I looked at your website.........it is very nicely done. I'm sure you have a great studio and teachers.......only one thing bothers me.......I believe that any individual in a high profile position, as a representative of his business (in any given profession) needs to use discretion when passing judgement or criticizing another party in a public forum. It just doesn't seem professional and detracts from the credibility of whole profession. I am a Fred Astaire student......not Aurthur Murray......either way.....this ugly bashing leaves a bad feeling with me.

My last posting on this subject was a response to a posting by connerballroomdance

Hi,

Like you, I took my Newcomers lesson at Arthur Murray and after I finished my 6 private lessons at $745, they presented the Medalist program at $4600+ for 30 private lessons (with group lessons & practice session). Someone recommended to take your basic at AM as they have a nice basic foundation with individual style, character of each dance. But if you want to get more routine without paying that much money look for other dance studio.I am with a dance studio at Bronze II/III and I only paid $189 for 16 "group lessons",private is $73 for each PV, but the routines I learned from AM were also covered by the group lesson in this studio. Now I enjoy dancing without thinking of how much I am paying. But I am grateful for AM's style as I think I move better than other students who didn't have their foundation from AM. By the way the people who go in this studio are much younger and more guys. I always don't run out of partners. Good luck!

Well, I guess if you are a slow learner and have a lot of money to burn then stay with them. But I think the average doesn't need that much hand holding.

Find you a good independent teacher who is more concerned with your developement as a danceer than they are your pocket book.

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.