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How to choose the right Dance Studio

Choosing The Right Dance Studio For Learning Salsa

This article outlines questions to ask oneself when selecting a dance studio to learn Salsa Dancing brought to you by DanceSalsaInToronto.com

When choosing a particular dance studio for Salsa or a dance studio in general one should evaluate the following questions below. The way you answer the questions below will determine the type of dance studio for you to enroll in to your Salsa Classes.

What is your purpose in seeking a dance studio offering Salsa Classes?

This question is the most important one when choosing a Salsa Dance studio. If your answer is to learn how to Salsa dance for fun than want to ensure that the dance studio and the staff create that environment. There are dance studios out there that are ran more like a boot camp format and also some dance studios that go at a very relax pace for those who enroll as a casual hobby.

If you want to learn proper leading and following techniques in your Salsa dance studio than you should interview your instructors a little more pertaining to their experience in Salsa dancing and Salsa dancing instructions in the dance studio. Don’t hesitate to ask your Salsa dance instructors it the dance studio about his or her thoughts on these topics. Ask your instructors at the dance studio about their thoughts on Salsa dancing styles, leading, following, and their definitions of beginner, intermediate, and advance at the dance studio. You will find that every Salsa instructor and almost every dance studio has a different perspective on Salsa dancing.

If you are learning how to dance to compete than be sure to ask your Salsa instructor and the dance studio’s experience on preparing choreographies. Just because one is a good dancer does not mean that they can choreograph the same way.

If you want to learn how to dance with proper techniques ask your instructor on how they feel about dance techniques. If one wants to dance Salsa socially outside of the dance studio than there should be no movements taught in the Salsa class that involved having to memorizing turn patterns. Every move has to be lead and be followed without memorizing steps. Make sure that you pay attention to how the Salsa turn patterns are being taught at the dance studio.

Ensure that the instructor’s philosophies are congruent with yours at the dance studio.

Some dance studios will teach you the essence of dancing and some dance studios and instructors will teach one how to dance with precise and correct techniques. Once again explore the philosophies of the Salsa dance studio.

Is the environment of the Salsa dance studio suitable for you?

Ask yourself how you feel about the environment of the dance studio. Does it give a warm feeling; does it make you want to dance when you are at the dance studio? Are the students and staff welcoming when you arrived at the Salsa dance studio? Ensure that your Salsa instructor, staff and students at the dance studio make you feel welcomed consists. Ensure that the ambience suits you when selecting a dance studio. The environment at the studio should make you feel welcomed and want to instantly dance whenever you are there.

Also ask your instructor at the dance studio about the size of the Salsa classes. The size should be reason so that the instructor could pay attention to every student at the dance studio during classes. If you notice that classes are very large and there is no enough room to move than you should question if profit is the only factor behind the dance studio.

What is the proximity of the dance studio from you? If the dance studio is too far you may not feel motivated to attend your Salsa classes. Therefore make sure you choose a dance studio that is close enough for you to want to attend your Salsa classes.

What are the monthly fees and programs available at the dance studio?

Once should find out what the monthly budget would be to enroll oneself in a Salsa dance studio. Most Salsa dance studios offer packages that are tailored to individuals’ budgets. Do not hesitate to ask the dance studio regarding discounts if you enroll in more than one semester or program at the dance studio.

Find out the type of lessons that are offered in your Salsa Dance Studio. Different lesson types include group, semi, and private classes. Also find out about how often the instructor and dance studios go out to Salsa socials with their students.

Ensure that you are comfortable with the fees that you have paid for your Salsa programs at the dance studio. One should not feel pressured by the staff of the dance studio with up selling techniques.

Why do you want to learn how to dance?

Ensure that you understand how why you want to learn how to dance Salsa. This will be your main motivator to going to your Salsa classes at the dance studio. Some people enroll in Dance Classes at dance studios for fun, some to really learn how to dance professionally, and some enroll to compete.

There are also social benefits when enrolling in a Salsa dance studio. Being a student in a dance studio is similar to having a membership to a golf club. It will fulfill your physical as well as social needs. Being a member of a dance studio will quickly help you extend your social circle and make new friends. These friends from the dance studio will likely be whom you will be going to Salsa clubs and socials with.

All the points above should be evaluated when choosing a Salsa dance studio and a Salsa instructor. They may not be hard questions to answer, however only yourself would have answers to those questions. The answers and reasons will vary from person to person which is why so many dance studios exist.

In summary:

Your dance studio’s philosophies should match yours
Your dance studios’ instructors teaching methods must be suitable for you
Your dance studio should offer the experience in the object that you have for Salsa dancing
Your dance studio should teach how to properly lead and follow rather than memorizing turns
Your dance studio’s environment should make you feel comfortable
Your dance studio should be within reasonable proximity from you
Your dance studio staff and student should make you feel consistently welcomed
Your dance studio’s fees should fit in your budget
Your dance studio should offer classes that are suitable for you
Your dance studio should have class sizes that are reasonable

About the Author

William Lu (Program Coordinator, Assistant Instructor)

William’s background is in business management and IT. He is the co-founder of Call4PcHelp an IT consulting firm providing services to his GTA clientele. His interest in Salsa dancing spawned in 2006 where he was invited to a party with a theme of Salsa dancing. Not knowing how to even spell “Salsa”, he immediately subscribed for a Salsa crash course 2 weeks prior to the event. Through many days of intense training he was able to lead a few basic turn patterns. Due to his busy entrepreneurial work schedule he has departed from Salsa training until 2008. Being passionate in martial arts, he wanted to find other activities that will complement his progression and passion in his martial arts training. It is then he gave Salsa another try.

At that moment he met his current instructor Yared Rodriguez. His interest for Salsa spiked again after seeing how his teacher danced. He was amazed at how Yared could make the simplest turn pattern looked really advanced. He thought that the style of his teacher was spectacular as to how he can fuse various different styles of Salsa without being restricted by their “styles” using Cuban Salsa as the foundation. Every turn pattern and body movement performed was in sync with the music that is being played. It was at the moment where William’s Salsa goals were established.

William is still training with Yared Rodriguez to date to continue to enhance his techniques in Salsa dancing.

Justice – DANCE

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