One of the things that I’ve found when talking to people who aren’t familiar with dance is that finding a studio is really difficult. It can be difficult enough when you know what to look for, but when you don’t, it’s a minefield. So how do you find a studio that will suit your needs?
First, as simple as it sounds, figure out what your needs are. Are you an adult, wanting to try dance for the first time? Are you a parent whose three-year-old child wants to take a tap class with their friend? Is your child a bit older and really into ballet? In short, do you see yourself on track A (child who’s really serious about dance), track B (child who wants a recreational activity), or track C (an adult)? It’s a rare studio that’s going to be equally as good in all tracks.
I’ll get into specifics for each track in future posts, but next, look for general things that key you in to whether a studio is a good place for your money and time, and more importantly, your safety. These criteria apply to all the tracks.
–What is the studio’s online presence like? Is their website reasonably updated, or does it look like it came out of the ’90s with documents titled “Studio Schedule ’12-’13”? Is it clearly laid out with teacher bios easily located? Is there a Facebook page or other social media, and are those pages active? Note that if the website/media isn’t flashy or perfectly updated, that isn’t necessarily a reason to discount it. A lot of smaller studios don’t have the time or budget for that kind of thing, but there should at least look like there’s been some effort made.
–Speaking of teacher bios, what do those teacher bios look like? If every single one runs to the same theme (grew up in X town, trained at same studio through high school, started teaching immediately), that’s really something to pause at. I’ll cover what to look for in a teacher more thoroughly in a future post, but ideally you want at least some (preferably most if not all) of the faculty to have either professional experience, formal education, or both.
–Where is the studio and what are the facilities like? Is it stuffed into a strip mall with one itty-bitty studio? How big are the studios, and is there some kind of way for parents to watch without distracting the students? This is often windows in the wall, but there are plenty of options. How well are non-studio spaces kept, as in, are the dressing rooms and bathrooms well-stocked? Are the pictures on the wall stock photos that have definitely been there for at least 30 years? What’s the temperature inside? Is it below 68 or very warm and humid, as in, is the temperature safe for dancing bodies?
–How long are the classes and how often does each one meet? This is another topic I’ll dive into more thoroughly in the next parts of the series, but a huge flag is if “advanced” ballet classes are 45-60 minutes, or most classes are combo classes, that sort of thing.
–How do staff and parents interact in the lobby? How do staff and students act inside and out of the classroom? Is there clear mutual respect? Are students dressed neatly? Do classes start and end reasonably on time? I don’t mean two or three minutes late, that’s very common as back-to-back classes push into each other or a combination goes too long, but ten or fifteen minutes late is something to watch for. In short, what is the general feel of the place?
–What do classes cost? Ideally this is something you’ll have done research on ahead of time, but if their prices are way below or way above general area prices, that’s something to watch for, especially way below. If they’re charging well below market rates, it probably means they’re cutting costs somewhere, such as facilities or teacher compensation. And since good teachers have options, they’re not likely going to choose to work somewhere for a fraction of what they could have elsewhere, and the teachers there may not be as experienced.
I want to stress that it’s really important to look at the overall picture here. I teach in a rural area, and none of the facilities I work in fit the traditional big, bright studios with lots of windows and beautiful lobbies mold, because there just isn’t the money for it. What you’re looking for isn’t the exact studio dimensions (although it does make a difference if they’re very small) or the perfect floor material or the best outfitted dressing rooms. What’s most important is the feel of the studio and staff who are putting for the effort to make things work well, even if it’s not the flashiest or best equipment.
The How-To Dancer 