the suburban dance nazis

[swingchickie]

last night i went to my first *real* (in a studio) dance class since i moved back to philly. for months i've been saying i was going to check out la luna, because they have a good reputation in the area... pretty much every instructor at every salsa club in philly teaches there, and they have heidi groskreutz, who won "so you think you can dance" this past season. heidi teaches west coast swing there, so i figured i'd finally found a teacher in the area that could challenge me a bit. i've had their classes listed in my calendar for forever, and kept having excuses not to go... but now that i'm competing in a few weeks, i figured i'd better go and sign up so i could scrape the rust off.

after getting incredibly lost (damn expedia.com directions), i showed up 10 minutes into the class. i told the receptionist i was new and wanted to become a member (as a member, you pay $60/month for 4 classes, any 4 classes you want), and filled out all the paperwork for my card. then i asked, "i'm a bit late, i'm assuming it's too late to finish out the WCS level 3 class that's going on right now?" she looked at me as if i'd asked her to pop off her own head and set it on the counter: "um, NO, actually, we prefer that everyone start with level 1." "i understand," i replied, "but i've taken classes for years and even compete in WCS... i have a competition in a few weeks, and just don't want to start back at level 1." ( i felt like a snot saying that, but come ON.) she insisted that i start at the beginner level, and then maybe move up if the teacher felt i was ready. i was starting to get frustrated. "tell you what," i asked, "can i just sit in on tonight's level 3 and watch... and if it's over my head i'll go down a couple of levels?" she agreed that i could just sit there and watch, and directed me towards the studio the class was in.

heidi wasn't teaching last night... instead, it was michael frank, an absolute sweetheart of a guy who was teaching the beginner lesson at a dance i went to when i first moved back to philly. (can't find the post, but about a year ago i raved at what a nice guy and good instructor he was.) so i put on my dance shoes, but sat off to the side while he taught a tiny class (6 people) how to do a move that included a body roll. it was easy, something i could have followed on the social dance floor if it was led... but the people in the class were struggling (body rolls feel really awkward if you've never done them). michael saw me sitting and was like, "are you going to join us?" i got up hesitantly, wondering if the receptionist was going to see me on a closed-circuit camera and rush in to take a flying tackle at me. turns out he remembered me from a year ago (!!!!!!!!!), and asked me to help him demonstrate the move. beauteous.

so, the class was fine... the move he taught was a cute one, and he's an awesome teacher, but because of the level of dancers in the room it moved waaaay too slow for me. i talked to michael after the class and thanked him for remembering me from one night a year ago... and explained to him that i had been told i shouldn't take the class and should start at level 1. he rolled his eyes and did that "pssshhht" thing in the way that only a fabulous gay man can: "NOOOOOOOOO... if i have to, i will go out there and yell. at. them!!!! there is NO WAY you're taking a level 1!!!" hee. actually, i might even take the level 4 this thursday if the weather holds up... i'd like to see how that instructor is.

so, all in all a good night. i am officially signed up for classes, i got to reconnect with a fabulous teacher (and he'll be at the same dance weekend as me in a few weeks!), and did some cute moves for 1/2 hour. and all that despite the dance nazi trying to keep me out of the room. :)

Comments

[swankyfunk.livejournal.com]

NO DANCING FOR YOU!!! LEVEL 1!!!

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

ok...your user icon is to DIE for. so hot!

[shanabanana.livejournal.com]

I understand reluctance to let people jump levels...we have people who come in all the time who want to jump straight to intermediate when they've taken one lesson. But we don't make everyone start with level 1, we just make them dance with the instructors so we can evaluate their level. The receptionist was waaaaaaay off. Just because you haven't danced there doesn't mean you haven't danced!

[swingchickie.livejournal.com]

exacly. i can understand that there may be some people who just want to take classes with a teacher who's been on TV, and they'd misrepresent their skill level to get in her class... but you have to judge each individual person, not just start everyone out in a beginner class. sheesh. :)