If you have a question, take a look here and see if you find the answers. If not, feel free to get in touch and we will do our best to answer.
Do I need a partner?
Our private lessons are exclusively for couples only. For group lessons, most tend to come with a partner and want to learn together
therefore we do not usually rotate partners during a group class. We do have several single people who come along to learn to dance who often find a partner at the classes
or people who can swap to have a dance with them from time-to-time. For new beginner classes we never really know if there will be free single people to dance with
until the classes have been running. Everyone is welcome with this in mind.
What do I wear?
For social group and private lesson we do not have a strict dress code and prefer you to come comfortably
in clothes and shoes that you can move in. Our advice would be to wear a few layers for cold evenings when it gets warm in the classes, and
shoes that will stay on your feet without the latest mega-grip sole or mining boots! For competitors or more serious dancers we encourage you
to wear dance wear or smarter clothes where possible, including dance shoes.
Do I need to book in advance?
For novice and intermediate group lessons, you can just turn up at the time of the class and pay on the door. Prices are stated
on the Classes section. Our special New Beginners and Argentine Tango course is the only exception to this where booking in advance is encouraged although this can
be done just prior to the first lesson. Bare in mind it is best to join a new beginners class near to the start date, within maybe three to four weeks,
otherwise the class has started to progress beyond beginners and it can be difficult to catch up without prior experience. For private lessons
you will need to book in advance with a confirmed time and date for your lesson.
What if I miss a week?
If you attend our group lessons, never worry about missing the odd week here or there - we all lead busy lives. We will
always do our best to help you catch up and our lessons revise previous weeks as we progress too. For private lessons, you must give us 48 hours notice
if you cannot attend as we will have to try to fill your slot at otherwise short notice. Unfortunately cancellation within 48 hours incurs full charges for the lesson. Where you
attend a course that is pre-paid, it will not be possible to cancel or refund if you give less than seven days notification of your intention to do so prior to the start of
the course. This is largely due to smaller venue restrictions where we reserve you a place and refuse others after our teaching capacity is reached.
What dances do you teach?
Our group lessons will teach you either Ballroom & Latin American or Argentine Tango depending on which classes you
attend. Ballroom & Latin American classes start at a beginner level with introductions to Waltz, Quickstep, Jive, Cha Cha Cha and Social Foxtrot. Occasionally
we might show you something a little different just for fun! For novice and above levels we introduce you to Tango, Rumba, then Samba and Slow Foxtrot. From time to
time we teach other dances, including some of the more famous sequence dances for special occasions. For private lessons, we teach many styles of partner dance but our
main coaching is with the ten Ballroom & Latin American dances.
My partner has two left feet. Can you help?
We have never yet met anyone with two left feet. Neither have we met anyone that we haven't been able to teach
some dancing too. Everyone learns in different ways and at different speeds but sometimes the slower learners end up with a more thorough understanding and become
better dancers in the longer term. Just be patient with yourself and your partner, enjoy learning and you'll be dancing in no time.
Can I cancel my membership?
To the best of our knowledge, no-one has ever cancelled their membership with us! However, you can stop your membership at any time
but it is not possible to refund your membership fee. For classes or items where you pay in advance from us
regrettably no refunds can be given unless in the unlikely event that the event, class or function was not able to go ahead in which case you would be entitled to a full
or part refund as appropriate.
Are you qualified?
Very much so! We are fully qualified professional teachers with the Imperial Society of Dance Teachers (ISTD) in the UK. This is a highly
respected organisation around the world. In addition we also hold a scrutineering qualification with the BDC. We also continue our professional development regularly
with some of the world's leading Dancesport coaches and are, ourselves, full time active professional dancers, demonstrators and tutors. This allows us to bring the very latest
choreography and technique developments to our students and dancers.
I have a medical condition. Can I dance?
In honesty, we don't know. If you are unsure then please consult your doctor or a medical professional to advise you.
Dancing does require some physical exertion but to what extent is up to you. At the top level of Dancesport the body is working extremely hard all of the time, but at the
beginning, very much less so. The Latin dances can be quite fast paced and it is true that dancing does keep you fit and active. We all have to work suitably with what
we've got but do please check it out properly if you are unsure.
