NYC Drop In Dance Classes?
Unpopular opinion time? I think so.Â
The past few months, I’ve been taking technique classes in preparation for grad school auditions. (Not nearly enough, but hey, at least I’m trying).  Firstly, I KNOW it’s bad that I have not been taking class on a regular basis and ridiculous that I applied to MFA programs with that in consideration. But the facts are: I work 6 days a week. There are only two days a week where I don’t work in the mornings, Monday and Friday, and to take class means getting up at the crack of dawn, driving 40 mins to a bus station, taking a 30 min bus to NYC, running to the subway to travel to a studio, taking class for 3 hours or so, run like HELL back to subway & Port Authority, take a bus home, drive an hour to get my ass to the studio where I teach dance for 4 hours. (This day doesn’t make me the most cheerful, kind dance teacher...) And let’s not even try to think about how I manage to eat meals on these days. (Sooooo many granola bars.) I suppose I could take classes on the weekends, but I like to visit my boyfriend, my friends, my family instead, and relax. And I have no regrets about that.Â
SO ANYWAY, back to my rant.Â
A couple months ago the struggle was real, and I just couldn’t get myself up in time to take get to the studio I wanted, so I ended up at Broadway Dance Center (the closest studio to the bus station). I’ve taken class here many times before when I was still in high school, but have avoided it since because I have never had a positive experience there. (Disclaimer: These experiences are unique to me. Some people love this place and it might be because they are teacher “favorites” or they just pick the right classes at the right times with the right teachers.)  This time was no different, but as an older, smarter dancer, I didn’t just sit back and let it happen. (Well actually I did, but I gave the teacher a respectful piece of my mind at the end of class.)Â
I signed up for Advanced Beginner Contemporary, and Intermediate Ballet.Â
Levels seem to mean almost nothing at most of these places in the city for drop in classes. The teachers teach at their highest level no matter what the level says, and after testing the median class experience level, slow down or keep going. Some choose to ignore the level entirely and if you’re struggling, they tell you to be careful. The latter is what I have found BDC does, 9 times out of 10.Â
Contemporary: (i.e. SYTYCD, or Lyrical.....)
I won’t get into the logistics of how Lyrical and Contemporary are different, but let’s just say a professional non-commercial contemporary dancer would’ve cringed at this class.Â
The warm up left much to be desired. Crazy flailing movement sequences, deep, intense stretches, and balances held for an eternity. All within the first 10 minutes. Not only is this unsafe for your body, the only people in the room that seemed familiar with the warm up were the teacher, and maybe 1-2 of what I later learned were his “proteges”. Not to mention, the room that could probably fit 15 comfortably, held close to 40 students. At $18 a head.Â
There were no explanations for anything, just jumping from exercise to exercise with indulgent movements that seemed to go with whatever train of thought the teacher had at that moment. The transitions were fast and jerky, and impossible to follow. I’ve been through college, and taken advanced level classes elsewhere, and never had this much trouble following a teacher.Â
Corrections were given frugally, and mostly to his “favorites”, who were perfectly competent and had impressive 180 degree turnout. In fact, I caught these few girls conversing before class and I QUOTE,Â
“God, if I didn’t have perfect turnout I’d be such a waste of space. I feel bad for people who don’t have it. It’s just like.... honey, just go home...”Â
We started phrasework that was obviously from a piece the teacher was staging on the “favorites” in the class from another venue, and we were split into groups. All of his “favorites” were put in the first group. (Shocker!)Â
At this point, he occasionally corrected someone, but never with helpful critiques, only negative feedback and body language. One girl marked a step without using her turn out (impossible to do anything full out in the room) and he went “EUUUGH no! Oh no oh no oh no! That’s terrible! Fix it!” She looked mortified.Â
We performed in groups what we had learned so far, before he taught everyone the ending of the combination. There was no room to go full out with so many people in the room. I couldn’t even mark it. He brought the first group out and had them do the ending once slowly before performing the phrase. I was so grateful, because I hadn’t gotten a chance to mark it out.Â
Wrong again. The first group was the only group who got that chance. I didn’t feel confident throwing my body into the movement without even having MARKED it. I couldn’t get the ending of the phrase, 3/4 times we did it.Â
At the end of class, I (as respectfully as I could) explained to the teacher how I would have appreciated that chance that the first group had, to which he replied, “Oh, I didn’t even notice I did that.”
He didn’t notice anyone else dancing in that room.Â
He filmed the first group multiple times on his iPhone, and talked to his favorites when every subsequent group performed. At a couple points, he actually LEFT the room while other groups were dancing.Â
Not much to say here... Frowning woman with thick Russian accent whacked me on the leg and grimaced, yelling, “USE THAT!” (I have very little turn out, and was using all that I had.)Â
Young teacher, very indulgent and only focused on his own movement. HUGE class with no cap on a room that fits about 15.  The warm up was unsafe, and the stretches were something I’ve given to my own kids, though I do it appropriately and slowly introduce them. Transitions were elementary in the way that we jumped to intense stretching immediately, and quick, jerky transitions were not explained. Teacher used negative feedback, and favored students he knew, when all paid the same $18 to be in an open drop-in class. Felt like SYTYCD,  very commercial studio. Dissatisfied.Â
No matter how late I am, I now make it a point to not return there.Â
Now, let’s look at Steps on Broadway!
Here, I have had nothing but positive experiences! Teachers almost always give corrections, classes are capped appropriately, and each studio has a sign with the maximum number of people allowed, because FIRE HAZARDS. Duh. Classes are productive, non-commercial, professional, and I actually learn something every time I go.Â
I’m not going to write a novel for this one, because every class I’ve taken here has been positive. Not saying others can’t disagree, but this is my experience. Here are some bullet points of what I like about Steps.
- kind nurturing environment.Â
- non competitive, nice people, nice teachers
- experienced, many times older professional teachers who care about their students and give feedback liberally.Â
- teachers learn student’s names in almost every class, whether you’ve been there every week, or it’s your first time taking their class. And they remember it.Â
- class structure is smart, and can change the way you dance. You improve.Â
- ballet is not abusive.Â
- levels are true to description. You can take a challenging level as a less experienced dancer, and you will get something out of it and still be given feedback.Â
- well worth $18 for slightly longer class times- 1.5 hours, start and end on time. (Not 1 hr 20 mins, and starting late/ending late.)Â
- actual technique. No SYTYCD. Â
- concise, clear explanations, allow/ask for questions from students.Â
- comfortable amount of challenge.Â
- fantastic guest artists and master classes
- I once shared a ballet barre with Donna McKechnie. (I mean, you really can’t do better than that...)
Favorite teachers: Dawn Hillen, Kathryn Sullivan- ballet, Mindy Upin- Contemporary, Karen Gayle - Horton (she’s AAAAAMAZING), Felipe Galganni- rhythm tap/ rumba tap, Lesley Lockery- tap, Jeff Shade- Musical theatre, many others/ guest artists.Â
Broadway Dance Center= commercial dance. If you want college/conservatory type modern dance, go to Steps on Broadway. Go to Mark Morris Dance Group. ...go anywhere else.Â
Sorry if you actually like BDC. Anyone else with this experience???