Q: I want to do a holiday performance and need some advice. How do you get parents on board? How do you keep it economical? What other money makers do you do at your holiday show other than ticket sales?

A: Parents tend to get on board with a holiday performance when you pitch it as an optional opportunity for their children to gain more onstage experience and to demonstrate all that they have learned up until this point in the year. If you set an expectation that the performance will be economical and seek solutions to fulfill that promise, the parents will be happy.

One way to do this is to have your students rent costumes for a small fee rather than buy them outright. The fee should be based on the price of the costumes, how long you plan to use them, and what it will cost you to clean, repair and store them.

Some studios choose a simpler solution by adding holiday accessories like gloves, scarves and hats to the student’s already existing dancewear. Another creative costume solution is to have your younger dancers wear holiday pajamas, while the older dancers wear black leggings with ugly sweaters.

When doing a holiday performance, keep in mind your hard costs like theater rental, production and staff. You can generate additional performance revenue beyond ticket sales with things like selling teddy bears in dance outfits with a balloon, flower bouquets or concessions at the show.