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ballroom instruction
how much money does a ballroom dance instructor make?

i pay 50 dollars for private lessons, so does some of that money go to the person how owns the studio? i was sitting on the fence on whether or not to be a dance instructor. i do enjoy dancing, but it would be nice to know if i paid further for more instructions could it pay bills?

Hi Free Falling,

A lot depends on your instructor;s arrangement with the studio within which he/she teaches. If the instructor is a direct employee of the studio and the studio provides him/her with their students then the instructor may be making as little as $15 per hour (perhaps less in some places) and the rest goes to the studio owner(s).

If on the other hand the instructor has no relationship to the studio other than renting floor space the instructor keeps everything you give him minus the floor fee. Floor fees typically run between $10-$17 per hour (regardless whether your lesson is 45 minutes or an hr). So in this case if the instructor is independent of the studio and the studio charged $17 per hour then the instructor is getting $33.

In general the floor fees for an amateur and a professional are the same. So if your studio charges you for practice time per hour then you pretty much know what the instructor (if they’re indpendent) is paying for their floor fee. There are some exceptions where amateurs may be paying a smaller fee than a pro. This however, is rare.

Some studios have a mix of employees some of whom are directly paid by the studio as well as having independents who just pay a floor fee. For a competitive coach it would be pretty rare for them to be paid directly by the studio. They come in, charge the student for their lesson and then pay the studio at the end of the day for their floor fees. For instance, at one time I paid $80 per coaching and $15 of that 80 went to the studio.

If you are independent and you can build your own client base then you can make double or even triple what you would make as an employee of the studio. However, without being an established coach/instructor it is difficult to build your own client base. Almost impossible in competitive circles unless you have a competitive result.

Sometimes instructors just starting out take a job in a studio as an employee and begin teaching while at the same time they are taking their own lessons from a higher level coach.This method will increase your dance skills but kill your personal cash flow. A lot depends on your goals. A good knowledge of who is good and who is not is imperative for selecting a coach.

If you wish to compete then it is the case that not just any coach will do.

Coaching that is offered free to ’student teachers’ is rarely of a caliber that will get you a competitive result.

–Addendum 4:05pm July 1 after readying Melena Bronson’s reply.

Melena makes some good additional points. She is not exaggerating when she talks of $4,000 ball gowns. They’re out there, and decent competitors may be buying 3-4 a year (I say decent competitors because top competitors are usually sponsored by dressmakers like Chrisanne Couture and get their dresses for free). Beginning pro competitors can get by with 1 or 2 ballgowns a year and buy them 2nd hand from various consignment people and cut their ballgown cost to say $2000 dollars for a decent dress. Nonetheless, her point is well made regarding being aware of the costs associated with competing. If you’re an active competitor you can also assume you’ll be going through several pairs of shoes per year at apprx $120-$140 a pair, plus hotel costs when traveling to compete, plus costs of travel…plus a number of other things I’m not covering here given how much I’ve written already!

All that being said though – its probably going to be awhile before you are ready to compete in pro and you can defer some of these costs until you are ready to step on the comp floor.

Do you want to learn how to dance but have doubts about starting too late? Latin and Ballroom dancing lessons are one of the best dance lesson styles to pick up for people who are in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and even 80s (And beyond!). Yes I said 80s! I know an 82 year old woman who takes 3 lessons a week and loves it…

Many of the other dance styles (Like ballet, jazz, modern, etc..) will often demand an unnatural turn out in the feet, leg splits every which way and a back that bends to reach a decent dancing level. On the other hand, the social Latin and Ballroom style concentrates mainly on step patterns, lead and follow, styling, timing and having fun! Surely there is a lot of technique involved, but you can still reach a high level of dancing without having the most flexible body or the youngest of age.

Additionally, the benefits from Ballroom dancing will continue to serve you as you get older. Aside from all the common physical benefits (exercise, balance, etc), your brain memory will also improve. Numerous studies have proven that the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease (a disease many elderly people contract, characterized by a loss of memory) diminishes greatly for people who dance consistently. This is due to the fact that dancers have to continuously use their analytical side of the brain in order to memorize steps, remember technique elements and distinguish the right way of doing something from the incorrect way. All this usage of the brain translates into a healthier and longer life. So what are you waiting for? Start dancing Today!

If you are not sure where to begin, search for Ballroom dancing lessons, “your city” on Google. You will be directed to the dance avenues closest to you. Call a few of these places and set up an introductory dance lesson – Most times they are offered free of charge or at a minimal cost!

About the Author:

By: Leon Turetsky, Professional Dance Instructor

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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Social Ballroom Dancing Lessons Are Never Too Late to Start – And They Are Healthy For You!

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