Help guide · about a 4 minute read
How do private lessons work at JL Dance?
Private lessons are optional sessions where 1 to 4 dancers work with a JL teacher at our Ripley studios. They add focused time on top of regular weekly classes, most often for competition routines, exam preparation or specific technique, and are booked and paid online.
- dancers per lesson
- 1 to 4
- minimum lesson length
- 30 min
- notice to cancel with a refund
- 72 hrs
- our studios only, no home visits
- Ripley
Optional, and an addition to weekly classes, never a replacement for them. Prices vary by teacher and are always shown before you confirm.
What a private lesson is
A private lesson is bookable time with one teacher and a small number of dancers: 1-to-1, or 2-to-1, 3-to-1 and 4-to-1 for duets, trios and quartets. Lessons are a minimum of 30 minutes and can be booked for longer where teacher and room availability allows.
Any style we teach can be covered, depending on which teachers have availability. Choose a teacher who specialises in what your child wants to work on. If you are not sure who that is, ask their regular teacher and they will point you to the right person.
What families actually use them for
Competition routines. Solos, duets, trios and quartets are choreographed and rehearsed in private lesson time. Once a routine is set, we add it to the student database and you can see its details in the Comp Team portal.
Exam preparation. In the run-up to ISTD exams, some dancers use a private lesson to go over syllabus work with focused attention.
A specific skill. A trick, a technical correction, or something a dancer keeps getting stuck on in class that would benefit from individual teacher time.
Most bookings come from existing JL students, and competition dancers use them most of all. External dancers are welcome too: please get in touch before booking so we can make sure you choose the right teacher, service and lesson type.
What private lessons are not is a requirement. No dancer at JL needs them to progress, be entered for exams, or get the same attention in class as everybody else. If your child is attending weekly classes consistently, they are already doing the thing that matters most.
How booking works
Private lessons use their own online booking system, separate from Class Manager. Prices are per 30 minutes, vary by teacher, and are shown before you confirm. Payment is taken online at the time of booking, so there are no surprises later.
- 1 Go to the JL Dance website.
- 2 Open Members Area.
- 3 Choose Book Extras.
- 4 Click Book Now.
- 5 Select the teacher, date and time.
- 6 Pay online to confirm the booking.
Duets, trios and quartets share a private lesson as standard, and siblings or friends working on the same thing can too. One person books and pays for the lesson, and the other families settle their share with them directly.
Cancellations, and why we ask for 72 hours
We ask for at least 72 hours' notice to cancel a booking with a refund. Here is why: teachers plan their working week around confirmed lessons, and 3 days gives a fair chance for the time to be reused.
With less than 72 hours' notice we cannot refund the booking, but you are welcome to offer the slot to another suitable dancer so it is not wasted. If something has gone genuinely wrong, contact us and we will talk it through.
On the day
All private lessons take place at our studios in Ripley, Derbyshire. We do not offer home visits or lessons at external venues.
Dancers should come in their normal uniform with the right shoes and a water bottle. If a competition routine is stage-ready, practising in costume is fine.
All JL teachers hold DBS checks and First Aid certificates, so you are welcome to leave the site during the lesson. If you do, let the teacher know, make sure we have up-to-date contact details, and be back in time for collection.
Common misconceptions
Competition dancers book the most, because solos and duets are set in private time. But any dancer who wants focused help with a skill, or a confidence boost before an exam, can benefit. Some of the most useful private lessons we teach have nothing to do with competitions.
Progress mostly comes from consistent weekly classes, where technique, musicality and performance skills build over time. A private lesson is a tool for a specific job. Booking one because another family has is not a reason we would encourage: the only fair benchmark for your child is your child last term.
They cannot, and we do not offer them that way. Group classes teach things a private lesson never can: dancing with others, holding a formation, performing as part of a team, and the confidence that comes from a class that knows you.
The JL perspective
Some of our favourite time to teach
Private lessons are some of our favourite time to teach. With a whole lesson focused on one dancer or one routine, progress that might take weeks in a busy class can happen in a single half hour. It is often where a competition solo first comes to life, or where an exam exercise that has been almost there for a while finally clicks.
They work best alongside consistent weekly classes, which is where the foundations are built. So if private lessons are not part of your plans, your child is not missing out or falling behind: weekly classes are the heart of everything we do. And when there is a specific goal, a routine to set, an exam on the horizon, or a skill your child is determined to crack, a private lesson is a lovely way to get there, and we would be glad to help.
The JL teaching team
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Private lesson FAQs
Are private lessons required? +
No. They are useful for some dancers at some moments, but no dancer needs them to progress at JL, be entered for exams, or be treated any differently in class.
Can I book private lessons instead of regular classes? +
No. Private lessons only run alongside weekly classes, because group classes build skills a private lesson cannot: teamwork, formations, and performing with others.
Can siblings or friends share a private lesson? +
Yes, where it makes sense, and it is normal for duets, trios and quartets. One person books and pays for the lesson, and the other families settle their share with them directly.
How do I know which teacher to book? +
Choose the teacher who specialises in what your child wants to work on. If you are not sure who that is, ask their regular teacher or contact us and we will point you to the right person.
Can non-members book private lessons? +
Yes, external dancers are welcome. Please get in touch before booking so we can help you choose the right teacher, service and lesson type.
What happens if I need to cancel? +
We need at least 72 hours' notice to refund a booking, because teachers plan their working week around confirmed lessons. With less notice we cannot refund, but you are welcome to offer the slot to another suitable dancer instead.
What if there are no suitable slots available? +
Availability depends on which teachers and studio rooms are free, so there may simply be no extra availability at that time. New slots appear when teachers update their schedules, so it is worth checking back, or contact us for advice.
Still unsure?
If a private lesson sounds right for your child, prices and availability are on the booking page. If you are not sure, ask their regular teacher first: you will get an honest answer. You can also message us on Facebook or email info@jldance.co.uk.