Thread: bellydance lessons for $5/month???

Bellydance for Beginners

what's the deal? I thought about emailing this person just to see who they are and what does it mean "for utilities"? Maybe it's some creepy guy who wants to lure girls to his apartment or something, I don't know.

Damn! Maybe if my dance education only cost $5/month, I could afford to dance for shawarma and stop being snarky and mean to those who do!

Sorry. But I'm already going to Dancer Hell .

Unrelated marketing question, but I wonder if prospective students really cruise Craigslist for classes, or if performers get good leads for gigs on there....I'm a little skeptical, but curious.

My perve-dar just started beeping. "Prepare to be sexy..." Ewwww.

I once knew a drummer who offered to "teach" beginners... for free of course.. to, you know, help them with their rhythm....

Oh wow! That DOES sound dangerous! I am concerned for anyone that seriously responds to that!

"Prepare to be sexy, seductive and have a great time."
SHAKE IT
Dear me! This is not belly dance!!
Maybe you should see what is up with it, maybe there is a way to find out if it is as bad as it sounds. Can you report it if that happens to be the case? I would really hate to see anyone get sucked into this and end up getting hurt or something.

My guess is it's a student who's been studying for a year or less, doesn't fully understand their art yet, and figures 'I know I don't know it all, but I know enough to teach beginners.'

(I think this happens most with students who are in ongoing mixed-level classes that accept dropins, since those classes often have to go over the basics again and again and are never able to move on to truly intermediate material. Students get the idea that there's not much to this dance form! Ask me how I know. )

Probably someone who has access to cheap or free space -- or will be using their living room or some variation on a home studio. Someone with no expenses involved who genuinely wants to share her love of the dance.

IOW, an undercutting (but well-intentioned) 6-month wonder.

Oh, I hope you'll inquire just so we can find out. Guessing is fun... betting on the outcome would be even MORE fun!

My bet is on Lauren's hypothesis.

I recall that a dancer in town taught for free and in winter charged a small fee to cover the fuel for space heaters.

I agree with Lauren...it's likely a well-intentioned but misguided student. On the other hand, with utility rates nowadays, you'd think $5 a month would even be on the low end of undercutters!

I was a one-year wonder myself, so I have many insights into their thoughts.

I'm still doing penance.

But I charged the going rates for my classes, no matter how much of a train wreck they may have been!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I was a one-year wonder myself, so I have many insights into their thoughts.

I'm still doing penance.

I hear you, Lauren.

Let's see...on-going, open-level classes (the only ones in town) where I quickly learned everything that was being taught: check.

Other dance students fawning all over my dance abilities (at home practice and a dance background to thank for that): check.

Teacher sent me on restaurant gig that only paid in tips and dinner: check.

Left to my own devices to figure out costuming, gig etiquette, pricing, etc: check.

That's why I have sympathy for many of those students who go pro/start teaching too early...often they truly don't know any better and may have actually been encouraged to go at it the way they are. I'm not saying it's right, but I do understand. That's why I advocate gentle guidance above pulling them onto Bhuz to be tarred and feathered.

$5 a month is a ridiculously low rate. It would be great if someone in her dance community could help guide her.

$5 a month sounds *very* iffy. I've used Craigslist in the past and it's nothing but trouble. No actual students have ever contacted me through there.

Even if you are teaching fully private classes in your own home studio, $5 a month isn't enough for your time! I'm not too sure about that. I'd e-mail them to see what they are about *laughs*

*could* be a special price to get folks in the studio... but everything else in there seems to negate that. I think Lauren's onto something with the one year wonder- especially if they have to refer out for advanced classes. Now I refer out to *real* advanced classes if my advanced students want to learn a particular genre or technique & encourage everyone to attend workshops, get as much education as possible, etc- but if you can barely get folks past the basics, you probably shouldn't be teaching the basics either...

(I do have great sympathy for those who realized this & changed & moved on & are striving for better- I waited 10 years before teaching & I STILL feel like I blundered through things & am doing my own penance!)

OK, I sent an inquiry and asked where the classes were, how many classes you get for $5, and is it really $5 because that's so much less than other classes around here. I'll let you guys know if I get a response!

My first reaction was that it was a beginner, too. I actually started a really nasty email when I first saw the ad but decided to discard it. I think I took a more neutral approach; if it's really a student i want to get her to either stop teaching before she's ready or at least charge the going rate.

I don't know how great CL is for bellydancers; I responded to a gig once from there but got too busy and couldn't take it (it was a Christmas party at a law firm). I don't teach so I don't have any experience on that end.

could it be that this is something for the community, like classes at the local community center. i know that those are usually ridiculously cheap. if so, it's a great way to market to an audience that doesn't know it likes to belly dance, albeit a little cheap and tacky.

Even classes at a community center are more expensive than that! That's just crazy! Where in the world did she/he get a price like $5 a month?

Maybe she left off a zero? ..c::

Originally Posted by SidoniaOfNashville

Maybe she left off a zero? ..c::

That would make sense; $45-50 is the going rate at the different dance studios in my area . . . (southern California)

Deborah

Something seems off to me, too. I don't know what it is about the "you will eventually need to purchase a coin belt" line that rubs me the wrong way. I mean, why? Is this something you will eventually need to purchase from them? Sounds like some tricky phone plan or something, low monthly belly dance fees but they soak you with hidden accessories costs.

I don't know, there's a little alarm going off in the back of my mind. Will be interesting to see what the response is. Maybe it's as harmless as some inexperienced students trying to teach.

guys, it's $5/month. This lady says she's been dancing for 10 years and she got free studio space so she figured why not teach and get back into dance after an injury. It would be a good way to get back in shape.

She's got a dance troupe and teaches intermediate/advanced classes as well. I'm not too pleased, since it's near an area I was planning on targeting when I start teaching

the $5 is to pay for electricity and mirrors....it's in an office building. *Sigh*

$5 a month is just a ridiculous price. But I heard a couple years ago in AZ they were doing the same thing. The teacher counted on making money by selling things like coin belts. Geez. I can't believe that's for real. If she's got a free space she could make some decent money if she charged even 1/2 of what the local teachers charged. Insane. So in July she would have taught 10 classes for 50 cents a lesson per student.

Oh man... that's just too bad. I feel sorry for her, undervaluing herself like that. And I don't see how somebody charging that low could possibly be furthering their dance education, unless they were just born into money.

Originally Posted by Safiyah

guys, it's $5/month. This lady says she's been dancing for 10 years and she got free studio space so she figured why not teach and get back into dance after an injury. It would be a good way to get back in shape.

She's got a dance troupe and teaches intermediate/advanced classes as well. I'm not too pleased, since it's near an area I was planning on targeting when I start teaching

That is credible!!! After my regular belly dance class, I take a Goddess Body class (an aerobic class that uses belly dance techniques). The instructor is a bellydancer. The class is usually 15.00 per session but due to the recession- she is only charging $3.00 per class. The class is over one hour and you really work out. She does it because she loves it and loves teaching. She is well known in her own right and is located on the popular East Coast... o.k..... she is in Montclair NJ in a large studio. So, I say kudos to the instructor offering the $5.00 per month.... is it really per month versus per class?

She said per month...I just don't get it. It's way too cheap; I'm actually curious to know how full her classes are. Around here the minimum class fee you'll find is $10/hr if you pay ahead of time. Nobody that I know of has reduced their rate, and I don't really think it's a good idea even in these times...maybe a little, but I wouldn't find it worth my time to teach a student for much less :/

By the way, I don't know this woman; I've never met her and I don't think I've seen her at any bellydance event around here. So I want to make clear that I'm not judging her ability as a dancer or her character. She seemed really nice in the email.

wow- just...wow
I have had a couple classes where attendance was sporadic, and if no one showed up I did personal rehearsal- but $5/month is practically nothing! That wouldn't cover my gas too & from class even with 5 students! Even the discount yoga studio I gripe about charges $5 per *class*

Okay, if it were just her troupe- a bunch of gals who want to get together and dance together, that's one thing- I used to do that with a couple friends- but offering it as a class? come on!

Sigh. I wonder if she could be gently educated on going price- is she involved in the dance community at all, I wonder? If she has a troupe, you'd think they'd be out dancing somewhere...

Well, it's not like when people go out and do these types of things that they are usually malicous.

I think most folks do have good intentions, like lowering the price to be charitable or wanting to share the new hobby they love...

But that doesn't change the reality for those of us that make dance our business and choose to earn back what we have put into dance..and then some.

I see this issue as systemic. Many people feel like art "real art" can't be bought and sold, while I agree with that on some levels, I also believe that art is also a marketable product "our product"

I also observe time and time again, that people value what they pay for and I think it's very naive to think most people will really appreciate anything they get for free or at a really cheap price...

Small, occasional free classes for the purpose of advertising or first-timer discounts are fine, but ongoing classes at deep price cuts - gees - you are telling people your classes are not worth much and you are shooting yourself in the foot.

On another side of it, I think some people do this to feed something else going on inside of them. Some teachers aren't confident in their skills, so they think they have to keep their prices low to get any students at all. Which is really unfortunate, because in this economy, many wonderful teachers aren't doing so well, still others are doing well. At any rate, devaluing your brand and negating any sense of exclusivity isn't a good plan...

These kinds of arrangements often decline quickly.

Since the teacher isn't charging much, she doesn't make preparing the classes a top priority in her life. Her students don't feel like they can ask for much, since the class is practically free... and she may realize she's not giving 100% but figures 'hey, what do they want from me, I'm pretty much volunteering here.' Eventually the whole thing falls apart due to lack of committment from either party.

This case may be very different, of course, since it's an experienced teacher. But I've seen this happen so many times (well-intentioned hippy-style yoga teachers who drift away from a class they agreed to teach for a 'love offering' are a stereotype in my other industry).

Originally Posted by Safiyah

guys, it's $5/month. This lady says she's been dancing for 10 years and she got free studio space so she figured why not teach and get back into dance after an injury. It would be a good way to get back in shape.

She's got a dance troupe and teaches intermediate/advanced classes as well. I'm not too pleased, since it's near an area I was planning on targeting when I start teaching

Could you explain this logic blip?... If she already has a troupe and teaching int/adv classes, what's the deal with the "getting back into dance after an injury." That doesn't make sense. If she's got a troupe and classes already, isn't she already in dance...am I missing something?

Originally Posted by AnnaTX

At any rate, devaluing your brand and negating any sense of exclusivity isn't a good plan...

YES! I'm a firm believer in using price as a marketing strategy in and of itself. You guys are probably all sick of this analogy because I use it so often - but what do you think would happen to Rolex or Tiffany & Co. if they rolled out a Wal-Mart exclusive line?

We build so much brand equity into our prices. We are luxury, "special occasion" items. Even in a global recession, many folks still pay a premium for some type of indulgence, large or small - whether it's a MAC lipstick vs. Cover Girl, or Starbucks instead of Dunkin. And people are still throwing parties with live entertainment.

While our opportunities aren't as plentiful, they're still out there. If you start by re-tooling your existing marketing strategies, fishing where nobody else is fishing, carving your own niche, and stepping up your customer service, then I firmly believe there is zero excuse to lower your rates. If you build it, they will come...

For all of the above, this is totally suspect. And even if it is a one year wonder, I've been dancing for five and I still couldn't design a class!