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We've heard from parents about what they want out of an ideal dance studio - and most of their concerns seem to revolve around the way a studio is run. This time I wanted to hear from the dancers - and most of what was said in regards to the way dancers are taught and treated.
The most common acknowledgment among dancers was that a studio support them both in and outside of the studio. Dancers felt that if they have worked so hard on learning the art of dance and want to pursue it in a career, that the studio should help them find opportunities to pursue, and support them while they work on those paths.
Another theme that was very important to dancers was that the studio have a positive environment to learn in. Dancers want to feel like part of a family, and part of a team. They also want qualified teachers who know and understand theory and technique; and those teachers need to be engaging when teaching said theory and technique. Dancers want to feel like everyone is equal, and there is no favoritism among teachers. They want problems and questions to be handled directly and without complaint. Most important in this respect, dancers want teachers who can enhance their passion for dancing - making them love it more than they already do.
Lastly, dancers want to learn in a clean, open space. They want the facility to be friendly and set up in a way that is best laid out for dancing. They would like areas that are conducive for use as lobbies and lounges for student use.
In short, parents seem to worry most about the politics of a studio, whereas students are concerned with the way teachers interact with them: two opposite ends of the spectrum. So what does that teach us? That if the communication between parents and students is clear and open, the two can work together to find the best fit for both of them. So SPEAK UP!
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