Whether or not you are aware that in the contract thar you sign you are given the option of exiting any program that you are on. Period. AM makes sure of that, now if you feel pressured in any sort of way I'm sure that it is a franchise problem and in no reflects AM international as a whole. AM strives to keep those "bad elements" people away from the bussines, I've seen lists and lists of names black balled from employment. Collectively go with your gut instinct. Yes there are problems with franchises but least we not forget the problems with independents as well. Anybody out there can rack up a sign call themselves "professionals" and swindle away some poor aged ladys pension. Someone posted earlier that AM was seen as a joke in the industry. This is just not true. If it weren't for AM the industry would be in a truely sorry state today. He made it possible for dance schools to exist in places other than NY and LA. The cut outs of feet was just a genius idea. Also the bussiness is not suppossed to competition only dancing. It's a social dance program designed to make people feel comfortable to go out in public and feel good about themselves I'm constantly surprised by the ignorance of young dancers who go out dancing socially who have wonderful lines but absolutely no floor craft. How many times have you been almost or literally whacked in the head with somebodys New Yorker or Crossover break? Anyway...do what feels right. Don't be disrespectfull, or disrespected.

"Basic foundation'? Ha ha ha ha.

The shuffling, step filled zero technique version of 'dance' can be learned at the local community college, taught by virtually anyone, at a fraction of the cost of the Murray/Fred scamstudios. But really, is THAT what someone really wants out of dancing? For $6000 (or whatever they want to charge you) you could take group 'social' lessons five times a day for a few months and (unfortunately) look like a chain studio graduate. The socials are full of them.

And, fliccolo, do you really think thousands of dollars worth of beginner bronze lessons are needed to tell someone not to hit someone on the head with their New Yorker? A simply 'watch out for others' is usually sufficient.

Remember, the worse dancer always has the most fun - so the ONLY reason to get poor instruction is to maintain your place in the 'fun' area that beginners have, when they have a room full of more 'advanced' dancers to dance with. In that way, Fred and Murray WILL succeed in making your time at the old man social a happy success....

Dear ann,
If you would like to see how we REALLY teach (by the way, out basic foundation is NO WHERE NEAR $6000) please feel free to contact me so that you can spend a night observing in our AM studio and make better informed comments, I promise you that we do not teach "zero technique" as you call it, but we also dont turn people away or kick them out for being a slow learner either.

Thats to much! The B. S. factor is in play. Finish Bronze 1 and move to another Studiio. AM tries to maxamize the emotional attachment and excitment to dance with profits. Other studios are not the same and can be more demanding but then one learns to dance with the challange. Visit other studios and make no bones about it. Read the contract carefully and there is probably the ability to cancel without penalty.

I dance at a Fred Astaire studio, which is one of the other chains mentioned in this posting. I've only been dancing since May........so I am inexperienced, but I would just like to point out that some well known and popular dancers (that have appeared on DWTS and helped to bring new attention and interest to ballroom dancing)are Fred Astaire dancers/ studio owners.......What about Tony Dovolani? Jesse De Soto? Are they performing shuffling steps? Perhaps they had other training before affiliating with the chain, but would dancers of that caliber really affiliate with a studio that that is as awful as stated in some of the postings? I am having the best time....so I hope that doesn't mean that I'm one of the worst dancers.

Am not posting to defend ALL of the schools in the franchises.

Yes, there are some that are not up to standard .
But I wonder how many are aware of the top flite Prof,s they have produced over the yrs ?

I, personally started the training of 2 from Freds, who went on to become US.champs=== one in Latin and the other in Standard ( he went on to become 3rd in the world ) there are numerous others .

I started dancing at Arthur Murray; went independent, had my own dance studio in Dallas TX foralmost 5 years, competed Pro-Am for at least 11 years with the same teacher. There are wonderful people all over the dance world. Shop around and you will be able to dance longer. Watch the alcohol they serve, that is also a sales gimic.

Happy Dancing!
Dottie

As an instructor for AM, I would reccomend that you speak with your instructor and explain your frustrations. He or she may have a valid reason why they will not let you learn bz 2 steps yet - one of them being that they may not feel you are ready for the difference in technique that is taught in bz 2. In the school I teach at, if you are in a bz 1 program with lessons left, but you are ready for bz 2, you are checked out of bz 1 by the supervisor and then can start learning bz 2. We do not hold any of our students back. Our programs are planned as a guidline and estimation of how long we think it will take you to get through a certain amount of material. Sometimes students get through more quickly than we thought, and sometimes it takes longer than the original program planned. Our job is to make sure you are learning the correct foundation of dancing so that there are no gaps in your dancing. If you do not feel that your instructor is able to explain their reasoning to you, request a meeting with the supervisor or owner. They should be able to hear your concerns, and I'm sure they would be upset to know that you think group classes are a waste of time, and would take steps to make sure you are happier. I do agree with another message posted though - no matter what level, you can always learn something from a group class. Just having the practice is good, and you can work on basic foot technique better when you are already comfortable with the steps. Anyone can show you a silver step, but if you don't have the technique, it will not look like a silver step. If you do not feel that they have heard your concerns or explained their reasoning in a way that is comfortable to you, I would reccomend that you search for a different studio. Although I believe in the AM process and the value of our teaching, it does not work for everyone. I hope no matter what you decide to do, keep dancing!!! Don't let these issues stop you from enjoying the joy it has brought to your life, and don't let the issues taint your view on dance studios. Good luck!

I have asked my instructor at AM if I could take the bronze 2/3 group class when I was with 6 lessons left in bronze one. She was honest with me saying that I am able to handle those class (which I picked up faster than the students in bronze 3) but she continued to say that she cannot work with me on the materials taught in the higher level classes because I haven't paid for those programs. What do you make of that? She's honest, but they are a bunch of leeches. AM are the worst studios you can go to.

One other thing I would like to point out after reading all the other posts on this topic - they should not require you to pay the total program fee up front. In our AM school, most of our students pay as they go, and if at any time they would like to cancel their program, they can do so without penalty. Any tuition that they have paid for in advance is refunded to them if they have not taken those lessons. Also, if you divide 35 group classes and 35 private lessons into $6000, you are paying $85 a lesson. This is not much more expensive than other studios with certified teachers. Most studios charge between $50-$100 for classes, and at the end of the day if you feel you're getting the value for what you pay for, then that's all that matters. Are you learning how to dance? I'm sorry that you are unhappy with things at your school, but not every AM is sales driven. That is a reflection upon the franchisee.