PRIVATE DANCE LESSONS

One on one dance lessons in Sydney

I have two left feet. I don’t have rhythm. I’m not flexible. I can’t move my hips. Learning to dance is hard. I was frustrated last time I tried.

Sounds like you? Well you’ve come to the right place.

We’re not here to preach that you must take private dance lessons with us and all of your problems are going to be solved. But what we will share with you is that private lessons are an important part of learning to dance.

We are big advocates of taking a mixture of private and group lessons. Whether you are learning to become a confident social dancer or getting ready for your wedding dance, private dance lessons will be where you learn the core aspects of dancing, such as figures, timing and how to lead or follow. Group classes are where you can put all of this into practice with different partners allowing you to refine and perfect these skills.

It’s for this reason that our Footsteps™ program is our number one proven dance course for beginners.

Our private dance lessons are about giving you the personal approach to learning, which is the foundation to our personalised dance programs. Don’t think that having a 1 on 1 dance lesson means it’s all too serious. We keep it light hearted and make sure you’re having plenty of fun.

At William Maslin Dance Studios, we allocate one teacher to you for your dance program with us. Therefore, your private dance lessons are specifically tailored to your learning needs, and allow for your personal development and learning style, providing the best possible dance lessons in the Sydney area.

Our approach to teaching dance

Some people have rhythm or pick things up quickly, while others find the simplest things a challenge. We also understand that dance might not be your first passion in life. Because of this, we don’t treat everyone the same.

We get that walking into a dance studio for the first time can be quite daunting. Believe it or not, starting to dance later in life ourselves, we remember that experience.  That’s why we make sure it’s fun and apply our proven teaching method, to get the best results for you.

We also understand that you have a life outside studio, such as a full time job, study, juggling children or whatever the case may be. That can make learning a new skill that little bit harder and frustrating at times. Don’t worry, we have unwavering patience and we’re here to support you. We’re certainly not going to beat you up for having a bad day. We have those too!

In terms of the dance content, we layer what we teach and only focus on one to two elements at a time. You’ll start off with learning where to place your feet. Once you’re comfortable with that, we’ll add some timing. Before you know it, you’ll be moving effortlessly to the music.

Our dance programs are specifically designed to allow flexibility in the learning process, recognising that everybody is different. The approach is spread across three levels:

Regardless of where you are at with your learning with us, you can rest assured that you’ll always leave with a big smile.

What you’ll learn at William Maslin

Broadly speaking, you’ll learn to be a confident, democratic social dancer. Wow! You weren’t expecting an answer like that.

If a friend said to you “I’m a dancer”, think about the many possibilities that conjure up in your mind. The same happens when we refer to ballroom and Latin dancing. Many definitions in the dance world are used loosely and interchangeably. Don’t worry, we do it too. If our website only spoke about “Smooth and Rhythm” dance styles, you’d probably think we didn’t offer ballroom dancing.

In the context of “ballroom” dancing there are two predominant styles: International and American. We’ll be teaching you the American style.

So what’s the difference you may ask. We’re not going to delve deep into the detail as much of it won’t really make much sense until you’ve got a bit of dancing under your belt.

The International style is more suited to competition dancing. It’s about strict visual lines and precise execution of figures, with the dancers are always in a closed position dance hold. Most International style dancers focus on choreographed routines which they use in competition.

The American style is more suited to social dancing. While there are many American style competitions over the world, unlike the International style, the dancers can dance in both open and closed dance hold and sometimes use visual lead and follow. In some respects, you could say that this allows for a degree of casualisation of dancing meaning it is easier to use on a crowded dance floor with dancers of different levels and experience.

Within the two styles we have categories which the different dance styles fit into. Let’s look at the Waltz. In the American style it is categorised as a Smooth dance and in the International style it’s a Standard dance. Now while it is the same style of dance, it is danced differently in the American style than International style. That is where you get into the technical differences of the American style and International style, which is outside the scope of this page.

Here we provide a comparison:

Unlike the International style, there are multiple American style syllabuses which are designed by different syllabus organisations.

We predominantly use the Dance Vision International Dancers Association syllabuses which is internationally recognised for the 18 styles of dance that we teach. We also use some aspects of the U.S. Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing.

You’ll start with simple figures and build to more complex figures and dance elements as you progress through the syllabuses. When you’re ready, you can even go through the dance certification process which is recognised worldwide.

We also teach you how to apply your dancing in real world situations, such as how to use your figures with dancers who have learnt other American style syllabuses or even what to expect when dancing with a dancer from the International style.

So when we say you’ll be a confident, democratic social dancer, that’s why. It won’t matter who you’re dancing with. You’ll know how to have a great time.

Fun Fact

Did you know, it only takes the average student 6 to 8 months to become an advanced dancer? Consistency is key. 1 private lesson per week is all it takes.

Top questions about learning to dance

Do I need a dance partner

You don’t need a partner. During your private lessons, your teacher will be your dance partner. Becuase of this, you’ll learn much quicker.

During a group class, you’ll dance with other students that also don’t have a dance partner.

When should I start

Start right away! We don’t operate on terms, semesters or other session type systems. As your program will be personalised, you start when it suits you and schedule your lessons around your other commitments.

Can I just do the group classes

We don’t offer group classes as a standalone product. We strongly believe that the best way to learn to dance is through a combination of class types.

How much do dance lessons cost

All of our learning programs are personalised. That means the cost is too. We don’t charge on a per lesson basis, but a total program cost.

We structure our programs to incentivise you to make the most out of your dancing. That means taking advantage of the private lessons, group classes and other activities that are included in the cost of your program.

Can I just learn the salsa

Salsa is a fun dance to learn, but if it is the only style you learn, you are really limiting your social dance opportunities.

Our focus is on teaching people to be confident social dancers, and being able to dance to a variety of popular music. Music you’ll hear on the radio, at the pub, a friends BBQ or a wedding reception.

If you only want to go and dance at salsa clubs, our studio is not the most suitable place for you to learn.

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