Young People at the Dance Studio

[DanceMentor]

I just finished teaching the Summer semester at GA Tech, and I invited all of my students to come out to the dance studio to practice what they learned. For this class, the dances were Waltz, Foxtrot and Tango, so naturally I thought the dance studio was the best place for them to have an outing. They went on Friday.

Today in class, I ask them what they thought about dancing at a studio. They said they had a good time, but they thought the age bracket was a little on the old side. I would say the average age at our school is about 40, which I consider about average. We have some young people too, but not too many, probably because private lessons are a little harder for young people to afford, although we have many more young people in out group classes.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I was a little frustrated that they were uncomfortable because they were a little younger than average. What do you say to that?

 

[Sagitta]

Nothing unusual. Now this doesn't happen so much in salsa in my area - with kids feeling uncomfortable because of an older crowd. And we have quite a few people in their 30s, 40s and older. Ballroom has created this problem by being so stratified and prohibitively expensive that these divisions are bound to occur and result in what you experienced. You harvest what you sow.

 

[DanceMentor]

Yes, it is the same with Salsa in my area too (and also swing). At the same time, I would love to find a way to get more twenty-somethings into ballroom.

 

[Sagitta]

My rueda group offers an opportunity for beginners to learn rueda at 5 dollars a class, and then practice for intermediate dancers with only 2 dollars to be paid at each session for renting the dance space. During the intermediate practices we also teach new moves. Offering a cheaper alternative for ballroom would help...

Now this is oustide the college environment, too, FYI.

 

[DanceMentor]

Yes, at Georgia Tech the classes are around $5 for the group. I just think that if enough young people could band together and share the cost of the group lessons, we could have more competitive dancing classes for them.

 

[ACtenDance]

Hi DanceMentor,

You should try to get a bunch of them to compete at, or at least spectate, the USA Dance Southeastern Regionals in Atlanta. There will be a large group of college students coming from my area. It would be good for them to see dancers their age on the dance floor. You also might want to contact the Region VI DanceSport delegate to see if he can help you out at all. Way back when there was talk about startup money for new clubs, but I dont know if that was actually ever done.

 

[DanceMentor]

That's a good idea. I believe it is somewhere close to the same time as Hotlanta?

 

[Purr]

Today in class, I ask them what they thought about dancing at a studio. They said they had a good time, but they thought the age bracket was a little on the old side. I would say the average age at our school is about 40, which I consider about average.

That's just depressing, that they think the age bracket is a little old.

(Someone, who shall remain nameless, has a 40th birthday in a couple of months, and is feeling a little age sensitive.)

 

[Laura]

Well, when you're 20, someone who is 40 is twice your age, and that seems like being ancient. I turned 40 in February, so I'm right with you....

 

[LennJS]

I noticed very few younger adults too back when I took a group class or two. The pricing I guess would be a reason. Still groups lessons (roughly $40-$45 a month over here) is not that much. Fortunately, a show like dancing with the stars is promoting ballroom for everyone, so maybe we'll see things change.

 

[LennJS]

Fortunately, a show like dancing with the stars is promoting ballroom for everyone, so maybe we'll see things change.

Oh there's actually a current thread running about this!

 

[ACtenDance]

That's a good idea. I believe it is somewhere close to the same time as Hotlanta?

Yup, sometimes even the same weekend actually, but I don't think they're the same weekend this year.

 

[sanityhaven]

Would it be possible to set up some sort of college night? Maybe one saturday night a month invite all the local college clubs and let students in cheap. Maybe $2.

*shrugs* just an idea.

 

[tacad]

Tough sell. With salsa out there and a club environment if someone is considering dancing they're more likely to go to salsa. (Totally not dissing salsa by the way.)

Ok. The Arthur Murray in Pasadena, CA has a large number of twenty-somethings as did the Arthur Murray in Beverly Hills about 10 years ago (I was 29 then. Shall we start a club? :lol: Hang tough!) They have an odd sort of hip flavor to them. Guys have spiked and dishevled hair. Girls dress on the sexy, hip side. For my first lesson I was taught to walk holding onto my sexy female instructor's bare shoulders. For stability I'm sure! Their dance party had the instructors running around all excited and hip as though they were the center of all that is cool. The music was more modern. And foxtrot? Their version was called night club fox or something like it.

So I'm back to the way ballroom is taught. I looked in on a street salsa class. He had the girls stroking their hair, guys had cool arm positions, and I heard from a trusted source (I didn't stay long) that his beginner/intermediate class got fairly advanced. Not to mention the women with low cut jeans, bare midriffs. Both this and the Arthur Murray have a different atmosphere than any ballroom class I've seen.

So DM, your challenge is to be hip, with spiked hair, employ an assistant with bare shoulders, have exciting styling from the first day, and teach both social dancers and competitive dancers in that gray area from the other thread!

Maybe there's a way to edge the atmosphere toward this somehow. the more discouraging story is that about 10 years ago in LA a number of youger people joined ballroom dancing (no statistics, just my own observations). And they didn't stay. At least I came back.

 

[GalacticDancer44M]

Well, when you're 20, someone who is 40 is twice your age, and that seems like being ancient. I turned 40 in February, so I'm right with you....

Everything is relative. Laura, you're still young. Heck I'm 10% older than you! :lol: