Dear Mr. Reynosa:

My husband and I want to start taking ballroom dance lessons but we have called a few dance studios and find that private lessons will cost between $45.00 and $50.00 per hour.  How can we tell which teacher would be best since these lessons are quite costly.

Signed, Confused, M. Rogers, Vancouver, Washington

Dear Confused:

Make sure the studio has a curriculum with structured lessons.  Ask if they teach from a syllabus approved by the National Dance Council.  Check teachers’ qualifications…how long they have been teaching and whether they are certified through the National Dance Council, American Ballroom Association or the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance.

If you are investing in private lessons, you want to make sure you are being taught the proper footwork and dance positions.  Whether you compete or not, proper footwork is essential to look the best on the dance floor.