Winter Show = GO!
It’s that weird time of year where it still kinda feels like summer, but the routine of the academic calendar is returning with back to school and back to dance. In the midst of it all, NOW is the time to say “yes!” to some type of winter show. Here are 3 reasons why: 1. […]
Independence Day, Lobby Edition
During the pandemic, many dance studios closed their lobbies and found alternative ways to successfully execute administrative tasks and serve their populations. This shift was a positive change for our dance studio locations. By repurposing our former lobbies, we now have more productive workspaces that serve a variety of functions. If you’re considering doing the same, […]
Five Reasons Why I’m Opting Out of the “Done Club”
The Done Club. Around May or June, if you’re in the dance industry, this phrase starts popping up on social media with the frequency of 2014’s Ice Bucket Challenge. But, for us, it happens like clockwork, every single year. “Made it to the Done Club!” “Meet the newest member of the Done Club!” The “Done […]
A State of Grace: Balancing the New Normal
As we all finish our show seasons, we might have allowed ourselves a second of celebration before the reality of the challenges ahead fully set in. While we are closing the chapter of the people that stood by us and cheered us on throughout an entire season of the pandemic, we are now facing the […]
Ring in that Summer Cha-Ching: Ways to Keep the Revenue Rolling During the “Off Season”
The #1 way to generate revenue for your dance studio is to keep as much of your revenue in-house as possible. While summertime is typically known as the “low-revenue season,” it doesn’t have to be that way. With a little strategy and planning, you can reap the rewards of an excellent summer session that […]
Falling ≠ Failure: Three Steps for a Graceful Recovery
As dance educators, we know how GOOD it feels when our students persevere. Whether it is the music cutting out during a performance or a brave recovery after an unexpected fall, we champion and encourage their resilience, in rehearsal and in performance. In our industry, we’ve surpassed the year benchmark of COVID-19 shutdowns and challenges. […]
Time to Get it Done: Bossing Up and Being Present
Happy New Year! We are still trucking through the COVID-19 crisis and salvaging our businesses. But we have more knowledge than ever and gain more with each and every day! It’s 2021, and that means it is time to GET IT DONE. One of my favorite quotes is: “You can’t talk butterfly language with caterpillar […]
Making the Most of Your Minutes: Planning with Purpose
We all know the song “Seasons of Love” from the musical RENT. It asks, “How do you measure, measure a year?” If you’re like me, many of my minutes in 2020 were measured through processing, applying, and mitigating public health information, applying for grants and funding, and spinning on the hamster wheel of the global […]
How to Not Get Holi-Dazed: Avoiding Burnout and Maintaining Your Momentum for 2021
It’s the most wonderful time of the year? If you feel like you’re crawling into 2021, you aren’t alone. Crisis leadership is exhausting, and we haven’t had a break since March. With holidays feeling unusual amidst an escalating pandemic, the heaviness may continue to weigh on you during this festive season. Now is the time […]
How to Make the Most of The UDMA Costume Shows
Consider these helpful tips on how to make the most of your UDMA visit.
Kindness at Competition Starts with Your Dance Team
Bullying seems so senseless and unnecessary. And yet, it still occurs in seemingly all environments. It happens at school, extracurricular activities, via social media, and, yes, even from members of the dance team at competitions. Social media outlets has removed accountability and personal connectivity from today’s youth, allowing them an impersonal way of criticizing and […]
Add a Little Magic with Dance Studio Mascots
Last year, we decided to adopt a “Studio Mascot” for our studio and competitive team. Since we were attending Nationals in New Orleans, we selected a fun-looking alligator, named her Louise, and dressed her in dance-like attire (yes, we actually went shopping for a stuffed alligator). We introduced Louise to the studio with the following […]
The Power of Performance for Young Dancers
I often hear the debate of what age is acceptable for a child to begin performing. I firmly believe that the earlier young dancers can start performing, the more comfortable, self-confident, and present they will become as performers and artists. At my studio, I am completely comfortable putting a 3-year old student onstage for the annual […]
Dance is for Everyone
I truly believe dance is for everyone, and can move everyone in some capacity- as an observer, as a mover, or as a dancer. As dance educators, we have the opportunity to build programming that is accessible to everyone. Once students are a part of our programming, we have an obligation to serve them to the […]
Why You Should Develop Good Habits in Dance (and in Life)!
Highly successful people choose to develop good habits and routines. They work consistently, with discipline, and do not allow excuses to overshadow their goals. It is rumored that a habit forms in 20-21 days; however, this Forbes’ article (a great read!) debunks the myth and elaborates on the formulating steps required to make an activity a way of […]
