Last month my girlfriend and I were at a gaming and science fiction convention where we taught several beginner dance classes. The participants, mostly non-dancers, had a great time and afterwards we were deluged with people wanting to know where they could go for additional lessons. Given that most of them were not from my area, I could hardly recommend myself, and I must admit that I don’t have extensive knowledge of where to go for dance lessons in every town and city in the United States. I do, however, have extensive knowledge of how to find a teacher, having gone through the process several times.
Look Around
The first thing to do is search for studios. The easiest way is online; nearly every dance studio has a website. Simply Google “Ballroom dance [name of your town]” and you should get a number of replies. The Yellow Pages, both online and in book form, list dance studios as well. If there is a Craigslist site for your town or city, that can be a great place to find instructors on the cheap. Community colleges and recreation centers, such as the YMCA, often offer ballroom dance classes. Finally, universities that sport ballroom competition teams often offer classes open to the public.
With all these options for instruction, the difficulty becomes not finding a teacher but deciding which teacher to go with. Price is, of course, one method of deciding between teachers. Availability is another: does the studio offer classes at a time that works for you, and a location you can easily reach? Look at the instructor’s credentials; are the lessons taught by a certified or otherwise experienced teacher, or are has the teacher just taken a few classes on his or her own before opening shop? Is the space large enough? Is the studio compatabile with your goals; if you’re interested in competition, a community college course on social dancing probably won’t do much for you, and if you just want to survive a social dance, a $150/hr. competition coach is probably overkill.
One of the best things you can do is go dancing. Even if all your doing is watching, you can see which couples you like – whether that’s their technique, the amount of fun they seem to be having, or any other criteria – and ask where they take lessons. In fact, many social dances begin with a complimentary lesson, which can be a great way to audition teachers.
Once you’ve started your lessons, stick with them. Finish the series and (this is the critical part) continue with the next series. Dancing is a use-it-or-lose it skill, and if you don’t continue to develop it, you will have a hard time remembering what you learned. That said, don’t be afraid to experiment with different studios. Keep searching and you will find the place that’s right for you.
Tags: Lessons
