Re: She's been taking lessons from a chain studio . . .

Mike Corbett wrote:
Icono Clast wrote:
I also suggested to her that chain studios' primary interest is in making money; their secondary interest is teaching students to
dance.

I further suggested that independent studios' primary interest is teaching students to dance with the hope that they can make a
living at it.

My very poorly worded 
. . . last statement would be true only of some independent studios
and often only some instructors at those studios.


We've all met people who just have to teach others to dance just as
there are many of us who would just die if we couldn't dance. Some of
those teachers have bigger hearts than heads but all of them, with
perhaps a few exceptions, have to make a living.

Studios make money in two primary ways, both of which boil down to
"selling dance lessons".  It is counterproductive to actually teach
the student to dance well, since they tend to stop buying lessons.


Is that not why we tend to speak ill of dance franchises and chains?

The (sometimes) exception is when the student can afford and be sold
on the idea of Pro-Am competition.  I say "sometimes" because often
even then, the student can only "appear" to dance well with their one
person.


Do we consider those Ams to be dancers? Many are, but there's the danger
that some of them will never be Social Dancers, i.e., they've learned
the partner, not the dancing.

I think it's best to refer such students, when interested, to specific
instructors, that are known to teach students to dance, in addition to
selling dance lessons.


I recommended two studios near her home where I know competent
instruction happens.


Peter D wrote:
"Icono Clast" wrote:
I further suggested that independent studios' primary interest is teaching students to dance with the hope that they can make a
living at it. 

That's a quite noble sentiment, but allow me to be cynical for a
moment...

Why would _anyone_ go to the expense of building a business based on
a _non-profit_ model?


No, no. I made no such suggestion. Obviously that would be foolish. (We
do have a non-profit place in Emeryville near the Eastern side of the
San Francisco Bay Bridge, but it's a coöp.)

Surely ALL sensible teachers and studios are in it for the money
(some more, some less, but surely most are intending to at least break even or make a buck over break-even). 

"More or less." Yes, of course they have to eat and depend upon the
students, and other patrons, t'do dat.

What I was failing in the attempt to say is that independent studios are
more likely to feel an obligation to teach their students the skills
they're being paid to impart.

Unless they are doing volunteer or charity work. In that case, more
power to them.


I've rarely tried to teach anyone anything about dancing and wouldn't
dream of accepting a cent for my efforts as they're probably not worth
the dust in the corner.

You seem to believe that the only good teachers are those who are unmotivated to make a living at their craft. 

Good dance teachers can be employed anywhere dancing is taught even if
they might also be hustlers and pimps for their employers, or the
employers themselves, gouging students for every possible cent. If they
love to dance, and know how to teach, they're likely to love to teach
their students to dance.

Who's going to feed their family? You? 

As their student and/or patron? Yes.

Although I rarely go, a local studio owner always thanks me for my
"support" when he sees me, usually at other venues. A participant in
this forum who promotes events makes it a point to thank every attendee
"for coming".
___________________________________________________________________
Un San Francisqueño quien nunca dice ¡No! a una invitación a bailar.
< http://geocities.com/dancefest/ >-< http://geocities.com/iconoc/ >
ICQ: < http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 > ---> IClast at SFbay Net
.

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