Silicon Valley Ballet announced in February 2016 that the company would close and file for bankruptcy. The closure included the school—and $250,000 in tuition money for the current school year and summer program was lost in the bankruptcy. But the collapse could not take down Dalia Rawson, the school director. A survivor who had weathered […]
Planning a recital pre-COVID-19 was enough to make even the most well-organized dance studio owner feel stressed. Add a global pandemic into the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for a nervous breakdown—not to mention a serious revenue shortfall. Good thing studio owners have resilience and creativity to spare: These three owners reimagined and restructured […]
Rachel Arnold is a studio owner who knows how to transform lemons into lemonade. Rather than viewing stay-at-home orders as something to just power through at her Greenville, TX–based school, Dance Prodigy Studio, she’s turned online education into a chance to offer students and staff alike enrichment activities and community-building content. “I wanted great ideas […]
Q: How do I stand out on social media if all the other dance studios seem to say the same things I do? A: Social media works best when you stay true to your unique studio culture. Be relatable, engaging and responsive. Here are some tips we have found useful. Use the kind of tone, […]
Between forced business closures and general fear of contracting the virus, some consumers have begun to ask for refunds of services that cannot be rendered or goods that cannot be delivered. In some cases, some of your customers may be submitting chargebacks on payments already made as a way to obtain their money back without […]
Please join us for a Virtual Town Hall with Misty Lown, owner of More Than Just Great Dancing, an affiliation of 300 studios worldwide, and Youth Protection Advocates in Dance. She’s also a dance studio owner of 23 years. Register here to join the call for Monday, March 30, at 1 pm CST (2 pm, […]
Dancers are resilient by nature. As our community responds to COVID-19, that spirit is being tested. Dance Teacher acknowledges the tremendous challenges you face for your teaching practice and for your schools as you bring your offerings online, and the resulting financial impact on your businesses. Perhaps we can take hope from the knowledge of […]
Q: We always seem to lose the most students after our recitals. How do I prevent post-show fallout? A: Spring recitals are the culmination of our dance season, and even when we receive rave reviews from our students and parents, some do not re-enroll. We have seen attrition rates of 20 percent to 40 percent […]
Q: What tips do you have for beginning studio owners on recruiting students? I’m just starting out and am not sure where to begin. A: When we first opened we didn’t have a lot of cash for advertising, so during the summer we approached several preschools about conducting a 30-minute intro-to-dance class, free of charge. […]
Your year-end recital is your studio’s pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Not only is it the time for your dancers to celebrate what they’ve accomplished during the year, it’s your opportunity to demonstrate to parents firsthand the value of a dance education. A successful recital can also grant your school an […]