Having spent approximately eight years at a chain ballroom studio, it has been enlightening to move to a private instructor.

While we enjoyed going to the chain studio (at least for the first few years) and making friends, we knew we were  not getting our money’s worth from the lessons. How could we? The instructors at this particular studio do not seek additional training. They receive coachings only through their students’ coachings. By attending the coachings with their students they gleaned information. The most recent instructors hired at this studio included a cashier at Walgreen’s with no dance experience, the girlfriend of the Walgreen’s cashier, and a troubled teenager that at one point in time attended a performing arts school. Unfortunately, the quality of instruction and practice party dances really suffered.

With our current coach we receive a FULL hour of instruction at each lesson. It is amazing how much we have learned, and, in some ways, relearned. Our coach expects us to dance as if we are preparing for a competition at all times. She has helped us eliminate bad habits. Many of these habits were never mentioned or pointed out at our old studio.

My husband never planned to compete again. In the time since we left the chain, we have competed twice!