I want to learn salsa and bachata but I’m not sure whether I should do private lessons one-on-one or group lessons. Can you give me some advice?

 

Hey gang, this is Aleks, your friendly neighborhood director of Toronto Dance Salsa and I love this question. My rule of thumb is to take group classes. But there are some occasions where private lessons are a better option. So here are some things to keep in mind when deciding to take private or group lessons or even a combination of both.

 

Private lessons are great for people who:

  1. Have a complicated schedule and cannot commit to one class each week. You might work shifts or travel extensively for work and the class schedule simply will not work for you. Since the classes at Toronto Dance Salsa are designed to build on the skills learned in the previous week and it is cumulative learning, missing a lot of classes is not ideal. This way you can fit a lesson into your and your instructor’s schedule. It can be daytime, nighttime, weekends etc. 
  2. You want to learn faster with the instructor or you are nervous because of current Covid protocols and do not want to be in group classes. You want that one-on-one attention and guidance. 
  3. You are training for some performance or you want to be a competitive dancer. Private lessons will help you level up really quickly. Private lessons will usually cover 2-3 hours of group material in just one hour, so you do learn faster.
  4. You already have dance experience. You are looking to hone the experience and skills that you already have and take them to the next level. In a private lesson, the instructor can make the little micro-adjustments that he or she may not have time for in a group lesson. 

 

Group lessons are great because:

  1. They are just more fun. It’s fun being in a group of people, celebrating your growth and wins together.
  2. It is a quick and easy way to make friends. It is hard to make friends as an adult and joining a dance class is a fool-proof way to be part of a community and make some meaningful connections. 
  3. You get time to practice without the pressure of the instructor constantly giving you advice and feedback.You can focus on the fun and relax. 
  4. It is a date night with yourself or with your dance partner. It is a weekly commitment to yourself.  I fully endorse putting something into your schedule that makes you feel great. It is great for your mental health.

A combination of group and private lessons are also great for:

  1. Some students in intermediate and senior levels of Salsa (Levels 2-6) and Bachata (Levels 2-4). Students can clean up some bad habits. Occasionally, I will recommend one or two private lessons to some intermediate or senior students. It is not a big deal if you pick up some bad habits, as long as you are having fun it is a win, but it might make you a more confident dancer. 

Whatever you choose, private lessons, group lessons or a combination of both, you can’t go wrong if you are dancing. Dancing gets you moving and out of your head, so it is great for you. Salsa and bachata have been incredible gifts that I gave to myself when I started dancing and now I get to spread that gift by teaching salsa and bachata at Toronto Dance Salsa. So just start dancing. Momentum is important and I can’t wait to see you on the dance floor.

I can’t wait to welcome you to our big family, have you coming in week to week, having fun, connecting with new friends and letting lose to amazing Latin songs. Click here to check our current schedule.

If you have any questions you would like me to answer here are some ways you can contact me: message me on Instagram (torontodanceSalsa), on Twitter (#torontodanceSalsa), on Facebook (Toronto Dance Salsa) or email me at [email protected].

 

Love you all,

 

Aleks

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