bit of very generalized advice that I learned after being hired by a particularly terrible environmental testing laboratory. Make sure that you treat any job interviews you might have as being about you interviewing the studio as much as it is the studio interviewing you. I know that in my case in a wildly different field, it was all too easy to get caught up in trying to convince an employer that I was a good fit for them that I didn't put enough effort into making sure they were a good fit for me.
Dancing Irishman
Forum Master
My impression from talking to teacher friends who have worked at the chains is that you will learn a great deal about sales without a doubt (which is very important if you want to be employed full-time as a dance instructor, even if you decide that your personal pitch will eventually be different than the chain one).
Do your homework and make sure the teacher training available at the studio is really high-quality and worth your time (getting additional training as a dancer is, from my impression, one of the big benefits of starting out as a studio employee rather than an independent instructor). The people running a chain school can be everything from former national/world champions/finalists who have honed their craft for years (I know of a city nearby where this is the case) or business managers with more of a cursory knowledge of ballroom gained mostly from the chain's books (more the case in my city based on what I've heard from past instructors/students which is admittedly a *very* biased sample). Hopefully your years of collegiate have given you at least a bit of an idea how to tell the difference between the two.
Also, as Loki mentioned, read any contracts you're asked to sign carefully and make sure you're really comfortable with everything in there (this goes for pretty much any employment, not just chain dance studios).
And like RiseNFall mentioned, it'll depend on what your goals are too.
And Jude has an awesome point about interviews in general (not just dance job interviews).
Basically, everyone else already had all the good points I wanted to make.
Do your homework and make sure the teacher training available at the studio is really high-quality and worth your time (getting additional training as a dancer is, from my impression, one of the big benefits of starting out as a studio employee rather than an independent instructor). The people running a chain school can be everything from former national/world champions/finalists who have honed their craft for years (I know of a city nearby where this is the case) or business managers with more of a cursory knowledge of ballroom gained mostly from the chain's books (more the case in my city based on what I've heard from past instructors/students which is admittedly a *very* biased sample). Hopefully your years of collegiate have given you at least a bit of an idea how to tell the difference between the two.
Also, as Loki mentioned, read any contracts you're asked to sign carefully and make sure you're really comfortable with everything in there (this goes for pretty much any employment, not just chain dance studios).
And like RiseNFall mentioned, it'll depend on what your goals are too.
And Jude has an awesome point about interviews in general (not just dance job interviews).
Basically, everyone else already had all the good points I wanted to make.
fascination
Site Moderator
I echo what everyone else is saying with regard to the fact that it depends...my first studio was independent run by instructors who used to be AM...and who ran the studio in a similar way.....keeping what they liked, tossing what they didn't...never talking it down
my second studio was independent, with instructors who probably had some FADS history, which wasn't discussed and they ran the place completely differently than the way most franchise experiences are described herein...
I am currently with an instructor who has franchise ties....from what I see of the new instructors there, they are well compensated, recieve continuing ed and have a better scenario than the baby intructors at my first (independent) studio...and it is a source of pride for my current instructor that those newer teachers are struggling less than I percieve that he did in his earlier years
my second studio was independent, with instructors who probably had some FADS history, which wasn't discussed and they ran the place completely differently than the way most franchise experiences are described herein...
I am currently with an instructor who has franchise ties....from what I see of the new instructors there, they are well compensated, recieve continuing ed and have a better scenario than the baby intructors at my first (independent) studio...and it is a source of pride for my current instructor that those newer teachers are struggling less than I percieve that he did in his earlier years
Mengu
Forum Master
Welcome to the boards Esra.
My instructor and a few others at my studio have been involved with chains earlier in their career. Ultimately, the most important thing is the people who will be around you, your piers, instructors, students, and manager. I'm not sure why you are specifically looking into chains, but I would suggest keeping your options open for all your local studios, including independent ones. I don't believe there is any inherent advantage to doing one over the other. People you'll be involved with is what matters. I'd also echo the very crucial "do your research" advice.
My instructor and a few others at my studio have been involved with chains earlier in their career. Ultimately, the most important thing is the people who will be around you, your piers, instructors, students, and manager. I'm not sure why you are specifically looking into chains, but I would suggest keeping your options open for all your local studios, including independent ones. I don't believe there is any inherent advantage to doing one over the other. People you'll be involved with is what matters. I'd also echo the very crucial "do your research" advice.
suburbaknght
Well-Known Member
I worked for one of the franchises. In my travels therein I also got to visit other studios part of the same franchise but with different owners for events, training, and the like. In my experience being part of a franchise is neither a guarantee of nor a guarantee against quality, a positive work environment, or any other part of this business. Every good thing and every bad thing I experienced at franchises I've also seen in independent studios, and vice-versa, and usually in the same proportions. Don't look at this as, "Should I work for a franchises?" but "Should I become a dance teacher?"
That said, if you do pursue this path the thing to do is understand exactly what is asked of you and exactly what is provided for you, and get all of it in writing. What initial training do they provide? What ongoing training do they provide? How many hours a week do they expect to need you? How long did it take other teachers to reach that number? What do they do for outside coaching? Are you required to compete in pro-am with your students, giving up your amateur status? How do they define fraternization with their students? There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but make sure you know what the answers are.