Running a dance studio can be a rewarding, but challenging experience. In order to stay ahead of the competition and keep on top of industry trends, it’s important for dance studio owners to further their knowledge and skills. If you are a dance studio owner, maybe you even have some new year’s resolutions when it comes to growth for your studio. In this blog, we’ll take a look at 10 books you should add to your bookshelf this year. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can challenge yourself to read all of them in 2023! (or you can display them in your studio lobby) Whether you want to learn more about teaching techniques, gain insight into creating choreography, or brush up on business operations, these top picks are sure to provide the knowledge and skills you need to succeed!

1. “A Choreographer’s Handbook” by Jonathan Burrows is an essential resource for any dance studio owner. The book provides insightful and practical advice on how to create and present choreography, develop effective score-keeping structures, and engage with the ever-changing digital landscape. With detailed descriptions of approaches to working with music, space and media, this book is a valuable asset for any dance studio owner looking to better understand their craft. It offers a unique perspective that is both informative and inspirational.

2. “Dance Education: A Redefinition” by Susan R. Koff provides an innovative approach to dance education. Featuring detailed strategies for teaching, learning and assessing dance, the book aims to redefine traditional methods. Koff’s approach to education is rooted in collaboration and dialogue, giving students autonomy over their artistic practice as well as fostering creativity and reflective thinking skills. With engaging examples from professional artists, this book is ideal for any dance studio owner looking to explore new and progressive approaches to teaching all aspects of movement-based artistry.

3. “The Place of Dance: A Somatic Guide to Dancing and Dance Making” by Andrea Olsen is an invaluable resource for any dance studio owner. Drawing on both somatic and movement-based research, the book covers topics such as improvisation, composition, and performance techniques while emphasizing the importance of developing physical awareness. It is an essential guide to understanding the relationship between body and mind in order to create meaningful dances that showcase students’ talents. Through providing a comprehensive approach to teaching, this guide helps studio owners cultivate creative and reflective thinkers while also nurturing technical skill and artistic expression.

4. “Dance Studio TRANSFORMATION: Build a 7-figure studio, increase your community impact and GET BACK YOUR LIFE!” by Clint Salter is an essential resource for any dance studio owner. Through providing clear step-by-step instruction on how to transform your studio into a successful and lucrative business, the book offers guidance on topics such as marketing, technology, staff management, customer engagement, and financial strategies. This book is invaluable for anyone looking to scale their studio while also creating meaningful impact in their local community. With creative ideas and useful strategies that emphasize strong foundational principles such as short-term goals and long-term visions, this guide will help dance studio owners create sustainable success in all areas of their business.

5. “Creativity Inc” by Ed Catmull is a must-read for any dance studio owner looking to enhance their business. Drawing on Ed’s wealth of experience as the co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios, the book provides valuable insights that can be transferred to any creative field. Through exploring topics such as organizational culture, communication and leadership, this book offers invaluable guidance on how to foster creativity while also developing strong team dynamics and successful projects. Dance studio owners will benefit from learning how they can provide an environment that inspires innovation while establishing processes that help achieve goals efficiently.

6. “The Ballerina Mindset: How to Protect Your Mental Health While Striving for Excellence” by Megan Fairchild is an essential guide for any dance studio owner. Through providing strategies that help maintain physical and mental health while striving to excel, the book helps readers develop balanced lifestyles while avoiding burnout. With helpful advice from professional dancers on topics such as goal-setting, stress management and self-care, this book offers valuable insight into how one can strive for greatness without sacrificing their well-being. Dance studio owners will benefit from learning how they can promote excellence in a healthy and sustainable way in their business environment.

7. “The Dance School Owner’s Survival Guide: Everything You Need To Set Up And Run A Successful Dance School” by Sarah Gittins is an ideal book for any dance studio owner. This comprehensive and practical guide covers all aspects of opening and running a successful dance school, from finding the right premises to working with parents, staff and students. With step-by-step advice on setting up finances, marketing strategies and maintaining regulations, this book provides invaluable guidance for any budding dance school owner. Dance studio owners will benefit from reading this book as it offers clear direction on how to create a successful business that is both financially and artistically rewarding.

8. “The Dance Cure” by Dr. Peter Lovatt is an interesting read for any dance enthusiast. This book examines the therapeutic power of dance, explaining how it can help to reduce stress and bring joy back into people’s lives. With detailed advice on incorporating movement into everyday teaching and demonstrations of practical activities, this book provides valuable insight into how to create a positive atmosphere within the studio while teaching classes that are both entertaining and effective. Dance studio owners will benefit from reading this book as it offers clear direction on how to use dance to improve mental well-being in their students, staff and themselves.

9. “Making it Werk: A Dancer’s Guide to the Business of Professional Dance” by Michelle Loucadoux and Shelli Margheritis covers everything from understanding the basics of running a business to planning and executing events. It also guides readers on how to choose venues, promote shows, network with potential clients and develop relationships with other dancers, teachers and industry professionals. Dance studio owners will benefit from reading this book as it offers clear direction on how to expand their reach and survive in the competitive world of professional dance.

10. “Gail Grant’s Technical Manual and Dictionary Of Classical Ballet” – A great reference tool that combines both theory and practice with detailed explanations on movements, terms, exercises and positions commonly used in classical ballet technique.

These books are an essential resource for any dance studio owner, offering insightful advice and encouraging ongoing learning. Hopefully, you get to read at least one this year, even if it’s an audio book. Investing your time in these resources will give you the essential insight you need to keep ahead of the game – so why wait any longer? Get reading!

As dance teachers, it is our job to help our students grow and reach their full potential. We want to see them shine on stage, both technically and artistically. It is not often talked about, but how can we make sure our students are progressing? What tactics can we use to guarantee success? This blog will discuss a few things to think about when it comes to our students’ growth and setting them up for success at the end of the year. One of the best ways to see clear growth in your students is by setting goals together, being encouraging, honing in on techniques, challenging them, and inspiring them.

In order to be successful, one needs to have a clear goal in mind and be willing to work hard towards it. But what if one doesn’t know what their goal should be? Or they’ve been working towards the same goal for a long time and it’s no longer motivating them? Let’s discuss how to set goals effectively and how to stay motivated when reaching them seems impossible. Consider the age group you are teaching and what makes sense to focus on for them. It can be something specific such as adding an extra turn to their pirouettes. To do this, coach your students on proper muscle engagement, alignment, and spotting. Incorporate exercises at the barre that will help them find balance in passé and relevé. Try some cross training exercises to strengthen their hamstrings, core, and rotator muscles.

Maybe you want to focus on something more abstract like musicality, stage presence, or artistry. In building a theme like musicality into your lesson plans, ask your students to think about how the music makes them feel, have them identify different types of notes and rhythms, and teach them basics of time signatures so they can understand the difference between a waltz and a petite allegro. You can even play a game with them where they have to create a combination based on a certain phrase of music, or try to count different pieces of music.

These are some examples of goals you can set for your students and how to incorporate these themes into your classes each week. Also be sure to set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This will help you to better assess if your students are meeting the goals that you have set for them. Working towards a goal, your students will feel more motivated to meet it and more excited about dance when they do.

It is also important to be encouraging as a dance teacher. This means providing positive feedback, listening to your students, and letting them know that you believe in their ability. When you see them working hard, tell them! When they make a mistake, help them to learn from it and encourage them to keep going. Be encouraging with your words, and also with your actions. Show your students that you are invested in their success by being attentive when they need it and being there for extra help outside of class.

One way to ensure your students are consistently improving is by honing in on techniques. This means paying attention to the small details that make a big difference in how a dancer looks and feels on stage. For example, if you notice that a student is always dropping their shoulders, work with them on exercises that will help them relearn this habit. Building a strong technical foundation is one of the best ways to set your students up for success and prevent injury!

Another way to ensure your students are growing is by challenging them. This can be done by providing them with new material that is slightly above their current level, so they have to reach out to achieve it. Give them a combination that is slightly faster than you would trust with them. Throw in a longer adagio and tell them that they are fully capable of getting through it. Drill turn sequences with changing spots rather than a traditional turn sequence. Introduce switch leap! Teach them a gargouillade! The possibilities are endless. Your dancers will be excited by the challenge and interested in learning something new.

Finally, inspire your students! This is probably the most important thing you can do as a dance teacher. Inspire them to be creative, to be passionate, and to be curious. Get them excited about dance and they will want to come back to class every week with new ideas and things to share. Be a source of inspiration for them, and they will want to work hard and grow as performers.

These are a few ways that you can set your students up for success this year. By goal setting, being encouraging, focusing on technique, challenging them, and inspiring them, you will help them to reach their full potential as dancers. So get out there and start making it easier for your students to achieve their goals.

Are you an aspiring dance major? Or maybe you are the parent of one. Studying dance in college is a great option for students who want to pursue dance professionally. As if the college process wasn’t overwhelming enough, auditioning for schools’ dance programs can cause added stress. Between picking colleges auditions, applications, solos, essays, interviews, and other requirements, the college process for aspiring dance majors can be quite overwhelming for parents and students. Not to mention every school will have different requirements and timelines. This blog will walk you through exactly what you need to get organized for your upcoming college audition process.

To start off, sit down and make a list of what you are looking for in your future college. This could include the type of program they offer, location, size of the school, and anything else that is important to you. Once you have your list narrowed down, search for programs that match what you are looking for using Google or other search engines.

Maybe you have an idea of where you want to apply based on summer intensives you’ve attended. If not, don’t worry. Make a list of what you would like in a school and what you wouldn’t. Outside of internet resources, ask friends, family, teachers, and any dance mentors you have about programs they would recommend. This will also help you find connections or first hand experiences of the school itself. Popular dance magazines and websites such as Dance Magazine and DanceSpirit always have resources for dancers looking for programs, too.

After finding your ideal programs, it is time to make a timeline of materials you need and deadlines. Most applications will be due in the fall of your senior year, but it is never too early to start working on them. Many applications will require essays, so start brainstorming topics and writing drafts over the summer. Work with your guidance counselor to make sure you are on track for completing all the necessary requirements like taking the SAT/ACT and sending in transcripts. Before academic applications open, you can start preparing the thing you know you will need for dance applications such as headshots and dance shots, resumes, solos, and letters of recommendation. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that most dance programs will have you apply to BOTH the school academically AND the dance program.

As for audition prep, start practicing your solos early and research more about what each program entails. Auditions can be very competitive, so you want to make sure you are prepared mentally and physically. Each school will have different requirements for their auditions, so be sure to check what they are looking for beforehand. Students (and parents) should make a spreadsheet of information for each college. Get as detailed as you want! Include general information about the school or just stick to info about the dance audition.

While you are finishing preparing your materials and gearing up for the audition, now is the time to do some in depth research. Watch videos of previous performances each school might have on social media or the program website to understand their dance style, read more about the professors and their backgrounds, and consider reaching out to current students to ask more questions about their experience in that program.

After all of this research and preparation, you will be ready to rock all your auditions! Auditions can be nerve wracking but remember that the faculty just wants to see if you are a good fit for their program. Be confident and have fun! Best of luck in your college journey.

Looking for more information on preparing for the college audition process? Check out our College Prep eBook that includes more in-depth planning tips for the audition process and our College Prep Webinar where we interview current college students, teachers, parents, and recent grads on their experiences.

A new school year is about to begin. If you are a dance studio owner, you are probably finalizing class schedules and enrollment for the new year. The beginning of the year is always a busy time and marketing your school, studio, or company to students is sure to be on your mind this summer. So how can you optimize your marketing efforts to get more students into your studio? This blog will discuss a few tactics you need to implement in order to advertise your business and attract more students.

Set Goals and Find Your Target Audience

Before we dive in, the first things you need to consider are your business goals. If you have capacity, you probably want to grow class enrollment, but by how much?? And for who?? Find your target audience by honing in on where your studio needs more students. Maybe your littles classes are at capacity but your teen classes need more students. This will affect your marketing efforts and who you are targeting in your strategies. Depending on what your studio needs to reach it’s goals, you might pivot if you are marketing towards the student, their parents, or both! 

Social Media

We all know that social media is now big for small businesses. But are you using it correctly to promote your studio? Promoting yourself on social media, whether that’s for an upcoming performance or student enrollment, usually needs more thought than posting random information on Facebook every few weeks. Again, consider who your target audience is and what platforms they are on. If you aren’t taking advantage of a variety of social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Tik Tok, consider if there is opportunity within those platforms that you aren’t taking advantage of.

So what should you be posting? Feeds will vary depending on the platform but posting a mixture of information and studio highlights through images, videos, and stories is a great place to start. Social media can be used to share student accomplishments, as well as highlighting staff, teaching practices, choreography, and performances. Be sure to keep your material interesting and/or useful for your target audience. Include call-to-actions in your posts that urge your audience to do something whether that’s registering for a class, buying a ticket to the show, or coming to an open house.

Have a few of your employees carry phones on them, ready to capture fantastic shots/videos (when appropriate) and share them with your social networks. This will give potential students a sense of what it’s like to be a part of your dance family. Parents, older students, and family members will gladly reshare posts that involve them or their kids. This creates more exposure for your studio!

Email Marketing

Email is a fantastic way to stay in touch with your existing students and reach out to prospective ones through newsletters and campaigns. The trick to email marketing is to not overwhelm your reader! Limit the number of emails you send so your reader doesn’t feel like they are being spammed. Keep your emails short and incorporate images and graphics. Include clear call-to-actions and make sure the most important information is easy to identify. Design an email template with your branding so your readers can identify your newsletter. Don’t forget to include buttons to important links like purchasing tickets, registering for a workshop, or buying performance photos!

Get Involved in Your Community

Getting involved in your community is essential to marketing your business. As a dance studio, you are an important member of your community! Partner with other businesses to promote each other through posters, flyers, and social media. You can also consider partnering with relevant businesses such as dancewear and athletic brands to offer discounts for each other’s customers. Promotions like this can benefit all parties involved. 

Volunteer and donate to help relevant organizations as well. You can host free dance classes at schools or put on performances for charity organizations. Networking through these events and organizations will benefit your community and allow you to network with other businesses.

Events and Open Houses

Another great way to build your class enrollment is to host promotional events like open houses, bring-a-friend-to-class-days, or even fundraising events like profit-shares with a local restaurant or galas. All of these events will allow you to open your door to not only your current students and their families, but also their friends! At an event like an open house, prospective students can meet with teachers and get excited about the year to come, hopefully signing up for classes in the process. 

Promotional Materials

While there are many more ways you can market your studio, school, or company, our last tip is to make sure you have branding materials available. Give your current students t-shirts with your studio name on it. Have branded jackets that your students can take with them to competitions to show their dance studio spirit! Look into other branded merch such as stickers. Sticker Mule is a great resource for branded materials such as stickers, t-shirts, and packaging. Check them out to get started on merch for your studio!