Ask the Experts
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Q: I’d like to start using online registration at my studio, but I don’t know where or how to get started. How expensive is it, and what options are out there?
A:There are several options to consider regarding online registration. Currently, we use online registration, but just a few years ago we primarily used mail-in registration. We used to send out tens of thousands of schedules, whereas now we direct everyone to our website. It has saved us a significant amount of money.
One option is to apply a “boxed” software solution or work with a basic web-designing program. For example, our current website was created on FrontPage, which is a Microsoft product. You can create a very simple online registration system, and that’s what we’ve done, thus far. A dedicated staff member or someone with web-based knowledge and savvy could easily operate this system.
There are also several companies your business can contract to provide an online registration system. You’re able to incorporate their online registration system and streamline it into your existing website. When a person accesses that feature, they’re actually being directed to another website, but it appears as if it is still your own. One great option is Mindbodyonline.com. This service offers customized management solutions that are created specifically for yoga, Pilates and dance studios.
We are currently in the process of working with a web developer to create a customized registration system for our particular needs. The downside is that this is the most expensive option and it will likely cost upward of $25,000. But in addition to the online registration, we’re also redesigning our website and integrating a database system.
Douglas Yeuell is the Executive Artistic Director of Joy of Motion Dance Center, in Washington, D.C.
Q: Recent studies on the physiological and mental benefits of rest made me wonder how I should guide my college students during their month-long holiday break. Is it better to encourage them to keep up with class, or would some rest do them good? Might they benefit more by participating in another activity, like yoga or Pilates, during their time off?
A: Dancing in a university program can be as stressful mentally as it is physically. In addition to the daily barrage of technique classes, rehearsals and performances, there is the added burden of term papers and final exams for academic classes. By the time the holiday or spring break rolls around, the dancer’s mind and body need a break.
I often advise my students to take a full one-week break after the end of classes—to relax, sleep and let the stress of the completed semester drift away. On a longer holiday, I encourage them to either take a few dance classes a week from someone besides their university professor or experiment with classes in other movement forms, such as Pilates, yoga, swimming, cycling, aerobics and weight training. Breaks from class are also an excellent time to attend dance performances, music concerts and visit museums. Both the body and brain need variation in their routines. The semester break is the perfect time to explore fun classes and inspiring performances that release the mental and physical stress of university life.
Bob Boross is an associate professor and chair of the dance department at Stephens College in Columbia, MO.
