Hope this crazy weather has been working with you and your busy upcoming holiday schedule, I wanted us to get a few comments out in the open as well as some important changes that have taken place. Also, how many of you just met Jazmin on her last visit? We have a lot of new Sensazao Members and if it was your first time with the crew together we'd like to hear about it, even if it was your 100th time actually :)
I'd like to remind all of you that paper passes are extinct here at SDFS and for a good reason! Saves trees AND saves you the trouble of being extra worried that you don't misplace the pass. With the key cards we have your classes in the system! It's only $5 for the first card and the form is super short and simple! If you have seen it (or when you see it) the highlighted fields are required and the rest is optional but we'd love it if you give us all that info for the sake of our system.
Please remember that we do not share any of your information with any third parties, it's entirely for us and it does not leave our system.
Another reason we've made this change is because we will eventually allow you guys to buy your passes online and that means less time at the front desk. It also means that in the future, when we sell our SensApparel online, you will be able to buy it straight from your account! Another exciting feature is that you will eventually be able to request private sessions with your favorite instructors straight from your account!
It's all for the sake of saving time, letting you have some more control, and making it smooth and easy to enjoy our Sensazao Dance Fitness Classes!
Now some comments we've received:
Class was less than 50 minutes. Please start on time!!!We sincerely apologize for this, we talk to our instructors when this happens and we ask that it does not happen again, I believe it has been getting better (I have not been in the studio much to supervise this so I am not 100% sure). I would like to ask, only if you feel comfortable with this, that you mention it to the instructor at that exact moment after the class is over. They are not just there to guide you through a Sensazao Dance Fitness workout but also to be your friend and to take in constructive criticism to become a better instructor for themselves and for you (please do not be rude or have an attitude, no matter how upset you are, because then it is not constructive criticism).
I think the kid classes are really good and energizing for kids. Love L.... (to remain anonymous)Why thank you and thank you to Vito for being in charge of such a wonderful program and thank you to Sarah for being Vito's right hand and also helping our Sesazao Kids program, it could not be as fun and energizing without the two of them! If you have not brought your little ones to a Sensazao Kids class you should! Immediately! (Tue & Thu at 6PM)
The music is too loud!!! It makes me dizzy! =(I feel your pain guys but it's simply the way our instructors are motivated to give you a rocking and awesome Sensazao Dance Fitness workout. However, because we do not want to force you to go through this, we have earplugs available at the front desk, you just gotta ask for them and they're yours! I would also advice to not stand close to the speakers. Some of our other instructors don't have the music as loud, so maybe you can try them out if you're not picky about that ;)
You guys are awesome! =) More Gabriela's classes during the evening! (Maybe 6 and 8?) Bring back old choreos! More "40+" minutes remixes! Bring back Sensa-parties! Bring back Jazmin (LOL)THANK YOU! We'll make sure we tell her but I bet she'd be happier if you tried some of our other instructors and written feedback is always welcome! Old choreographies, some have been brought back but if there are any in particular I'd talk to them personally and request them nicely ;) I'll pass along the message on the remixes and Jazmin was just here so I hope all of you enjoyed her presence, energy, talent, and classes. Let's hope she comes back soon!
On a final note, please note that Gaby/Mami/very sweet lady at the front desk is on vacation in Bolivia (for one month) and therefore we'll be a little short on staff occasionally so I ask for your patience should it be super full/crowded.
I will stop here. Hope all this info has been helpful or entertaining, either or is quite alright as long as you enjoyed it. As always, we welcome comments, questions, suggestions, etc. Have a great week and we'll see you at the studio!
Yours,
Diana Espinoza
Hi Diana,
ReplyDeleteWanted to respond to your post. I've heard so many times that the music is too loud. I don't hold the same opinion and I still have pretty good hearing, lol! Therefore, to be facetitious, I'll add -- turn the music up louder, its too low. It needs to feel like an earthquake in the studio -- then I'll really have the beat. Great job and thanks.
O, yeah . . . . and remind Diego and Gabriela not to forget about the awesome routine 'Quiere Mas' and Krosfyah's Road Jam.
Well I will close here and bid you adieu.
Haha thank you for the support Terence! And we shall blast it! No just kidding, we will definitely try to keep a balance but I do want to remind all of you that is is mainly left to the instructors choice, while management calls to their attention your pleas, it is ultimately up to them ;) Thank you for reading Terence!
DeleteWe all love Diego, but this has been the 2nd year in a row that he shows up to the kids halloween party with an inappropriate outfit. We invited the kids grandparents and other family to see them dance and they thought it was just too much. Again, nothing against Diego himself, but please, put on something else on for the kids event. An unpopular comment but one that myself and the parents of two sensakids agree with.
ReplyDeleteWe definitely apologize for that! I must admit that in my life I have not been around children much (I would even say maybe once in blue moon) and therefore had no idea his outfit was inappropriate. I would have definitely said something to him otherwise so my apologies for having all your children and guests witness the outfit. But now that you call it to my attention, I can definitively see why it was inappropriate. It won't happen again, under my supervision of course. Also, thank you for pointing it out :)
DeleteHello Sensazao Management!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I love you, guys! You are amazing!
Just a few notes to improve the overall environment of the studio :)
- You should have a banner or a note at the door when the Studio is closed, something like this:
"Studio closed, sorry, we will come back AT X:XX" (X:XX being the time you are coming back)
Let me elaborate. I know your business hours during week days are from 10 am to 9 pm (Except Friday), but I have seen some times you guys close during the afternoon when there no classes going on. I completely understand the reasons for this, standing at the front desk all day is boring, running errands here and there, and well, you guys have a social life too! :) Therefore, as a courtesy, I think you should have the banner to let anyone know at what time they should come back, someone like a first time visitor or someone who wants to sign up for a class in advance and was just dropping by ;)
You should also have one note for before studio opens for morning classes. Something like this:
"Studio is closed, will open at 10:00 am, sorry, please wait in line :)"
People in the morning classes (special mention to Saturday's crew) cooperate by making a line to enter the studio, but some people do not respect that and we cannot complain when we actually get to the front desk since the management has nothing to do with it.
I think, the banner will help to maintain order and avoid arguments between attendees just to start the first class of the day fresh and with positive thoughts :)
- About Diego's comments during class!
Diego some times says things during class that go a little too far, specially when he comments on student's age and looks considering the 95% of students are women. These comments do not offend me, I know Diego, but other people may consider them offensive and if that's the case, they provably would not come back. Comments in such tone really give Diego a bad image and would make him become less popular in the long run which is bad for the studio since he is the instructor with more hours.
- This is the most important: I MISS MAMA GABY :((((
Yeah... it hasn't been even 2 weeks yet and we all already miss Mama Gaby's sweetness, BUT HEY, we are not saying we don't like Mr Sabino's charisma! :)
These were just a few notes, and I hope management considers them I hope the length of this comment doesn't bother you, it's just hard to explain in a few words :)
I love you guys, again :)
Hi! And let me first say no comment will ever bother us, that's why we set up the blog, so you guys can express yourselves in as many words as you need (or as many as the blog will let you use).
DeleteOn our hours, I completely understand where you are coming from, however, it's the fact that we only have two people running the studio (since I have moved to VA Beach and only come so often) and they have a million things to do for the studio as well as for themselves. By this I mean that we don't have a set schedule, as much as we've tried to because that would definitely make it easier on you guys and after all that's all we want. What I'm trying to say is that even if we were to say we will be back at this time, chances are we won't and do not want to say one thing and then do another.
This is not to say we won't try but I just don't want to make a promise I cannot carry through.
The line issue. We have tried as far as marking the floor with tape for where a line should be formed but rude people are still rude and nice people won't say anything because all they want is to get their workout, not get into an argument. I cannot express enough how much we've announced this and personally talked to people one proper behavior. But I still ask that when you see something, say something to us. That way we can talk to that person and let them know they can't do such and such.
About Diego, I will repeat myself but it's all I have, we have talked to him plenty of times and he's aware. However he still has students, people still like him, and that's all I have. I think he's gotten better since your comment, I'd like to think at least.
We miss her too, good news is she won't be coming back alone! Her and Jazmin should be coming this weekend. Jazmin will start teaching Monday so everyone's excited about that! :)
Thank you for your notes, I do appreciate them and I will try to work them into a better Sensazão Dance Fitness Studio. We love you all for picking Sensazão and being the caring students/clients that you all are. :)
Any plans to open additional studios in the DC area or is the Landmark studio it for awhile? Thanks for the awesome workouts!
ReplyDeleteHey there!
DeleteThis may be a little late (or a lot actually) but in case you didn't already know we have started teaching in D.C. It's not a Sensazão studio but Diego, Gabriela, and Erin have started teaching at VIDA Fitness located at:
1612 U St NW Washington DC 20009
-Drop-in rate: $15 per person for the Sensazao Dance Fitness class only.
You must tell the front desk person that you are buying a drop-in pass
for Sensazao Dance Fitness. All-day pass: $25 this pass allows you to take
class and use the facilities for the reminder of the day.
They teach Thursdays at 6:45; Fridays at 7:00 and Saturdays at 1:00. Hope this helps or hopefully you're already attending!
Thank you for stopping by and reading our blog.
Hello I'm a long time fan of Sensazao. I have noticed that the routines are not as unique as they were in the past. They are becoming too much like a regular aerobics class and the music seems to be all the same. In the early days the class was more fun because the routines and the music varied. Daniela Mercury (Rapunzel), Shakira (waka waka), Aventura, some arab sounds, salsa, & even a little tango sometimes (in Jasmine's class). Now, it seems like mostly the same type of music (reggaeton or samba) and the same moves over and over again. That's too much like ZUMBA and NOT like DANCE fitness. Perhaps it's the instructors not selecting a good variety, but the class is getting boring. I love Sensazao so I submit this comment with nothing but good intentions. Thank you! :) :) :)
ReplyDeleteHello and first of all thank you for your long time support, it's thanks to people like you that we stay motivated.
DeleteOnto your comment, there could be two reasons for our original routines becoming boring for you:
1) You are right and we have deteriorated in selecting unique sounds and/or routines to go with them or
2) You have been with us for so long that our original routines no longer seem as exotic and interesting as they did when you first started with us.
Granted, I see the variety of genres you speak of that we used to have, but as a business we have been "finding" ourselves (for a lack of better terminology) and as we establish an identity for us and for what we do, we tend to specialize in that area. Then again, it's possible that we have not found good tunes in other genres that motivate us like other tunes did ( tango for example).
On your reference to Zumba I would like to highly disagree. While the general concept (music and working out) may be the same it is the entire process that's different, that's including our old and new original routines.
This bit is for all Sensazão loyal followers as well as curious ones or new ones:
Sensazão Dance Fitness takes pride in their original routines that are put together by our three Master Instructors in accordance with what is beneficial to your body cardio and toning wise. We also strive to motivate your coordination skills while using your memory skills and finally to motivate your dancer side (because we all have it). By all that I mean that we don't just make up moves that will make you work out (which, personally, is what I see Zumba classes are like), we make moves that go with the genre (salsa, cumbia, regueton, samba, axe, etc.) so that you actually learn basic dance steps for the rhythms we use. But our priority is for you to work out, a lot!
That being said I thank you again for your support and for this comment because any good intended comment will always be taken as constructive criticism that we will take into account to become better for all of you :)
I would also like to mention that our Master Instructors are always open to suggestions in new songs, you can find their e-mails in the following link:
http://www.sensazao.com/contact-us/
Thank you for reading our blog!
I have coworkers that are interested in taking the sensazao class but the studio location is inconvenient. Do your instructors teach sensazao (under zumba)at all fitness first locations? My workplace has discounts for fitness first and locations are convenient for my coworkers. I take classes at fitness first in Alexandria and at the dance studio. I see the instructors in Alexandria emphasizing it is a sensazao style they are teaching. I'm sure it would be appreciated to branch out to other locations.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the location that would be convenient for you and your co-workers? Perhaps we can look into starting a real Sensazao class there. The gyms force the name Zumba on all dance fitness classes. As you know we are anything BUT zumba so we battle this situation often which is why we opened our own studio. It always helps to tell the gyms what you want specifically that way they know of the demand for it. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSensazao PR