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, […]
4 Ideas for Boosting Employee Morale
It’s that time of year again! That time when we start to see our students feel the “mid-year slump” … which means they’re in need of some extra TLC and motivation in class as we push through the remaining cold weather months. But did you know that your employees are probably feeling the slump too? […]
Dance Competition Scoring: Giving Good Critiques And Sharing Scores
After we return from each competition, we take the scores and feedback, transcribe the information into a document, and distribute it to our studio families. Many times, the results of the dance competition scoring reiterate information we’ve been communicating, and it serves as reinforcement for areas of improvement. From the perspective of a teacher/competition judge, […]
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 […]
How to Promote Productive Dance Practice
For studio dancers, input typically comes in the form of dance practice (rehearsals, solo lessons, cleaning sessions, technique, conditioning, etc.). Input = Output is an important concept to accept and embrace. When results are measured, it is important to consider this equation. Did you invest the work (input) that was required to produce the outcome (output) […]
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 […]
The Debate: Set Barre Work vs. Combinations
Nearly all dance teachers will agree that the barre work is an integral part of ballet practice. However, what many teachers don’t agree on is whether it’s better to do the same set barre work every week or different combinations. This very topic got lots of attention in the forum Ballet Talk For Dancers, where […]
Making Creative Movement Lesson Plans
Creative movement is offered as a class at many dance studios and is designed to introduce children to the idea of expressing themselves through movement.
Improvisation Dance: Can Improv Lead to Better Choreography?
The thought of improvising dance may make you nervous, but uninhibited improv could be the secret to better choreography.
Parent Teacher Conference for Dancers
Looking back, I feel like I have had three different lives as a studio owner: Studio owner before kids. Studio owner with young kids. Studio owner with kids in other activities. Before I had children, my studio centered on the needs of the classes. Whatever worked best for the classes took first place. If we […]
What Should Your Dance Studio Policies Be?
Strong, clear-cut policies are the gears that make the dance studio machine turn. However, creating policies is not as simple as just jotting a few basic rules down. Read on to learn how you can create the best policies for your business.
Dance Teacher Training: 4 Surprises for New Dance Teachers
Consider these common mistakes all new dance teachers make and how to avoid them.
What to Expect When You’re Starting Pointe Class
Being prepared mentally and physically is key to making the most of your first pointe classes.
How to Improve Dancer Body Image
Here’s some advice for improving body image among dancers.