Often imitated. Never replicated.
MYTHS & FACTS ABOUT DANCING
MYTH #1:
I can learn to dance well in group classes and it will be cheaper.
FACT #1:
Group classes are great for certain things (learning patterns, meeting people, exercise, fun) and are an important part of our Arthur Murray 4-way Teaching Method (Privates, Groups, Practices and Events). In fact, we include unlimited group classes at our school at no charge for our active students. However, group classes fall short in several other important ways:
Ways group classes fall short
GROUP CLASSES ARE LIKE BRICKS
You can stack them as high as you want and it might look like a wall but without anything to reinforce them, the wall will not be strong.
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BUYER BEWARE
If a studio or teacher charges you for group classes, it's a huge red flag even if it's a nominal price. You will likely be unsatisfied in the end.
At Arthur Murray we would never advise or allow our students to take only group classes because it just doesn't work in the long run and we want your dancing to last forever.
01
FRUSTRATION WITH PACE
Group classes can't be guaranteed to move at your exact pace so students often feel overwhelmed or underwhelmed. You might find yourself waiting for another student to catch up or trying to catch up yourself. Arthur Murray group classes are leveled, but it's impossible to have a perfect pace that suits everyone present.
02
FORGETTING
Group classes teach dance steps but you have to repeat the same steps on multiple days for permanent retention. Many students almost immediately forget what they did in the group class and have no way of reinforcing, practicing, or blending what they learned into their existing dancing without private instruction, reminders, and pneumonic devices to assist. Arthur Murray group classes are mainly intended to review and/or preview patterns to save time and therefore money in your private classes.
03
NO PERSONALIZED CORRECTIONS
Teachers can't give individual or personalized corrections or tips in a group class because each person is making different errors and must be corrected individually and confidentially in a private setting. We would never single out a student and embarrass them by correcting them in front of their peers.
04
LOOKS RIGHT, FEELS WRONG?
Teachers can't feel the way each student is leading and following in the group class so it might look right, but not feel right. You could develop a bad habit (such as squeezing, backleading, or lack of resistance) that could be a turnoff to potential dance partners. In private classes we can feel your dancing and make sure it feels right. Remember partner dancing is unique because it involves touch and feel unlike almost all other dance forms.
05
GENERIC STYLING
You can't individualize the styling in a group class. In order to develop a signature dance style that is uniquely yours, you'll need one-on-one classes, too. We want each of our students to have their own style and flair not a cookie-cutter look.
06
DIMINISHED ROTATION
It is difficult to teach rotation in a group class. Patterns have to be flattened out to make them more teachable/doable in a group setup with students lined up in rows. Students who learn from groups alone often don't know how to rotate their dancing on the dance floor and end up looking stagnant and robotic.
07
HARDER FOR LEADERS
Leaders feel pressured to perform well in group classes and yet, their part is much harder to learn quickly. If they don't pick up what is being taught or if they are confused when we start rotating partners, they can feel overwhelmed as they fumble through the material with partner after partner. This is even worse in group classes outside of the studio where the leaders face public embarrassment when they fail.
08
NOT RECREATABLE
In many group classes (not ours) they do very long and involved combinations or amalgamations that can only be executed with the people who attended the class. The combo is not universally leadable and therefore not very useful once the class is finished.
MYTH #2:
Arthur Murray lessons are really expensive.
FACT #2:
Our rates are based on Quality, Service, and Value. We give you maximum bang for your dancing buck!
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If you are solely looking for the cheapest pricing, we are certainly not it, however our rates here in Mexico are around 25%-50% lower than other Arthur Murray locations.
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We back up our pricing with superior instruction and facilities, great customer service, and value guaranteed for every peso you spend. We offer unlimited group classes, practice sessions, and exposure to any of 40+ dance styles at no additional charge.
We understand that you are seeking the priceless Benefits of Dancing,
not just the dance steps alone. We weave these essential benefits into your experience in intentional and thoughtful ways.
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We use a proven method and system
Our syllabus is second to none, there is no limit to what you can learn, and we design your dance program specifically for you.
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When you break it down minute by minute, dance by dance, and step by step, Arthur Murray Studios deliver the greatest possible overall value for your investment by a long shot.
We will ensure it's worth every peso and that you get the full value you deserve.
This is part of why we've been #1 for 110+ years around the globe.
MYTH #3:
I'll never become a good dancer because I just wasn't born to dance/I have 2 left feet/I have no rhythm.
FACT #3:
Everyone can learn to dance given the right opportunity, teacher and system. Everyone has a heartbeat and therefore some sense of what rhythm is.
There is no such thing as a natural born dancer because dancing is a learned skill through exposure, errors, correction and practice just like learning a language. Every good dancer has invested a lot of time into their dancing.
Sometimes people have tried to learn to dance and have failed and therefore blame themselves when it was really due to inferior teaching.
We encourage you to give Arthur Murray a try. Our system has worked for millions of people for over a century on 6 continents.
MYTH #4:
It's a good idea to learn one dance until you're comfortable and confident with it before adding other dances.
FACT #4:
Learning multiple dances from the start can be more challenging at the beginning, but easier in the end.
Ever wish you could go back to being a child and add a second or third language?
Dancing is the same. You're better off learning multiple rhythms from day one for maximum proficiency and confidence on the floor.
This way you build your muscle memory for each dance simultaneously and you avoid reverting to habits from the original dance. You learn to switch between dances easily and recognize the elements in new dances quickly. This makes you a versatile, comfortable, attractive dance partner who can dance to any music with any partner on any dance floor.
Don't make the common mistake of becoming a one trick pony or putting all your eggs in one dancing basket.
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At Arthur Murray we use 5 Elements of Dancing to make learning multiple rhythms easier. You will never regret planting all the seeds early on.
FUN FACT: Arthur Murray Dance Programs typically feature a minimum of 4 different dances.
FUN FACT: Salsa is a popular dance that is often requested at our school. But did you know that at salsa clubs, they don't just play salsa? They also play merengue, bachata, cha cha, cumbia, rumba, etc. If you only learn salsa, you'll be paralyzed when those other songs are played. Salsa is also very musically specific meaning it has zero transferability to any other genre of music. Bachata on the other hand can be danced to a wide variety of musical styles as a survival dance.
MYTH #5:
Watching online videos is a good way to learn to dance.
FACT #5:
Watching videos of people dancing online is a great way to get inspired to learn, but it is NOT a great way to learn for many reasons. (Personalized video as a review tool is great, though.)
01
OOPS, I DID IT (WRONG) AGAIN
If you're persistent, you might be able to copy the general idea of what you see on a video with some semblance of success however you'll never know if you are doing it correctly or how to do it better without live instruction. Remember... you can watch a video but it can't watch you!
02
FEW TRULY GOOD VIDEOS
There is really very little learnable content online. Maybe 5%. This is because good teachers generally do not post their teaching for free. The better the teacher, the less videos they would post. If you see something you like, it's best to share it with your teacher and let them help you replicate aspects of it that you like.
03
LEVEL-INAPPROPRIATE
Many times what inspires students is several levels above where their dancing currently is. This is a recipe for frustration and failure or simply looking bad while attempting to dance something way above your current learning level.
04
TRICK OF THE EYE
When you watch a video things can be flipped, reversed, backwards and confusing. There is a lot of illusion in dance and a lot of pieces and body parts to keep track of. You might see what you think is the right foot when really it's the left, you might not notice an important hand change, connection, or the direction of rotation. Even experienced dance professionals struggle to decifer and copy dance moves from videos.
05
YOU CAN'T LEARN BY WATCHING
Oh if only it were so simple we'd just dance all day and students would magically learn to dance with their eyes. Ever watch a master chef dice an onion? You could watch it a million times and still flounder with the knife yourself. Watch a skier glide down the slope 100 times only to fall on your face when you try. What about a gymnast cartwheeling across the balance beam? You simply cannot learn by watching someone else do something well and dancing is no different yet somehow people believe it should be. And there are dancers in every corner of the internet posting videos making you think you could learn simply by watching them. Don't fall for it.
06
TIME CONSUMING
So let's say you're really committed to trying to learn something from a video. Get ready because It's going to take a lot of time and way longer than you think. A single pattern or trick could take hours for you to figure out and you still risk getting it wrong due to your error or the video's. It's a lot faster and more fun to learn dancing in person with a teacher who can watch you and help you and go at your pace.
FUN FACT:
You can video absolutely anything you are learning at Arthur Murray. Feel fee to take videos and snippets of group classes, private lessons, etc. and use them as a review and motivational tool! Your very own personalized videos are a fantastic way to jog your memory, review your combos, and visualize yourself doing the moves. They'll be exactly what you need every single time!
