Thread: Class Length

So, how long are your classes? An hour, 90 minutes, two hours? Are class lengths based on the type of class? For example, are pure technique + combo classes handled differently from technique + choreo classes?

Thanks for your input!

Deborah

I have one set of classes which are 1 hour long each- I always feel that's too short.

I have another set of classes where the Beginners class is 75 minutes, and the Intermediates class is 90 minutes.

Ideally I'd have classes of 1 1/2 hours each, but my timetable is set by others.

I go a technique based class, listed as "Bellydance Drills." It lasts an hour. I kind of wish it were 1.5 hours.

The classes I teach are 1.5 hrs long. I think 1 hr is not long enough.

I think one hour is plenty for beginners. I'd love to have 1.5 hours with my higher levels, but since most of my level 4s are taking 2 classes a week, they wouldn't want to pay for that much time.

(the truth is I never schedule anything for after their class because we often stay for an extra half hour anyway)

I do 1 hour for beginners....it can become to exhausting and overwhelming to go for longer. Intermediate can go anywhere from one hour for basic class to 1.5 for choreography/prop work. Mini classes like 30 min sessions are great for prop work (cane, sword, etc...) to get them to work just on that and not lose the basic technical training in the basic class.

My classes are 60 minutes per week. I wish they were 90, but it's not my choice.

We do warm-up for about 10 minutes, drills for 30, and the rest of the time is spent doing combos and layering. I'm in a non-performing class so we don't do choreography.

I find an hour class is difficult with choreo. By the time I factor in warm ups and stretches, which if I am incorporating a "second" warm up (usually drill type exercises) can take up to half an hour, doesn't leave much time left for review of existing choreo, new technique instruction, putting the new technique into the choreo and repetition of new material. For choreography I like the 90 min class to give me a full hour of working time.

We have tried getting the advanced classes to warm themselves up prior to class when they requested an increase in working time, without an extension to the class, but ended up stopping that option because they weren't warming up and were risking injury.

My beginner classes are an hour long, but we often go over a bit! The intermediate ones are longer as they have choreo in them and that takes time.

All of my classes are 1 hr.. and ideally I wish they were 45 mins.. way too many classes and not enough hours in the day!

Nilaja

My classes are 55 minutes, but I have my students come in early and warm up on their own time so we don't have to spend class time on it. Each class comes in and goes to the sides and out of the way to (or does it in the hall) warm up and stretch while I'm finishing up with the one before them. I figure class time is too short to spend on that, and once I teach them how to do so properly, it's their responsibility. Some days I have 4 back-to-back classes to teach, and it really is a timesaver (as well as body-saver for me) and the students appreciate that I am trying to give them the best value for their money.

Originally Posted by Halima-Dances

Last edited by Halima-Dances; 07-20-2008 at 10:40 AM. Reason: hukd on foniks werkd fore me

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All my classes are 1/2 hours. Especially the beginners, at least how my classes are set up, need the extra time to cover it all . . .

Since I've added the extra 1/2 hour (about two yrs ago now), I've felt less rushed and feel the students retain class material better because we have longer each period to drill.

My beginners are an hour. My intermediates are an hour and a half.

With my tribal group, we do two classes per week--1 1/2 hours of drills and 1 1/2 hours of improv/choreo. These used to be on 2 different days, but starting in the fall, they'll be back to back, with a break in between (so, basically, 3-hours total class time). This will be tough and probably isn't as good, dance-wise, as breaking it up, but it will be easier to fit into our schedules, and it will mean less driving.

With my cab class, it used to be an hour, and we would warm up on our own before class, but it was recently increased to 1 hour 15 minutes (and we still warm up on our own). In addition, we have extra rehearsals when we have a show coming up.

I'm not a teacher, but I hope it's OK if I chime in. :) I've lived in a metro area where 1.5 hour classes (and 2 hour classes for advanced levels) are the norm, and I've lived in a metro area where 1 hour classes are the norm.

HANDS DOWN, I prefer classes that are 1.5–2 hours. Even beginner classes. ESPECIALLY beginner classes! I had the most aches and pains when I was a beginner, because you use all kinds of muscles that you're not used to using. That makes a good thorough warm up and cool down all the more important.

In the city with the 1 hour classes, sometimes I spent more time getting to the class than I spent in the class itself! It felt like by the time I got there, I had to turn around and go back home, and my whole evening was shot. If I'm going to spend the money on gas to get there, I want to make it worth my while.

I like having 2 hour classes for upper levels. Lots of time for a good warm up and cool down, and lots of time for drilling. I come out of those classes really feeling like it was time well-spent. That's just me, though.

I prefer teaching 1.5 hour classes, but my current classes are all between 1 hour and 1 hr 15 min due to studio time limitations. It can be harder to get everything in 1 hour, but I do my best to get through everything and keep everyone progressing at a good pace.

I teach 3 back to back 1 hour classes [performance class, essentials (basics), and combining elements (int/higher level beginners)]. Even among my troupe ladies, I have very few who can do all 3 hours easily, so many students come for 2 of the 3 classes.

My 1 hr 15 min class is my "special topics" weekly class which seems to help a bit since special topics require more explanation and discussion.

Originally Posted by nimah

I'm not a teacher, but I hope it's OK if I chime in. :)

I was hoping students would chime in, too! Thanks, too, for including why you prefer longer classes!

Deborah

I prefer 90 minutes. I feel like I just get started and then it's over.

For me an hour seems too short, my teacher tends to do 1.5 hours, but she has one hour long class and I always feel like just when we are getting somewhere, we have to stop. I also sometimes take 2 classes back to back, which is great for me, except for the cool down then warm up again in the middle! I've just come back from a festival where I was doing 2 hour workshops, that was a really good length, even though the classes were mostly pretty intense, I really felt like there was time to get a lot out of it. (I also did 5 of them in 2 days and may never raise my arms above shoulder height again ;))

I do hour long classes but I teach 2 classes back to back on weeknights and 3 back to back on the weekend.

80% of the students stay for the 2nd hour. They are meant to be taken that way. Saturdays I teach 1 hour choreo, then 1 hour technique, then 1 hour choreo. All the girls come for the 2nd hour but they choose either the 1st or 3rd class to attend as well.

Weeknights I teach 1 hour choreo and then 1 hour improv.

For those of you who do 1.5 hour classes, do you price them at 1.5times the rate of your 1 hour classes?

I teach only once a week (for now, I work full time, I take adv technique/choreog class myself and rehearse, so no time to teach more), my class is 1 hour and 1/2 min. First 15min or so is always heavy warm up and stretch, I start with technique and review (I follow Suhaila format for technique), and then I start teaching combos using the technique around the floor, and the combos or little pieces of choreographies either my own or Mahmoud Reda or others.
Finish with cool down, and perhaps any questions to be answered.

Originally Posted by eshe

For those of you who do 1.5 hour classes, do you price them at 1.5times the rate of your 1 hour classes?

I teach 1.5 hour classes because there is no way to get a full warm-up, cool-down and class into an hour (I don't think students understand how to warm themselves up properly until they are advanced). I charge the same as hour long classes. But this is an interesting question -- am I undercutting?

Originally Posted by eshe

For those of you who do 1.5 hour classes, do you price them at 1.5times the rate of your 1 hour classes?

I'm curious about this too. I'd LOVE to have 1.5 hours with my advanced students, but nearly all of them are already taking twice a week, that would DOUBLE their cost and I don't think they'd go for it!

Yes, I teach 1.5 hr classes - Intermediate level Performance/Choreography. I charge accordingly, time-wise. So far, its my biggest class! I *think* the reason is that it is a 6 week session, so its easier for people to manage, both time and cost-wise. My standard class is 75 mins, so its only an extra 15 mins anyhow. Cost of 6 weeks of 1.5 hr classes is roughly the same at 8 or 10 weeks of 1.25hr classes. Does that make sense?

I don't know if this would be financially workable for others, but here is how my tribal instructor does it. If anyone wants to be in her improv/choreo class, she HAS to also regularly attend a drills class. All her classes are 1 1/2 hours. She charges $20 per class, and students can pay on a drop-in, per-class basis, but students can also purchase a 4-class card for $75, or pay a monthly fee of $120 to attend unlimited classes (well, limited by the available classes, of course, and by the student's level). In reality, most of us who pay the $120/month make it to only 2-classes a week, but it's still a "deal" relative to paying $20 per class. This instructor is currently running a 4-week summer session, 1 1-1/2 hour drills class per week, at $20/per class (or $75 for all 4). She was going to offer only one class per week, but it filled up so quickly that she added a second, and it's full, too. So, people around here don't seem to have a problem with paying for a 1 1/2 hour class.

(In comparison, an 8-week, 1 1/2-hour-per-week class with my cab instructor is $144, which works out to $18/class, or $12/hour. An 8-week, 1-hour-per-week class with my cab instructor is $96, or $12 per class. I'm tossing in this comparison in case prices are very different where you are. Also, it should be noted that my tribal instructor rents space in someone else's studio, whereas my cab instructor has her own studio.)

Anyway, perhaps a discount for taking 2-classes per week (along the lines of the $120 per month thing my tribal instructor does) could work for your students.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I'm curious about this too. I'd LOVE to have 1.5 hours with my advanced students, but nearly all of them are already taking twice a week, that would DOUBLE their cost and I don't think they'd go for it!

For me I want 1.5-2 hours so i feel i'm getting my moneys worth. 1 hour is really not enough time to cover stuff. just my 2 cents as a student.

Alrana

Originally Posted by Shalimah

Anyway, perhaps a discount for taking 2-classes per week (along the lines of the $120 per month thing my tribal instructor does) could work for your students.

Thanks, Shalimah -- but my students ARE getting a discount for taking 2 classes a week, and they can add a third class for next to nothing. I can't afford to discount more steeply, so if I went to 1.5 hours per class, their rate would still double if they're taking twice a week.

Mon-Thurs 6-9pm is prime time for classes, I can't afford to give any of it away! That extra half-hour twice a week would be an hour I couldn't teach another class.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I'm curious about this too. I'd LOVE to have 1.5 hours with my advanced students, but nearly all of them are already taking twice a week, that would DOUBLE their cost and I don't think they'd go for it!

We are were always tweaking class formats, durations, session lengths, names of classes, level definitions etc for Years!

But we essentially progressed from an 8 week session with 1 hr classes, to a 6 week session with 1.5 hr classes and then finally an 8 week session with 1.5 hr classes. Over that time costs were climbing gradually anyway so it wasn't a budget killing jump in price all at once.