Yeah - My daughter started taking lessons!

[Gumby]

My daughter has had her first two dance lessons -latin but hey no ones perfect.

After her second private lesson she sighed "I wish I had more money for lessons." (She's only taking two a month right now) She couldn't understand why everyone in hearing distance started laughing. I told her. "You've been assimilated. There is never enough money for lessons"

I'm really tempted to offer to pay for a couple of lessons a month but I am resisting at the moment. I think it will mean more to her in the long run if she struggles a bit a first.

 

[SDsalsaguy]

Probably true and a wise choice I'd say Gumby.

You can always pitch in later if it seems to make sense down the line after all.

 

[Chris Stratton]

Much as it's tempting (and often appropriate) to define progress in dancing in terms of opportunity to take lessons, I think there are a lot of other areas in which a dancing parent could alternatively be supportive. Setting up opportunities to gain experience outside of lessons would be a big help. Does the combination of your location and your daughter's age suggest the possibility of any organized youth or student dance classes opportunities?

 

[sunderi]

I'm really tempted to offer to pay for a couple of lessons a month but I am resisting at the moment. I think it will mean more to her in the long run if she struggles a bit a first.

I don't know -- I've helped my mom pay for the past year or so of her dancing. She ran into some financial trouble and had decided to "take a break" from dancing -- for the better part of a year! I know how much she loved it, so I've helped her out for the past little while. (Ouch -- dance lessons for me & her, plus comps . . . my poor bank account!) I'm glad I've done it, though -- she loves it so much. Besides, I got her into this in the first place.

 

[dTas]

i pay for both my sons to take dance lessons. the younger one is only interested in latin the older does everying he can get into. both are only taking group classes at the moment but i'm hoping my older son partners up soon and will begin competing. they're 13 and 16.

*proud father!*

 

[SDsalsaguy]

How about getting her a gift certificate for this holiday. That way she can get her lessons, you can get them for her, but she doesn't come to expect it as a given that "Mom will pay", because it may not happen again for a year...

That's a really great suggestion Larinda... helps out without institutionalizing the help (or at least the expectation of it).

 

[tanzsegler]

Private lessons are great. Larinda had a good suggestion.

You could also support her by paying for a weekly dance so that she can practice what she is learning from her teachers on the social floor.

-alex

 

[Gumby]

Hey everyone!

I should probably have said my daughter is 20 works full time at a good job and has been out on her own for while now. I'm trying to convince her to finish up her college - so I'm more likely to pay for that at the moment than dancing. And yes Chris I did suggest she take some ballroom at the college : - unfortunately the pro she started with is one of the top dancers in the area so she's kind of spoiled- and not quite mature enough to realize that there are a lot of good teachers out there.

Thanks for all the good ideas. I hope you all had a good holiday.

 

[Chris Stratton]

And yes Chris I did suggest she take some ballroom at the college : - unfortunately the pro she started with is one of the top dancers in the area so she's kind of spoiled- and not quite mature enough to realize that there are a lot of good teachers out there.

I can understand the reluctance to change teachers - the differences can often be huge. On the other hand, she could realize substantial cost savings by sticking with that teacher, but picking up a partner from the college and using lesson time to train the partnership, which could then practice on its own. Probably would also be able to split the cost of lessons with the partner.