It’s Not Personal, It’s Strictly Business

Most of my dance life has been spent with the Famous Franchise. There are advantages and disadvantages of learning to dance at a studio. Cost is generally much higher at a studio and, while we joke about the cost, you always have to remember that the first goal of the studio is to separate you from as much of your money as they can.

Which is not to say that your instructor won’t care about you and your dance journey. The best ones will. I’ve seen far too many honest reactions from instructors when their students do well to know that the instructor does want to see you become the best dancer you can be.

But it is still a business. And the business doesn’t stay in business without money. The studio can go out of their way to make you feel special and that helps take your mind off how much you are actually spending. You just happily hand over your card while joking with other students about how much everything costs.

You know they are about the money. And you know that they know you know they are about the money. (Again, to clarify, this is about studio management and not individual instructors). As long as you don’t feel like they only value you for the income you provide, it all works out. I mean you get to experience the magic that is dance and it is hard to put a value on that.

Sometimes, the illusion breaks down and you see the man behind the curtain. The downside is that even though you know it is just business, it still doesn’t feel good to know that some parts of the studio value your money more than they value you. Decisions are made that may be good for the studio but not necessarily good or consistent with your dance journey.

In the end, I think we all need a dose of reality from time to time. Because you have to remember that it isn’t personal, it’s just business.