Although some students are looking for a new hobby or long-term activity, most people want to – or have to -- learn in a short time. Teaching you the fastest way possible starts on your first lesson before you even start dancing – simply by finding out where you are and building from there.
On your first visit to a studio you’ll typically be asked to fill out some type of new student questionnaire that lets the teacher know what your needs are. It’s important to give as much information as you can. They aren’t being nosy; they’re just trying to find out how they can help you. Be prepared to answer any of the following questions:
· what dances or styles of dance you’d like to learn,
· what kind of social events you are most likely to attend,
· what kind of music you listen to,
· which clubs you go to,
· what sports or hobbies you do,
· any injuries the teacher should be aware of,
· what kind of health benefits you’re looking for, and
· what dance experience you’ve had.
Next, you have a brief consultation with an instructor. She’ll go over your Interview Sheet with you, let you know what to expect on your lessons, and find out a little more about your dance goals and expectations. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the answers – while some people already have a dance or two in mind, others aren’t sure or want to try several before they decide. Don't be shy; let your teacher know, even if you’re undecided. That way, she can determine how she can best help you.
Before you try your first step, your teacher should know if you're an absolute beginner or a seasoned pro; if you’re just giving it a try for fun or if you have to be able to Waltz by Saturday. She'll be able to give you a lesson that fits your experience level, your comfort level, and your immediate goal. That way, she can start you off doing the things that will allow you to learn as fast as possible.
What If You Don’t Know What Dances You Want To Learn?
No sweat. Some people know exactly which dances they want or need to learn and we teach them those. Other people have no idea. They just know that they can’t dance a lick and don’t want to trample their wife’s feet anymore. If that’s the case, we’ll introduce you to a small variety of fun, useful dances – some fast and some slow – that will get you through most dance situations with most types of music. Depending on where you dance and what music you like, we’ll generally pick 3-5 of the most popular social dances (such as Foxtrot, Tango, Waltz, Rumba, Swing, Salsa, Merengue) to give you a little structure and get you started. After you’ve had a couple lessons, if you decide to stick with it, you’ll know enough about a handful of dances to start choosing which ones you want to continue learning.
If You’re A Beginner
When you actually start your first lesson, whether in a group class or in a private session, there is a specific system of teaching that takes over. If you’re a beginner, you start by learning the basics of partnership dancing, such as which foot to use and how to guide your partner. As you get familiar with these basics, you learn four to six basic movements, or building blocks, of social dancing. By learning what’s common to all dances, you can successfully learn one or a variety of social dances quickly and easily.
From there you try out the dances themselves. To make things easy, each step is broken down to its most basic form. Your teacher will patiently show you step-by-step what to do and how to do it, allowing you to learn at your own pace. You’ll get plenty of time to walk through it and understand what to do before you have to try it to music. And to prepare you for the social dance floor as soon as possible, you’ll also learn where each dance is used, what kind of music you would dance them to, and even what kind of partner to dance them with.
What If You’re Not A Beginner?
Even if you’ve danced before, your instructor will need to see where you are now compared to what you want to learn.
If you’ve danced other styles, like ballet or jazz, we’ll still need to go over some of the basics of Ballroom. If you’re catching on well, we can use your dance experience to move a little faster.
If you’re already a social dancer, we’ll start you with a warm-up dance so we can see how you move and what level you’re dancing at. Then we’ll have you show us what you already know in the dance(s) you asked for. That way, we’re all starting on the same page and we can get to what you want as quickly as possible.
How We Teach
You’ll probably want to feel like you’re making some headway on every lesson. There are several ways your teacher can make sure you do.
First off, they should give you structured lessons, with a definite plan each time you come in. No winging it. That plan may be written down or it may be in the teacher’s head, but they should let you know what it is. You may request changes to the lesson plan. That’s okay. The instructor should be organized enough to have a plan of what to teach you next but be flexible enough to accommodate your wishes.
Next, it’s important that there is good follow-up. Learning something one day but not doing it again for 3 lessons is unlikely to help you remember it. When you learn something new on one lesson, it should be reviewed and corrected as necessary on the next lesson.
At 'No Frills' we teach 50-minute lessons, and we have a formula for making them successful ones. This is how most lessons should go:
1. Warm-Up Dances, 5-10 minutes -- Just as you wouldn’t go from inactivity into a hard run without stretching first, you shouldn’t be pummeled with dance instruction until you’ve had an opportunity to dance.
2. Review Previous Lesson, 10-15 minutes – This is built-in follow-up time and a chance to polish material from the previous lesson. Consistency is important when you’re learning a new skill, and let’s face it, not everyone has a lot of free time. People who don’t have a lot of time to spend practicing shouldn’t feel that they can’t learn. Your teacher should review material covered on your previous lesson so you get a chance to make progress with it.
3. Practice A Dance, 3-5 minutes – This is a chance to try your review material to music, keep contact with a dance that’s not on the plan that day, or just segue into the next part of the lesson.
4. Introduce New Material, up to 25 minutes – This part of the lesson will introduce you to new things – new steps, lead and follow skills, timing and rhythm, arm styling -- whatever you need so that you’re dancing improves on each lesson.
5. Lesson Review and Wrap-Up, 5 minutes – A final review of the lesson, question and answer period, a chance to record your progress, and time to schedule your next visit.
6. Last Dances, 5 minutes – You’re here to dance, so the best way to end a dance lesson is by dancing!
7. Teacher Break, 5 minutes – Your teacher gets a short break to prepare for his next lesson -- but don’t worry, the 5 minutes right before your lesson got him prepared for you.
And finally, you’ll want to make sure that they teach you at a pace that’s good for you. This will be different for everybody, but as he gets to know you, your teacher should be able to tell what material is too slow for you, what’s right on target, and what’s too challenging.
Dancing the "No Frills" Way
What To Wear
Nothing fancy -- we're pretty casual.
Guys: Anything from jeans and a T-shirt to dress pants and a Polo.
Ladies: Pants, dresses, and skirts are all fine -- the number one priority is to feel comfortable and move easily!
Shoes: We don't recommend sneakers or other rubber-soled shoes;they create too much friction on the floor. You don't necessarily need to wear dress shoes, but something with a slick sole -- like leather -- works the best and avoids muscle/joint strain. Please no flip-flops or shoes that you can "walk out of."
Ladies, unless you're amazingly comfortable in stilettos, we recommend lower heels while you're new. You'll be doing a lot of the turns and spins in the dances, so 2" or 2.5" is plenty high enough, and please choose a supportive heel. Flats or low heels, if you're comfortable in them, are even better. As with the fellas, make sure the soles don't grip the floor!
Location
Inside Avondale Dance Directions, 1650-5 Hamilton Street, 32210, just north of Roosevelt Mall.
Times Available
Private lessons are available by appointment and are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Most times of morning, afternoon, & evening Monday-Thursday and until 3:00 p.m. on Fridays.
Lesson Charges
Private lessons are expensive (but worth it!), no matter how you slice it. Shop around. You'll probably find most studios charging somewhere between $75 and $125 per 45-50 minute lesson. Here at No Frills you start off with a 30-minute private lesson for FREE. After that, our rate is $75 per 50-minute lesson followed by a 5-minute review and wrap-up. (Please note, this price is available from the No Frills staff, not from the venue.)
Cancellation Policy
When you schedule a private lesson, we are holding that time slot specifically for you. It is unfair to us and our other clients to suffer repetitive last-minute cancellations. Although we are human in the face of emergencies, we do have the following regular cancellation policy: lessons cancelled with less than 24 hours notice are subject to a $25 cancellation fee. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
You are invited to observe a lesson with no obligation to enroll on anything. You can sit and watch how we do things or jump in and give it a try -- whatever you're comfortable with.
