In the 3 benefits of taking private lessons article I discussed why private instruction is useful. In today’s article I’d like to present 3 benefits for taking group Ballroom dance classes.
1. Very Inexpensive
Most people start out taking group dance classes because of how affordable they are. The price ranges between $10-$18 per class depending on the region you live in. For most middle-class families this is very doable. In most places you can do a drop-in class for that price but some studios run group classes as “courses” that require you to sign up for an entire series of classes (like 4-week series). Still those course are super cheap compared to private dance lessons. For example an 8-week course can run you $96 USD. In many places you can also get a discount per class if you buy a 10-class card in advance. So price is definitely not a barrier to starting Ballroom and Latin dance classes.
2. Great for review and practice
Group classes are also great for practicing steps and reviewing steps you may have already done. Typically classes start with reviewing the moves from the previous week before moving on to new ones. Usually the teacher will review the steps for men and for women and then explain how to lead and follow them. This is really good because most people forget steps very quickly and need to review them at least a few times. Also, after the teaching portion of the class, there is always time for “just dancing” and practicing the material. You will be able to practice slowly first and then speed it up with music.
3. Very Social
Group classes are very social in nature because you are sharing the classes with other people. There could be anywhere between 7 to 40 students in one class. It is very normal for students to make friends at their dance classes because they see them every week! The social atmosphere makes learning how to Ballroom dance fun and interactive. In my own dance classes (in Boston MA) I have a “switching partners” system where when I say “switch” the couples must rotate partners. This is great because it allows people to get to know one another and it also makes them learn from each other. All in all group classes are a great way to become more social and learn something at the same time.
There are many other great reasons to do group classes and I always recommend for people to learn dancing with multiple methods including private, group, online lessons, dvds and anything else you can think of.
Related Articles:
3 Benefits of taking private lessons
Improve your confidence on the floor
More dance articles
Written by Leon Turetsky
You are right on all the points given. In the group classes I participate in they are very affordable, and allows me get to know my fellow dancers.
I do agree with all the points above, and also experience some couples that do not like rotating, they want to dance with thir own partner.
How do you get that mindset changed.
The group is only app. 20 people of all ages here in the South West
Regards
Ingrid
Thanks for pointing out how ballroom dancing can help you make friends. My parents have started to become hermits ever since all their kids moved out, so this will probably help them get out. This will also get them moving a little more, and that will be food for their health. I’ll have to see if there are classes available in the area.
I like your third point about dance classes being social. When I was a kid, I made most of my friends from dance class. I would love my kid to get into a class. I wouldn’t mind taking one either.
I actually had no idea that ballroom dance classes are so cheap! If that’s the case, then I definitely want to look into it for my kids. They love to dance, and I think it would be fun if they learned some formal styles, like ballroom or ballet. In fact, I think I’ll ask them about ballroom dance classes tonight when I see them. I definitely wouldn’t mind paying $96 for each kid!
I learned a lot about the benefits of ballroom dance classes by reading this article. It was cool to learn that these classes can help you to become more social and make new friends. I hope that this article can help me in the future when I have kids to help them to have social skills.
In your article, you stated that group classes are very social in nature because you are sharing the classes with other people and there could be anywhere between 7 to 40 students in one class. My wife and I have been looking for something that we could do together and a friend suggested taking a dance class. I wonder what types of dances are involved in ballroom dance.
I like that you point out that dancing helps you be more social. My brother is always going to dances around the city every weekend. He sometimes invites me to go, but I have always told him no. I’ll have to ask him how many friends he has made while dancing. Perhaps it would be good for me to meet more people.
My husband and I are wanting to try and do something that will help our relationship grow. We have been struggling for the past two months with everything. I had no clue that there could be anywhere between 7 to 40 students in one class. We will be sure to keep that in mind when we decide how big of a group we want to enter into!
Hi Jenna,
Most group classes tend to be between 10-20 students. It’s only the really big classes in major town center that go up to 40 I imagine.
I completely agree with the point that students really enjoy the social aspect of dance classes.
At our dance studio, we’ve taken it further and made social gatherings into more structured regular events and so far it’s been a big hit with out students!
My husband and I have been thinking about taking dance lessons so we can dance better than we did for our wedding on our fifth anniversary. So thanks for letting us know that there could be up to 40 people in our classes that we can become friends with. Since we have also been trying to find some great couple friends. We’ll be sure to look into local dance lessons that we can start soon.
I love how you said that a swing dance club or a group dance class would be a great way to get to know others. Whether you go on your own, with a date, or your spouse you could have lots of opportunities to get to know others while you dance beside them or are learning a new step. It’s always good to get outside of yourself and make friends and you never know what good could come from getting to know someone!
One of my friends is getting married, but she has no idea how to dance. It was helpful when you mentioned that learning how to dance can be a social environment, which makes it more fun and enjoyable. I’ll share this article with my friend, so she can consider the benefits of learning to dance for her wedding.