On Parties and Instructors Being There

[DanceMentor]

I can see how especially for newer students they feel a little lost at parties, and if there are instructors there, it can help them do better in this situation. It seems, however, that this is an area where a few different "models" have been developed to address this need.

1. So called Chain Studios like Fred Astaire or Arthur Murray sell packages that include privates, groups and parties. And they usually do a good job of making sure there are a number of teachers present at the parties. Of course, there are independent but closed studios that also use this model. The instructors are usually paid to be at the parties.
2. Then there are open studios where mostly instructors rent floor space. The bigger ones will tend to have parties where there are instructors present, but they are often there to find new students. There isn't all that much incentive for them to dance with people repeatedly, unless there is hope of the student buying some lessons.
3. Then what I have seen more recently at the Chinese studios is the dance host model. Students will hire instructors to dance with them at the party, and pay their rate. Often it is somewhat of a "lesson" at the party, and they may not always work on the dance playing, but instead find a corner to go over something. These are usually large studios where there is space to do this without interfering.

I can't say that one is better than the other. They each serve people with different needs. I once felt that #2 was the "new" way that was replacing #1. Then I recently learned more about #3. At first I was a little skeptical, but I see it is quite viable as well.
Do you like one more than another? Have you seen any other varying models that were successful?

 

[DerekWeb]

In my area, the studio socials that are successful in terms of attendance have dance pros present. My main studio uses all 3 models, 1-the owners dance, 2-independants also 3-occasional hired dance hosts are present (some instructors also combine 2 and 3)

Interesting fact, the Chinese model of hired dance hosts had moved beyond just the Chinese studios in the North East: I believe they have helped make the practice more common in this area

 

[raindance]

One other model I have seen at socials (not necessarily studio parties) is the use of dance hosts. Basically these are social dancers who take on an official role of going around and asking a variety of people to dance, particularly any singles or others who are not dancing much. (I don't think they are usually paid, though they might get free admission to the party? Not sure on that.)

 

[Cal]

I don't think I completely understand how the 3rd model works. I've realize that I would have paid my Pro to dance with me at the party, and presumably all the other amateurs have done the same thing. But then do I dance ONLY with my Pro? If I want to sit out a song, does my Pro also sit out that song, or is it customary for another amateur to ask my Pro to dance that song? Would a male amateur approach me and ask for a dance? Would I be committing a faux pas if I asked a male amateur to dance a particular song? Would another female amateur and myself ever agree to "swap" Pros for a particular dance?

 

[Dupont]

From what I have seen:

But then do I dance ONLY with my Pro?

Mostly.

If I want to sit out a song, does my Pro also sit out that song

They rarely sit out.

or is it customary for another amateur to ask my Pro to dance that song?

No, unless they are sharing the same teacher.

Would a male amateur approach me and ask for a dance?

Only if he doesn't know about your arrangement.

Would I be committing a faux pas if I asked a male amateur to dance a particular song?

No. Doing so for a few songs is ok.

Would another female amateur and myself ever agree to "swap" Pros for a particular dance?

Happens rarely. Perhaps because there is no need.

I must add, that, if the number of hired teacher-hosts is high, then the ballroom party looks much like a lesson, with dancers with a mission in mind. They should not be called ballroom parties then, maybe "open lesson", or "practice party", or "evening lesson". Calling it, say, "Friday Night Ballroom Party" confuses and cheats visitors who are attending without teacher-hosts.

 

[anntennis]

I don't think I completely understand how the 3rd model works. I've realize that I would have paid my Pro to dance with me at the party, and presumably all the other amateurs have done the same thing. But then do I dance ONLY with my Pro? If I want to sit out a song, does my Pro also sit out that song, or is it customary for another amateur to ask my Pro to dance that song? Would a male amateur approach me and ask for a dance? Would I be committing a faux pas if I asked a male amateur to dance a particular song? Would another female amateur and myself ever agree to "swap" Pros for a particular dance?

- Generally:

- You can “share” or pay for your pro time with a few other students and discuss what dancers you are dancing and what dancers
the other students dancing (every 3rd song, only standard, only Latin, etc).

- You can rest as much as you need, but you are paying for the set number of hours.

If you can’t handle 3 hours, take 2 and dance them all or share time cost with another student.

- You are free game. You can dance with other students/amateurs if you wish

- Your pro is not dancing with other amateurs when he is on your paying clock time, just like during private lessons.

There are no set rules , you and your pro can set up your own rules what you are comfortable with and under which terms you would pay x amount of $$$ to social dance with a professional and what you getting out of it and only you can decide if this is worth it for you or not.

PS. I never herd about “swapping”, but that an interesting idea if you and your pro and other amateur and her pro attend the same social and agree to swap some foxtrots , why not? (LOL. It is getting too complicated)

 

[Indiana_Jay]

1. So called Chain Studios like Fred Astaire or Arthur Murray sell packages that include privates, groups and parties. And they usually do a good job of making sure there are a number of teachers present at the parties. Of course, there are independent but closed studios that also use this model. The instructors are usually paid to be at the parties.

All the studios in my area use this party model, both the chain and independent studios. The difference is in the pricing. The AM studio only sells private lessons and includes "free" group lessons and parties in the private lesson price. The independent studios sell private lessons, group lessons and party admission a la carte. But all have employed instructors at their parties. I guess we're not a big enough market to have independent instructors who rent floor space in studios.

I like seeing instructors doing what they can to make sure as many people as possible have a good time at the party. This often means female instructors leading female followers where there aren't enough male leaders.

 

[Indiana_Jay]

One other model I have seen at socials (not necessarily studio parties) is the use of dance hosts. Basically these are social dancers who take on an official role of going around and asking a variety of people to dance, particularly any singles or others who are not dancing much. (I don't think they are usually paid, though they might get free admission to the party? Not sure on that.)

This how I behave any time I attend a dance without my LW, but there's nothing official about it. I just consider it my role as a considerate leader to dance with as many followers as possible over the course of the evening, to reduce the number of followers who are sitting when they'd rather be dancing.

I think I wrote in a moldy post somewhere here on the forums that my usual MO is to visit the water fountain after a song. When most (if not all) of the leaders have chosen their partners for the next dance, I choose one of the reaming followers, preferably one with whom I have not yet danced that evening. Of course, that means that I might never dance with a few of the most popular followers, but that's OK. And I'm fortunate that some of them will usually seek me out at some point.

Never knew there was any chance I could get in free just for doing what I'm going to do anyway!

 

[DanceMentor]

I guess we're not a big enough market to have independent instructors who rent floor space in studios.

Do you find some of the more booked instructors don't do parties?
I think this is one reason you see a little more these days of very good dancers being hired to work at parties, whether that be by the studio or directly.

 

[Indiana_Jay]

Do you find some of the more booked instructors don't do parties?
I think this is one reason you see a little more these days of very good dancers being hired to work at parties, whether that be by the studio or directly.

Again, we're not a huge market. When we were AM customers, it was normal to see every instructor at every dance. But there were only three or four instructors in the entire studio, including the owner and his wife.

At the independent studio that I've been to more recently, I it's still not unusual to see all the studio's instructors present at the party. Sometimes, though, the co-owners rotate weeks, so they are not both there every week. When an instructor is absent I wouldn't know why. It could be that person has already worked too many hours that week, or that he/she got the night off for some other reason. I never ask. But I haven't seen a pattern to it that would indicate that "the most booked instructors don't do parties."

 

[chomsky]

This how I behave any time I attend a dance without my LW, but there's nothing official about it. I just consider it my role as a considerate leader to dance with as many followers as possible over the course of the evening, to reduce the number of followers who are sitting when they'd rather be dancing.

I think I wrote in a moldy post somewhere here on the forums that my usual MO is to visit the water fountain after a song. When most (if not all) of the leaders have chosen their partners for the next dance, I choose one of the reaming followers, preferably one with whom I have not yet danced that evening. Of course, that means that I might never dance with a few of the most popular followers, but that's OK. And I'm fortunate that some of them will usually seek me out at some point.

Never knew there was any chance I could get in free just for doing what I'm going to do anyway!

kudos to you. And I do the same thing as a follower that turns into leader when there are no leaders, which is more often than not...and I even sometimes end up not to dance as a follower by the two pros on the floor because I am dancing with another follower. But still dancing is dancing, and the pleasure you get by dancing instead of sitting out on a dance is what keeps you going!