Benefits of Private Lessons in Ballroom Dancing

If you ask experienced ballroom dancers for their opinion of private lessons, most will agree that private lessons are the best possible way to learn how to properly.

Yes, they’re usually more expensive than group classes, but they provide you with an education you will never get in a group, no matter how many classes you take, making private lessons well worth the extra money.

Who Are Private Lessons For?

A diverse group of people take private lessons for a variety of reasons. Yours may or may not be among them, and that’s okay. Sometimes people take private lessons just because they want to. Other reasons can include:

• The shy beginner, who doesn’t feel comfortable enough to jump into a group class. The shy person will want to take a few private lessons, just so they won’t feel awkward or embarrassed in the group class.
• The advanced dancer, preparing for an upcoming competition or a showcase. Most special dance events involve learning a routine, and it’s through private lessons the routine is choreographed, taught and practiced.
• The social dancer who wants to learn at a faster pace than what’s usually taught in group classes. Or perhaps they want to improve on their form and technique or learn how to actually perform the dance, rather than just moving through the patterns. This dancer will often take private lessons in addition to group classes, and the instructor can help reinforce what was learned in class.

There are no doubt many other reasons people choose to take private lessons and each one is as valid as the next. Private lessons are really just an investment in your dancing skills, much like going to a personal trainer is an investment in your fitness levels.

Benefits of Private Lessons

The benefits of private lessons is a lengthy list and would likely be somewhat different for each individual. But some of the benefits are universal, and anyone taking private lessons will experience them. Listed below are some of the top benefits private lessons can offer every student.

Personalized and customized for your unique needs
During your private lesson, you have the undivided attention of the instructor. You can ask questions, talk about your dance goals and together the two of you (or the three of you, if you’re taking private lessons with a dance partner) can develop a plan to meet those goals.

Your lessons can adapt and flow as your goals change. You may start out wanting to improve your social dancing skills, but later decide to participate in a showcase or spotlight routine. Your instructor will change your lessons to match whatever goal you’re currently working to achieve.

Accelerated Progress in Your Dance Skills
Private lessons allow your instructor to focus solely on you, and quickly identify any problem areas you may be having. The instructor can then create lessons consisting of specific techniques and instructions to improve those weak areas.

Your entire lesson can be spent correcting a specific turn or perfecting a particular pattern.Every movement can be broken down and analyzed. You’re able to focus on each position of your foot, the hip action, arm placement and so much more. This allows you to move forward and progress much more quickly than you could ever do in a group class.

Convenience and Flexibility
Group classes typically follow a set schedule, most often meeting in the evenings, with different dances taught on different nights at different times. If you want to learn a particular style of dance, but it’s only taught on Wednesday evenings and you work late every Wednesday, you’d never get to take that class.

With private lessons, you can schedule them according to your schedule and your instructor’s availability, which usually includes daytime hours and in some cases, weekend hours as well. Not only can you schedule the time that’s convenient for you, you can also choose which dance you’d like to work on.

You can work on Rumba for a while, change it up and work on Tango for a couple of lessons, and go back to Rumba if you so choose. You have lots of flexibility with private lessons that group classes just can’t give you.

Sometimes, especially for beginners, group classes can be a bit overwhelming. You may feel like you get a lot of information given to you quickly, in a relatively short period of time. It can be very helpful to supplement your group classes with private lessons.

During a private lesson, your instructor can slow down the explanation and literally walk you through each step of any given pattern, then allow you to dance through it until you’re more comfortable and familiar with it. You’ll feel much more prepared for your next group class

You Don’t Need a Partner, But It’s Okay If You Have One
To be fair, you don’t need a partner for group classes either, but if two of you attend a group class, in most cases you’re required to pay for both to attend. In a private lesson, which typically lasts the same length of time as a group class, usually 45-50 minutes, the fee is the same, even if you want to include a partner.

If you’re ready to step up your dancing progress, or just want to give private lessons a try, contact Dance Tonight and we’ll be happy to match you up with the instructor best suited to help you achieve your ballroom dance goals.