Beginners - How do we keep them ???

[Gordon J Pownall]

Ok, so as a teacher, one of the things we can do is make sure that we make people feel welcome, not out of place or even out of sorts by coming to learn to dance.

Taxi dancers do their bit and hopefully the regular dancers and intermediates grab a beginner and have a boogie with them.

Beyond all the basic stuff, financial incentives etc., what else can be done to keep those new vict...oops - members coming each week.

Practical advice would be useful and interesting as busking season is upon us and those bright faces coming through with their free membership flyer need to be retained...

No doubt lots of us will be out and about generating trade - keeping it after that first or second visit however......

What do you think???

If you are a new member / beginner, what kept you coming back for more..???

[Gordon J Pownall]

Do you think watching the JiveMasters 2003 video would inspire beginners to stay? - we have a few available from www.cerocmetro.com

Can't believe I forgot that....

[Dreadful Scathe]

If you are a new member / beginner, what kept you coming back for more..???

Hot babes, it was fun and ..er..hot babes.

Why is there no option for that ?... there are others as shallow as me - i know I've met them

Hey..Mixing your tenses there... "if you are a new member" ? , "what kept you coming back" ? I took it to mean if you were a new member, which i was - longer ago than my ability seems to point towards

[Gordon J Pownall]

Hey..Mixing your tenses there... "if you are a new member" ? , "what kept you coming back" ? I took it to mean if you were a new member, which i was - longer ago than my ability seems to point towards

I assume that at some point, everyone who is now a dancer was a new member / beginner therefore,

If you ARE (as in now) a new member (i.e. have been at least once) what kept you coming back.

Logic indicates that if they are reading this forum and are a new member and have been more than once, they went once and went back again.

If they did not go back after the first visit, then they would be unable to answer the question "What kept you coming back" as the qualifier has not been fulfilled ie. a second visit.

Phew - can I have a rest now please......I might put my feet up and watch a video.......ermmmmmmmm what can I watch...???

[Gordon J Pownall]

So - back to the thread...

What are some of the ways in whcih we can tempt the lifeblood of Ceroc / MJ - the beginner - to stay, develop as a dancer and maintain the cult...?

I've heard of offering 1-2-1 classes for each new person on the evening during freestyle as opposed to just having a dance with the beginners / new members.

What do taxi dancers think would keep them coming back for more - they, more than any other teacher / demo etc, spend most time with beginners ???

[TheTramp]

I've heard that chains work best....

Trampy

[Emma]

Apart from the teacher and taxi dancers being generally fabulous:

-The class atmosphere was laid back and unthreatening.
-Everyone was welcoming and friendly, which meant it didn't matter that I didn't know anyone.
-People asked me to dance even though I didn't have a clue.
-People didn't care that I didn't have a clue.
-I got in half price for three weeks.

I think that the friendly atmosphere was the most important, once the cheap entry got me through the door. Smile at your beginners, and ask them to dance.

[TheTramp]

I still think that chains work best.

Much better than ropes. They can bite through the ropes if you give them enough time....

Trampy

[Emma]

Well yeah: failing the above - chains are good

[Gus]

Well yeah: failing the above - chains are good

One would have thought that chains (and a little imagination) INSTEAD of would be even better

[under par]

You haven't got an option for...."Thought I'd never see my wife(Mrs PAR) again unless I kept going" As she was out there jiving most nights of the week.

[Emma]

One would have thought that chains (and a little imagination) INSTEAD of would be even better

As a social menace I have many answers to that, none of which are postable!

[cerocmetro]

Just tell them "JMV03SA"

If that doesn't work, Chains. I also find padlocking the doors helps

Adam

[Andy McGregor]

I still think that chains work best.

Much better than ropes. They can bite through the ropes if you give them enough time....

Trampy

They can't bite anything if you have a properly secured gimp mask

[Emma]

They can't bite anything if you have a properly secured gimp mask

What's that, Andy??

[Lory]

For me, it was seeing dancers I could aspire too, I was really entertained (and still love to watch) and of course a friendly atmosphere!

If, the first time I attended, there were mainly 'under average' dancers, I may well have thought 'is that it?'

But seeing the teachers and some of the best dancers dance together, really fired me up, then actually getting the chance to dance with some of them, was great!

So my suggestion to the franchise owners, is, look after your better long standing regular dancers, reward the ones who are consistently friendly and welcoming to newbies, keep them coming and the newbies will hopefully keep coming back too. Maybe ask a couple of the new people to say who 'made' their evening for them. Then take the time to thank that person personally and maybe give the odd free pass out occasionally as a sign of appreciation?

I know lot's of people, who aren't taxi dancers and who wouldn't want to be but they still contribute greatly to making a good atmosphere! You know the ones I mean, the ones, when they walk through the door, at least 5 peoples faces light up!

[Andy McGregor]

What's that, Andy??

Wasn't there a gimp in Pulp Fiction? And you can find out if you are a gimp here.

I'm not sure what the masks look like because my masters and mistresses have never let me use a mirror - all I know is you definitely can't bite anything when you're wearing one

[Andy McGregor]

So my suggestion to the franchise owners, is, look after your better long standing regular dancers, reward the ones who are consistently friendly and welcoming to newbies, keep them coming and the newbies will hopefully keep coming back too. Maybe ask a couple of the new people to say who 'made' their evening for them. Then take the time to thank that person personally and maybe give the odd free pass out occasionally as a sign of appreciation?

I know lot's of people, who aren't taxi dancers and who wouldn't want to be but they still contribute greatly to making a good atmosphere! You know the ones I mean, the ones, when they walk through the door, at least 5 peoples faces light up!

I think Lory has hit the nail on the head. No discount is going to get people to come to a night that hasn't already got fun people at it. As an experienced dancer some venue owners even let me in for free. This is great when it happens but I've never come to expect it and never go anywhere just because it's a free night. There's got to be some other experienced dancers there too

It's the usual story of 'people go where people go'.

And, tonight I'm going to Dorking

[Minnie M]

Could the poll be changed to more than one choice ?

[under par]

Wasn't there a gimp in Pulp Fiction? And you can find out if you are a gimp here.

I'm not sure what the masks look like because my masters and mistresses have never let me use a mirror - all I know is you definitely can't bite anything when you're wearing one

You do concern me Mr McGregor!