FAQ: Should I Take Private Dance Lessons or Group Classes?
There are plenty of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) about dance lessons, and the private lesson or group class question is certainly one for the ages.
The Answer
If you were choosing strictly between private lessons or group classes, then private lessons will always create the most effective learning experience, and at a much faster rate. While private lessons in any activity, including ballroom dancing, will have a higher price tag than group classes, the pace and the quality make private lessons the recommended option.
Verdict: If choosing one, go with private lessons
The Ideal Solution: Don't Choose One
Ideally, utilizing private lessons and group classes gives the learning process an added dimension, with one benefiting the other. Similar to how a driving range would help a golfer execute information gathered in a private lesson, or how behind the wheel training complements Driver's Education in a group classroom environment.
Verdict: Instead of privates or groups, think privates and groups.
Going Further: Private Lessons
- Private lessons allow the student to work one on one with a teacher
- The learning is more rapid in a one on one setting because the content is specific to the individual.
- Questions, difficulty, or any other problems can be fixed immediately in a private lesson.
- Private lessons are scheduled based on the student's schedule
- Private lessons in any hobby are more expensive, including dancing.
Going Further: Group Classes
- Group Classes add context and repetition to a specific dance or skill
- Group Classes are scheduled at set times throughout the week
- Group Classes have more students than teachers
- Group Classes are less costly than private lessons
- Group Classes work at the pace of the collection of people as a whole, not by the individual
Having a System Helps
Arthur Murray built his dance program around three activities to help trigger a student's learning: The Private Lesson, the Group Lesson, and the Practice Party. These three activities are known as an Arthur Murray "Unit", or the Arthur Murray Unit System.
The idea is similar to learning to drive, golf, or taking a Biology class. Learning to dance in different environments enables a student to learn in a variety of ways.
The Private Lesson develops the skill. The Group Class adds repetition and context. The Practice Party builds practical application, and gives the student and teacher real time feedback for how things are developing.
Working with all three of these activities on a regular basis is what has made the Arthur Murray curriculum so effective with students of all levels since 1912.
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Next Article: What is the Arthur Murray Practice Party?
