Running a successful dance studio often feels like a balancing act. Studio owners want to grow enrollment and bring in new students, but advertising costs can quickly eat into profits. The good news is that increasing enrollment doesn’t always require spending more money on ads. In many cases, the most effective strategies involve improving the […]
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20 Things Only Dance Moms Understand
If you’ve ever spent hours in a dance studio lobby, rushed across town for back-to-back classes, or carefully sewn rhinestones onto a costume at midnight, you already know that being a dance mom is a unique experience. Dance moms play a huge role in supporting their children’s passion, often becoming chauffeurs, costume managers, snack providers, […]
The Hardest Things About Being a Dance Teacher
From the outside, being a dance teacher can look like a dream job. You spend your days in a studio surrounded by music, movement, and students who share a love of dance. You get to choreograph routines, watch dancers improve, and celebrate performances on stage. But anyone who has spent time teaching dance knows that […]
Weighing the Advantages and Disadvantages of Dance Competitions, Part 1
In the realm of dance instruction, there are two different primary schools of thought when it comes to the topic of dance competitions. Some instructors, parents, and students are enthusiastic supporters of competitive dance. Others are adamantly against the practice. So who’s right and who’s wrong? There’s no simple answer to that question. Many people […]
Creating a Dance Studio Culture Where Boys Feel Just as Welcome as Girls
Bringing boys into a dance studio that is primarily made up of girls can be one of the most rewarding – and sometimes challenging – parts of building a strong program. When handled well, it creates a more dynamic, versatile, and professional environment for all dancers. At the same time, it requires thoughtful leadership, clear […]
Teaching Life Skills: Resilience, Part 2
Among many life skills your students can learn in your gym, resilience (see Part 1) is definitely among the most significant. Children start facing challenges early in life, and they need to learn to respond in a way that’s healthy. Every time they respond to even small daily challenges with resilience, they strengthen that life […]
Dance Competition Planning: The Importance of a Post-Season Review
Dance competition season has its perks, but it’s also quite demanding! As ready as you may be to stop thinking about competition until next year, you’ll be better prepared next time competition season rolls around if you take a little time now to evaluate this season and do a little pre-planning for next year. You’ll […]
Online Marketing for Dance Studios: Your Facebook Page, Part 1
Facebook. On a personal level, you either love it or you hate it. As a dance studio, you can’t afford to ignore it. If you’re going to keep up with only a single social media platform, we recommend Facebook, hands down. In fact, if you had to choose between a website and a Facebook page, […]
Ballet Shoes for Beginners
Whether it’s your preschooler who’s beginning to take ballet classes, or you’re starting out yourself as a teen or adult, the number-one item on your shopping list before classes begin should be a pair of beginner ballet shoes. True ballet shoes are completely flat shoes, made from either satin or leather. Fabric for Ballet Shoes […]
Why Boys Quit Dance – and What Studios Can Do About It
Many studios work hard to bring boys through the door – but keeping them is often the bigger challenge. It’s not uncommon for boys to start dance at a young age and gradually drop out as they get older. While every dancer’s journey is different, there are some clear, consistent reasons this happens – and […]
Dance Competition Planning: Find a Theme that Shines
Your studio’s chosen dance competition theme offers two main benefits. First, it can make your dancers’ performance — and, by extension, your studio — more memorable. Second, it can make decisions easier by limiting your possibilities. And with all the choices necessarily part of competition season, you’ll be glad for that more limited selection. The […]
Teaching Life Skills: Resilience, Part 1
The little people who enter your gym aren’t simply potential future gymnasts; more importantly, they’re future adults and contributors to society. And the skills they need in order to grow into that important role can be developed now in your gym. We’re not talking primarily about the physical skills you’ll be teaching your students, here […]
Dance Recital Planning, Supervised
No matter how skillful a dancer and instructor you may be, recital planning requires an entirely different skill set that takes time to hone. If you haven’t read the first three posts in this series on recital planning, we highly recommend you go back and read those, first: Dance Recital Planning, Simplified Dance Recital Planning, […]
Transform Your Holiday Dance Recital From Predictable to Profitable, Part 2
Your dance studio’s holiday recital should be a celebration of the beauty and grace of the Christmas season. It should also be a time for your studio to bring in enough revenue for you to see a profitable start to the New Year. In our first article, we discussed how online ticket sales and including […]
How to Retain Students: Proven Techniques for U.S. Dance Studios
One of the biggest challenges for dance studio owners is keeping students enrolled year after year. While attracting new students is important, maintaining a loyal base is what sustains a studio long-term. By focusing on relationships, community, and consistent quality, dance studios can improve retention and create a thriving environment for students and families alike. […]