Ballroom Dance Studio Scams Pt. 1

Ok now that summer has come and I have some time on my hands. It is time for me to expose on the web for all and sundry the truth behind dance school introductory specials. I am talking about the sort of private places you see advertising free or cheap dance lessons in the local entertainment weekly. I'm not talking about adult ed. classes at the local community center or community college. In fact that's where I would recommend going if you want to learn a few moves for your wedding.

All of this information comes entirely from the 5 months or so in 1997 I spent working for a ballroom dance studio in Seattle. I have no real problem naming names, even though I remember signing some contract at the time that I would not reveal any of their secrets, but they might be under new management now or have turned it around. If you want to know the specifics, drop me an email. Really the names don't matter unless you are considering going to that specific studio. I will risk any wrath to save people from getting ripped off at similar places. This is just a factual story of my experience, whether or not they are still doing the same things today, I can only assume.

I honestly can't remember the full name of the director. I can't remember anybody's first name because of the pompous way we had to refer to everybody. As a school teacher, believe it or not we refer to fellow teachers by their first name when the kids are not around. At the dance studio we were only ever allowed to refer to anybody as Mr. or Ms. whoever.

There is virtually no chance my former boss will come after me legally for breaking my contract for a few reasons. First of all, at the time I was working there I managed to get myself on the top of the front page of both the Seattle Times and PI for something that happened at my other job. So she knows very well I know how to drum up negative publicity for somebody when I want to. Second, I still have a few pay-stubs and other documents around which I'm sure the IRS might want to question a certain somebody about.

However, I really could care less about those who find ways to avoid the taxman. (Not that I'm accusing anybody of that . . . yet) As far as I'm concerned the govt. just points a gun at it's own citizens so they can extort their cut and I cheer on anybody who can get away with not paying them. What I really find disgusting are companies that weasel every dime out of lonely guys, old ladies, engaged couples and the like just so they can show off the box step for their friends. It isn't a short story, but lets start with chapter 1.

In the Summer of 1997 I had just finished a BA in editorial journalism from the UW. I lived in an apartment on hip Capitol Hill, I hosted a world music radio show on Saturday afternoons on the local public radio station, so I was basically young, free and single. After five plus seasons working at a concessions job, I told them I wanted a promotion or I was gone. They didn't give it to me so I put in for a six month's leave of absence in June. I was really never expecting to go back. I did go back briefly which I will get to later.

So I was a recent college graduate with a pretty worthless degree and I wasn't really interested in starting my career yet anyway. I already had planned to live overseas for a stint before I got serious. In November of that year I did head to Venezuela but again that's another story. In the Seattle Weekly there was an ad for a ballroom dance instructor. It sounded like fun, I did have a bit of experience with it because I had taken a class back when I was in community college. So why not try out?

I called in and the director told me to come in for an interview the next day. I remember sitting in 'the interview' and thinking how great it would be to work there. The dance instructors in the background all looked so cool and hip. She made it sound so great, talking about trips to Vegas and so forth. I should have been a little suspicious when she didn't want to look at my resume. She just told me to come by the following Monday when nightly 'rehearsals' would start. She explained that everybody starts with the rehearsals where they are taught all the dances and cut if they can't cut the mustard, hired if they can. After 3 days or so the director would hand you an envelope which had a note in it with an X on it if you have been cut.

When I got the envelope that night I was still so gung-ho about working there I was actually really nervous and wouldn't open it until I got home. When I did finally open it I was so excited to know I still got to 'Audition.' A few days later I was officially hired. My week or so of auditions was actually a pretty quick hire as far as this studio was concerned. There were some applicants who would 'audition' for many weeks before they got on the payroll. Another trainee at the time, who is still a friend, just basically cut himself after about 3 weeks when they didn't hire him.

Now the auditions weren't actually just about learning the steps. Half the time or more was spent memorizing the scripts. The scripts were the things you needed to say and do on each lesson of the special. The special is what was advertised and how they got people into the studio. The ad claimed something like 10 lessons for $40 or something like that. But basically you got 4 one-hour sales pitches for your $40. It was made clear that we were not to deviate from the scripts!

Tomorrow - Chapter 2 - The scripts.