So you’re getting married…

…and you’re thinking of taking wedding dance lessons.

But you don’t know how to figure out if the dance instructor is any good…

…and even if they are a good teacher, maybe they won’t be good for YOU.

You are about to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars with this person and you don’t want to feel like you wasted it, right?

Don’t worry…

Here are 5 questions to ask your dance instructor before hiring them, AND the responses you want to look for. That way, you can decide if they are the right fit for you.

Five Questions To Ask Your Dance Instructor BEFORE Hiring Them

1. Do you teach private lessons or group lessons?

You probably want them to teach private lessons.

Group classes are a great way to pick up new steps and meet other dancers once you know how to dance, but you could spend years in group classes and never get a handle on how to connect to your partner.  Learn some basic foundational skills in private lessons first.  Then if you want to and have the time, move on to group lessons.  

Your wedding is important to you, so skip the group classes (for now) and take private lessons that will give you the opportunity to truly shine during your wedding dance.

Try a Wedding Dance Private Lesson with Steps On Toes for FREE – Click Here!

2. How will we decide which dance to learn?

There are many options to choose from and there is no rule that a wedding dance has to be slow and romantic (or any other specific way).

A good teacher will let you know there are many options and the important thing is that they have a process to steer you to the dance that’s right for you.  

For example, at Steps On Toes, we start with an explorer session where we talk about your goals. Then we look at the current state of your dancing (or lack thereof). And finally, we build a custom plan to help you achieve your goals, including which dance is ideal for you.

That’s how we do it.

Get a FREE Wedding Dance Private Lesson with Steps On Toes!

You don’t want the instructor to immediately tell you which dance is the right one for you because, at this point, they just don’t know enough about you to make that decision.

If the instructor doesn’t explain they have a process to figure this out, move on to find someone who does.

3. Will we learn a choreographed routine, social dance skills, or both?

A smart instructor will start by teaching you some simple social dance skills. That way you can have a great wedding dance without having to memorize a bunch of patterns.

If their response to this question is “a choreographed routine”, “both”, or “whatever you want”…chances are they don’t work with many wedding couples and you are going to end up stressed out on your wedding day instead of having fun and looking great on the dance floor.

4. What do you specialize in?

The more specialized an instructor is, the more they focus and become great at what they specialize in.

Ideally, your instructor’s specialty should meet your needs.

For example, at Steps On Toes, we specialize in helping people who feel they are slow learners, have two left feet, or could never learn to dance…

…and even those who feel they are “a certified klutz” (as David puts it in his review below).

Having this focus for over 30 years has forced us to constantly overcome all the struggles that will come up for you when you fit this description so that we can help you become a confident dancer much faster than you would if you worked with the average dance instructor.

We can still teach someone who wants to win competitions but that is not our focus, so if that is your goal, we can recommend some amazing teachers for you that specialize in that goal.

Whatever your goal, try to find an instructor whose specialty meets your needs.

Get a FREE Wedding Dance Private Lesson – Click Here!

Note: Be sure to ask “What do you specialize in?” instead of (for example) “Do you specialize in working with slow learners?”…or whatever you are looking for…that way, you give them a chance to answer this question without any suggestions on your part.

Here is David’s review that we mentioned above:

Read David B.‘s review of Steps On Toes on Yelp

5. Do you have testimonials from previous students that I can see?

When you read the testimonials, look for students who have similar goals &/or struggles that you feel you might have. If the teacher was able to help someone with a similar struggle, they will probably be able to help you too.

Here is another one of our testimonials:

Read Erin D.‘s review of Steps On Toes on Yelp

BONUS QUESTION

If the teacher doesn’t specialize in working with people in your situation, they might still be able to help you.

They probably won’t be as effective as a specialist would be but sometimes there isn’t a specialist available for your particular needs and you still want to learn to dance.

If they at least have some experience, that is better than none, so after you know their specialty, ask this question to learn a little more about them.

6. INSERT STRUGGLE/GOAL, do you have any experience working with someone like that? If so, how much?

The more experience someone has working with your particular struggles or goals, the more likely they will have a method that works for you.

If you already know you have specific problems/struggles/goals, ask if they have experience with those problems/struggles/goals.

For example, if you have (or think you have)

• no rhythm
• can’t hear the beat
• have a physical disability
• have always had two left feet
• hate to dance but your partner loves to dance
• etc

Be sure to ask “Do you have any experience working with someone like that? And if so, how much?”

Obviously, the more often, the better.

By the way, we have lots of experience with all the struggles above, so if you’d like, click here to give us a call at (925) 338-7608 and we’d be happy to answer your questions!

This is your wedding dance. If your teacher does a good job, you will remember this moment for the rest of your life, just like these students, so…

…make sure to hire someone who will be a great fit for you!

Even if you are seeing a teacher now, ask these questions.  If your teacher can’t answer these basic questions, now is the time to make a graceful exit before investing hundreds or thousands of dollars and hours of your time. 

Get a FREE Wedding Dance Private Lesson – Click Here!

Question & Response Summary

Here is a quick summary of the questions to ask and the ideal responses you want the instructor to provide. Print this out so you have it handy when you make your phone calls.

1. Do you teach private lessons or group classes?
   • You want private lessons.
2. How will we decide which dance to learn?
   • Your teacher should have a process to guide you to the dance that’s right for you.
3. Will we learn a choreographed routine, social dance skills, or both?
   • Social dance skills
4. What do you specialize in?
   • Their specialty should meet your needs.
5. Do you have testimonials from previous students that I can see?
   • The testimonials should speak to you.
6. (Bonus Question) INSERT STRUGGLE/GOAL, do you have any experience working with someone like that? If so, how much?
   • The more often, the better.

And if you are in the bay area, why not give Steps On Toes a call and see if we are right for you! Click here to call us at (925) 338-7608!

Or if you aren’t ready to call us yet, check out more of our reviews on Yelp.

Read Cara C.‘s review of Steps On Toes on Yelp