Jerry Seinfeld described what comedians do as “Selling Hot Air”. Not to diminish what we earn through countless years of training our bodies or paying masters for training, we are not selling a tangible product. When our students go home at the end of the day, what they have taken home is nothing but what they remember and the emotions they have felt. So from our side of the transaction we are selling our time. But consider this- While our Time is precious, will we ever run out of the “air” we are selling. In other words, do we work any harder teaching three steps in a lesson or in 45 minutes of theory? I recently engaged a former owner of a franchise studio. Though friendly, we discussed the workings and the philosophy of the franchise model. I related how when I worked at both FADS and AMI I had difficulty with the concept of a one size fits all approach to teaching. I asked him point blank why a student who is talented is taught at the same speed as a student who is elderly or dance challenged. He became quite determined that what he was selling was a program. I reflected on those days 40 years ago when I first heard those words. They didn’t make sense then, they make even less sense now. 

I want you to consider something. If you and I teach two students of equal ability the same thirty lessons- basically twice a week for four months. At the end of that period, my student has been taught to follow, never knowing in advance what step I will lead, without spending much time memorizing steps that she will never lead. The focus is on true following- the act of dancing after the lead, reacting to a basic set of timing rules. Instead the other student can pass a test on all the named steps in your syllabus through Bronze 1 and 2. I will guarantee you that should these two ladies go to a nightclub, mine will dance twice as much as yours, and subsequently, your student will enquire how she got so good. Both spent the same amount of money, one received significantly less. As long as I can continue to improve the student, I will not lose her. The challenge for me is to introduce that student to the other dances and or possibly the thought of pro-am. My student has been told that learning to follow is more important than learning steps. I have made it easy for this person to dance. The other teacher has made it difficult. If both students quit after thirty lessons, mine has the ability to go out into the world and enjoy, hopefully recommending me to friends. The other on the other hand is limited to only dancing with dancers who know the same syllabus. I once described that as selling a car to someone that only you have the parts and tools to repair. It’s why pros and many dancers dislike dancing with studio dancers. 

I never understood that concept until US Champion and legendary teacher Bobby Medeiros told me how he hated dancing with the top pro girls because they could not follow. I have experienced the why many times now in my career. It is a rare competing latin pro that understands the art of following. If they can it is because they have been taught to do more than just compete. 

The post 90’s influx of Eastern Europeans and Asian top dancers, brought a high level of technical dancers but dancers that were discouraged from ever social dancing. Social dancing was considered a waste of time towards reaching the goal of excellence. But having taught in the elite level Ice Skating world I saw that skaters that were introduced to high level performance based skating, burned out by the time they were in their late 20s. Having skipped much of the normal development of multiple activities, dating and sports, by the time they hit their late 20s, they either are elite level and continue onto a professional career or completely give up the sport and move on. 

My good fortune to start during the height of the disco craze, in a college program taught by Ron and Carol Montez, paved the way for my success because we looked at dances as the tool by which we could express the music of that day. As Ron developed into a US Champion, he pulled along almost a dozen teams that went on to win US Championships of various levels and styles. He introduced us to masters of social dance like Buddy Schwimmer and never made us think that was a lesser skill.

To come back full circle to the concept of selling air. I will guarantee you one thing- few adults ever come into a studio wanting to look like Dancing with the Stars or compete. That is so hard for us professionals who have worked to create something beautiful and be told “It’s beautiful but why would I want one…” 99% of our business comes in because it is an easy way to meet people. Terry likes to say people come in to dance because of a change in their life. They either want to find someone, forget someone, the kids are finally grown and gone, they have gained weight and want to change, and a few similar reasons. So if we analyze the psychology of our business, true success happens when we facilitate relationships, making it a fun thing to do. If you can understand the premise not that “dancing is fun” but that we have fun while dancing. If you change the focus of your instruction to TEACHING STUDENTS TO HAVE FUN WHILE DANCING, you will create students that bring their friends and become your best referral source. My training course is based on this principle which we used to grow massive classes. The price of air is a term that I use intensively to teach many concepts that lead to success.