Time for change? Ready or not here it comes.

The local fitness center where I've rented for 11  years is under financial duress.   They want to move to a smaller space...so I'm being forced to smush into a smaller area or find a new home for my growing dance studio.  It's such a wierd feeling being pushed into a new plan, versus planning to do it yourself.   I just had it all figured out. We are coming off of an awesome recital in May, have a great group of teachers coming in for the Fall, and then the floor litterally drops out from under us!   Uhmmumf....

So, now looking at new options.  Which are limited in our small town... I just have to keep reminding myself of why I do what I do.  Why we all do what we do...why we teach dance --- it's so these kids can dance. 

I know I should be excited about the possibilities, but I'm just not ready for a big change in my dance life right now.   My regular work life is crazy and I sort of liked the way my dance life (business) was going.  Well, time to "go on with the show" I guess.   I'll let you know how it turns out.  If you have any advice I'd love to hear it! 

Dancingly Yours,
Ms. DeAnne

Love makes the world go round.   And I LOVE to dance!

I came across some tips called 10 simple steps to a healthier happier you - on Yahoo! today that really made this Broadway classic song title come alive for me.

In the Shape Magazine article, the author Jene' Luciani says, "It may sound cliche', but love truely does make the world go round."

The #8 Tip is -  Find ways to get more LOVE in your life.  Make time in your schedule to see the people you love.  Play with a child, hug your friends, tell someone you love them, and smile at someone you don't know.  These small gestures can make a big difference!

I love this advice.  We all need to bring more LOVE into our lives.  As dance teachers we get multiple chances to hug a child, play with a child, and smile at people!   What a great profession we are in.  

I think the basis of love is also rooted in confidence and that is one of the most important things we can instill in our dancers.   Personal confidence - the ability to love themselves, so they in turn can share love with others.  

At the end of every class I teach (and those that my staff teaches) we say our mantra:   I'm Smart. I'm Strong and I LOVE to Dance.   For the past 11 years we've been saying this after every class in our studio.  I'm proud of it.   This motivational statement is based in self-confidence and love.  And it works.   Even when I'm having a bad day I can say to myself "I'm Smart. I'm Strong and I LOVE to Dance!"  

A few years ago, Dance Studio Life let me publish an article on our use of this positive psychology in our dance studio.  It's linked on my website at Releve' dance posters if you wanto read it.  It's titled Winning from the Inside Out.

You should hear our backstage at the start and end of recials, when the halls and stage ring aloud with this chant from every dancer!  Gives me goosebumps every time!

Go ahead say it out loud right now....

I'm Smart.  I'm Strong and I LOVE to Dance!


It feels good doesn't it?   :)  (there's a smile from me to you)

Take some time for you today and read these tips! 

Dancingly yours,

Ms. DeAnne

A great show is all in the details

As dance teachers we get really busy.  I've found over the years that preparing for the recital is my favorite experience of the year.  I love to put on a great show... I'm a planner.  So, I make lists, check stuff off , and try to stay one step ahead.   Some people say to me, "Oh, you must be so busy this time of year..." and I smile.  Because to be honest, I'm all ready done with my check list.  I'm sort of tappin' my toe waiting for May 19th to arrive.   But I'll play along and pretend that I'm busy just to make this look a little harder than it is--after 11 years I can say I'm a master recital planner.  (knock on wood)

I love this time of year because the students are taught their dances, now I get to just drill them during class. The costumes are in and we had picture day, so I know everyone is ready.   The music is edited.  Tickets are sold out. And bills are paid.

So while I wait, I pay attention to the details.   I make sure my programs are ready and a table display is appropriate for the theme is boxed up and ready for a volunteer to set up at rehearsal night.

I fill my stage boxes with little necessities like sewing needles that are pre-threaded, hot glue guns loaded, hair supplies and extra Revolution tights for backstage runs, and a first aid kit for whatever comes our way. 

Make sure I have rosin ready and in a good container - I like to recycle the box trays from Panera Bread for our rosin boxes.  Then I can throw them out after the final show.

I get my music ready to play before and after the performance to keep the auditorium festive.

I take my costume photo clips and post them to sheets of paper which we then post in the hallways backstage, so kids know where to line up.  (this works great to keep the backstage organized)  Put the show order number on the sheet and tell parents to find the matching costume - works like a charm! 

With my extra time I added some fur boa to some headpieces to make them pop and I have to do one more coat of paint on my "suitcases" for the opening tap number... that's about the only thing left on my to do list other than that final press release to promote the show. Since I'm a PR person in my day job, I can pretty much write that in my sleep. 

And then just when I think I have it all covered... I remember I need to finish the Pre-Registration forms for next year... I like to pass those out when the parents get their picture day pictures in hand... when everyone is loving dance!     It never hurts to do your next season registration at the end of the year...get them to commit now before you have a few weeks off for summer break. And don't forget to update the website.

So, I guess I better stop my toe tappin' and get to work on my registration stuff... hope you have yours ready too.   And remember the key to a great show is all in the details!  So plan ahead to give your mind and your hands time to work on them. That way it can be fun for you too and not stressful.

Hope your show is amazing!    Ms. DeAnne

Holidays are here - give yourself a break and your staff too!

Hopefully, you have set some time aside in your calendar for the holidays. Perhaps you just finished your holiday performances or are just gearing up for the spring show. Either way, as dance teachers it's really tempting to move your "to do list" into that small class break timeframe.

I want to encourage all dance teachers to take a break! Even it it's just a day or two. Take a real break. Don't do paperwork, don't choreograph routines, don't run errands, don't order costumes. Just stop.

Stop and listen to your heart. Stop and spend time with family. Stop and do something fun for yourself. Heck, just sit on the couch and watch the fireplace flames dance if you can. Relax and disolve your thoughts of work. It will be hard to sit still at first, as teachers we are used to going a million miles a minute in two different directions.

Taking a break, even a brief one, will help you be more efficient later. So schedule a break, set the day - time for it, write it on the calendar, program it in your phone. Tell people you have the day off.

Whatever it takes do it and protect it.

Consider it a gift to yourself. The gift of time. Enjoy!

P.S. This is easier than it sounds. I dare you to try it :)

It's the little girl in the back row, back corner that needs the most help

I've been teaching dance since I was in high school. I've observed a lot of recitals, classes, workshops in my time and it continually amazes me that teachers can do a few simple things in the studio that can make a huge difference to the quality of the dancer's learning experience.

Here are a few tips:

Watch for the student in the back row, in the corner... that will be the student who struggles the most. As a teacher it's imperative that you find away to get that student up front or to the middle of the room. If they are so shy they don't want to step up closer, you must at least move yourself closer to them - demo the steps twice - up front and then move yourself back to their "safe space".

Check for right handed - left handed students. As a teacher it's not always apparrent if a student favors a side. Normally, I always teach a combo to the right foot/side and then we reverse to left. Sometimes students need to learn it first on their strong side from a mental standpoint. Physically they are often balanced but "getting it right" might mean starting on the left for the left handed student. Teachers need to be aware and let the students show their strengths in the best way possible.

Welcome each student at the start with roll call process - make it fun. I like to have students state their name and tell me something else like their favorite color. Talking out loud is important and you can scout out the shy ones that will need more attention quickly with this technique.

Its imperative that you learn their names! Do whatever it takes to memorize the names yourself and make sure any class helpers do too. Avoid calling all of them "sweetie" or "honey" - force yourself to learn the name. If you can't then use name tags.

Repeat what they learned today at the end of class. Do a quick review.

These few teaching techniques will help you have a successful class!

Dance Mom has a new meaning

The term Dance Mom is often referred to as the Mom of a student, but what about when the dance teacher becomes a Mom for the first time? That term, Dance Mom, has a new meaning for our studio this year. I have one teacher who recently had her baby and has returned to teach. And another teacher with her first baby on the way who's on hiatis til next summer.

The role of Dance Teacher Mom is a tough gig. Often dance teachers are balancing a day job while teaching at night...throw a new baby in the mix and you have one tough assignment. Sleepless nights, nursing, lack of confidence, mom guilt --you name it and a new Mom has a lot on her plate.

As I watch them switch roles from teacher to mother it made me think about the advantages of being a Mom and a Teacher at the same time. Are young teachers without kids at a disadvanage with a lack of parental experience that is sometimes needed in the classroom? Or do dance teachers have some special skills they can bring to motherhood? Physical balance and flexibility will be an advantage during pregnancy, will patience and practice be an advantage in motherhood?

What do you think?

All I know for sure is that it is going to be fun to watch my teacher's grow in to their new roles as Dance Moms. And I certainly can't wait to get those new little feet dancing as soon as possible!

Do what you love! Connect the dots later.

With the passing of Steve Jobs I took some time to look back at his life via all the posts, tweets and stories now circulating. One of the most popular items I found was his commencement address at Stanford University. It was an amazing message to the young graduates. Bottomline: he tells them to do what they love and waste no time doing it because death comes to all. How prophetic that now is.

This week was our first week back in the studio for our Dance Academy. I'll admit every single year I ask myself, "Should I continue with this Academy or not?" Steve Jobs told a story that every day he looked in the mirror and asked himself if he was in the right place, doing the right things that made him feel good. He said that it's good to always question what we do and if it doesn't feel right to change it. Because afterall life is short and definate.

So, as I'm in the chaos of the first night, fitting shoes, getting children into the right studios and trying desparately to remember names of the new dancers it hits me...I love what I do! Passing along the art form of dance is a gift that I give and I'm actually quite good at it - despite the fact that I never danced professionally nor got a degree in it. I graduated from college with degrees in Journalism and Psychology - both of which I use on a daily basis in the studio and at my day job as a Public Relations person.

Jobs, in his Stanford address, also shared a story of how he dropped out of college but "dropped in" to the classes he found interesting like calligraphy. It is why the MAC has so many cool fonts. So, I can say that I've "dropped in" to dance since I was in college taking classes at school, going to seminars, getting motivated by Rhee Gold, getting advice from DanceStudioOwner.com and attending Dance Master events to keep up my training. Recently, I purchased a set of CDs for teachers by Mary Lynn - it was a great refresher too.

When you do what you love you never stop learning simply because it's fun. And life after all should be fun. (Now I just need to remember that when I'm battling with a student who deparately wants to go on pointe or wants to move into another class with her friends)

In the end, year after year for the past 10 years, I've answered my own question of "Should I continue?" with a "Yes". Many times I tell myself that I do it for the kids, but the truth is it must be for me or I wouldn't keep working so hard to make it all happen. Dance makes me feel alive. Dance makes me happy.

So, do you LOVE what you do? If you do then celebrate the fact that you are one of the lucky people who get to do what they love and are good at it. If you don't, it's time to find a new direction because as we learned from Steve Jobs - life is short, don't waste it.

His advice in the closing quote of the address was to "Stay Hungry and Stay Foolish" -- now that's the best definition of a dance teacher I've ever heard.

Being flexible in the studio and in your business

I've learned this summer that you have to be flexible in more ways than just with your body. My business needs to be flexible too. In the Midwest good teachers are hard to find, especially in rural areas where our studio is in Brodhead, Wis. I've been really blessed in the 10 years we've been teaching to find excellent teachers, often getting only one applicant, but they've been well qualified so it didn't matter how many. My quality was exceptional.

And then this summer happened. In planning for our fall season I was faced with changes in staff due to new babies that arrived or are in process. And I simply could not find staff to fill in. I did many interviews, but none were qualifed. And we all know that a bad hire can break your business, so I'm playing it safe. I did what I had to do and decided to teach more nights myself. Since I could only teach two nights without impacting my own daughters' sporting events (which I will not miss) we went from 4 nights to 2. Doubling up the studio spaces - we have two rooms, but most of the time we only used the main studio. With three teachers on two nights, we are still serving more students than we did last year over 225. Every class is FULL! (but no more than 11 in a class)

Now we'll see how flexible the parents will be in crowded waiting areas, parking lots and visitor nights. I've communicated the situation very clearly, so I'm hoping they will understand! It's going to be an interesting year...hoping next year we can return to normal.

If anyone reads this who can teach ballet... CALL ME! I'd be happy to be flexible and let you join the team mid-stride. I know you are all saying, "it's only two nights", but my studio is my hobby. I work full time at another job, so adding l2 classes be a struggle. Actually, it will be choreographing all the dances that will put me over the edge. Thankfully, I've bartered for house cleaning - that oughta help! I'd rather dance than clean any day!

Don't worry Mom. I got this.

Each summer I hold a registration day, just like many dance schools do. But this year I had a scheduling problem, my youngest daughter was participating in a Miss American Coed pageant the same weekend.

Being the planner that I am -- I had everything under control and people set up to work at the registration, including my oldest daughter, the accountant, and 2 older students to handle shoe fittings. I was scheduled to leave the pageant at 7:30 a.m. to get back to the studio - only an hours drive.

The morning of the event the person I had arranged to do my daughters hair and get her to the pageant interviews drove to the wrong city to assist us. An hour the other direction. So no time for me to leave my daughter and get to the studio. I made the call to my 14 year old daughter (who is wise beyond her years) and her response was "Don't worry Mom. I got this." And she did.

I was so proud of her. She talked with parents, placed students and directed the workers. All at age 15! I always knew she was paying attention to me as I worked, but now I understand fully how much it all matters. And the feedback from parents was wonderful.

I've always said our Dance Academy is a family business. While I started it, it takes our whole family to work for it on occassion, give up time with Mom, and "to be nice to the customers" no matter what click they are in at school.

I'm not sure what our plan for the Academy is long term. But now at least I know that we could have a long future for more generations of dance studio owners in my family.

Dance Mom's TV Show - will it hurt or help your business?

The new reality TV show Dance Mom's has a lot of dance school owners up in arms or laughing, depending on which side of the fence they are sitting on. My Linked in dance studio owners group is a buzz with people saying this is bad for dance and that competition team focused studios are losing busines because of it. "Parents are afraid to get their kids involved..."

I should make a disclaimer that I'm a studio owner that has never, ever supported dance competitions. In fact, my brochures say we don't do competitions, period. When I first opened my studio ten years ago, some asked, why not? My response has always been the same. "It's not that we don't have the talent, we do. It's just that I want my kids to love to dance for the love of dance, not for a trophy." We do a recital instead. It like the art of dance, not the sport.

So, I sort of laughed when I first viewed the show, until I realized that at least 50% of this reality TV show is actually real. Then I get sad. If kids want to be professional dancers, dance on broadway and be big stars can't they can do that without all this fuss and drama of nasty competitions? Where are the exhibitions?

Don't even get me started on the inappropriate costumes, moves and music many choreographers choose for the students. I think the Dance Mom's on the show and around the country need to speak up for their little girls and boy's on what's appropriate for stage. I applaud this reality TV show for showing this, maybe it will help.

Reality TV shows are not real. Well, not totally. So, for that 50% of the show that is real - I see amazing dancers, a nice studio, a teacher that knows her stuff and has successful dancers to prove it. These Dance Mom's have sought out a teacher that they think will make their little dancer famous someday. That's good marketing. They are getting what they pay for, what they ask for. It is for them to decide what winning looks like.

Competitions are what create the difference between dance as art and dance as a sport. My own children compete in sporting tournaments (and yes even in rough sports there is drama.) It's the hair, costume and make up that throw you off at first with dance. This is dance for the sport. Hard core competitons to get your dancer noticed - get the scholarship -- same as a young basketball, fastpitch or volleyball stars. You wouldn't tell those kids in sports not to compete would you?

It's clear that these Dance Mom's who are on the show to be famous themselves. Have you seen their hair and make up, outfits...they are the true performers here. And what a performance it is. I think these Mom's will be embarrassed later in life for exploiting their dancers. Or maybe they will all be rich and famous...the world of reality TV is not rational.

As for competitions - there are good ones and bad ones - so if you are planning to have your dancers compete you may need to set the stage for your dance parents who have watched this show. Tell them why you are competing -- what's the goal? Why did you select this particular competition vs. others? What will be success for all of you?

The dance competition industry is huge. And the dance magazines that could talk about this show might not because much of their revenues are based on dance competiton full page ads.

Lifetime's Dance Mom's TV Show will either make competitions more popular or more scrutinized. Either way, I think all dance teachers will need to become very clear about WHY they do competitions.

So, WHY do you compete?

Anniversary Posters are Ready!

Remember I said I had a cool idea for my 10th anniversary show? Well I did it.

With the help of a parent with graphic design skills, we created a "Growing Up in Dance" poster for our students to customize with 3 photos of themselves growing up as dancers.

The theme of our recitial is of course "Growing up in Dance" with a garden backdrop from Backdrops Fantastic. (I can't wait to see it) So, in keeping with that theme we created a poster with three large flowers with the center of the flower blank (insert photo). When done the dancers will have a keepsake to hang in their bedrooms and remember how much they love to dance.

I wrote a cute little poem that runs up one of the flower stems. It says, "From my first little sprout to my long straight stem. I'm a dancer now and that will never end."

I hope they enjoy customizing their posters. We are going to display all 220 of them at the show in the entrance. I'll take a picture and post when I can.

Feel free to use this idea in your own studio. I'll let you know how it's received by the parents and students. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

If you need a printer/designer my friends at Kramer Printing in Madison, Wis. can work with you from anywhere in the USA.

Getting ready for the big show. Recital time.

It's recital time. Dance teachers across the country are working hard this time of year making sure their year-end recital keeps students (and parents) coming back for more. I know you are all old pro's at this, but it's important to remember to work ahead so you have time at the end for the "little extras" that make the recital work as a marketing tool for you.

Don't forget to do some PR:

Send out a press release to your local paper(s) and local radio station if you have one.

Schedule "Break a Leg" posts on your Facebook page.

Consider inviting media to attend picture night or dress rehearsal to get some good pictures for that press release.

Radio stations are often forgotten, but a pair of tap shoes can make a create audio story. Think about it! Call the station and offer to do an interview about Dance. (National Dance Week makes a good reason as well, but tie in your own show too.)

Take out an ad for special anniversary years to recognize your staff/students/community for their support. Remind your local Chamber of Commerce (hope you are a member) that your event is coming up and to add it to their newsletter.

Write up your comments now, so you don't forget to say all the right things at your show.

Pick out your own outfits/shoes etc. You don't want to look like a tired out dance teacher at the performance. Dress up! Market yourself. (At my school I've made a tradition of getting some "cool shoes" the girls all wait to see which high heels I will wear. )

It's important to remember that the entire recital experience is your opportunity to "sell" your program to your existing parents and also to new ones. That critical word of mouth marketing can only happen if you give them something great to TALK about!

Break a Leg!

SillyBanz and other rewards

Rewarding dancers in the studio is a constant challenge for dance teachers. What's the best way? Praise.

One thing I've learned is the single greatest reward you can give is praise - direct praise with the child's name. "Nice plie' Brooke" or "Great leap Blake", those words go a long way to keeping your dancers motivated. It's easy to start generalizing your praise to the whole group - how many times have you said, "Nice work ladies!" Sorry, but that doesn't cut it for individual motivation. You have to be direct and at the time of implementation. When I have a little one that has really worked hard, I'll walk out to the waiting room with my hand on her shoulder and tell her mom or dad - "Abie worked really hard today, she's doing just great in class." Try that sometime for a huge smile from both parent and dancer.

As teachers, it's easy to get lost in direct corrections and sometimes hard to remember to praise even when they don't get it perfect. Remind yourself often that the words that come out of your mouth are like pieces of sweet candy! The more they hear them the more they want! And the harder they will work to hear it.

For special holidays, I do usually give out candy treats and on most nights a sticker to the little ones- this year for Halloween I ordered the ART themed SillyBanz online and they were a HUGE HIT! I decided that I'd set a healthy eating example and skip the candy, no one complained, they love collecting the SillyBanz.

Back in the Groove - New season start

It's September that means it's time to get back into the studio for me. Many of you may have started classes already but we wait until late Sept. to let the kids get back into the school routine first, then they can add in dance to their busy schedules. Our staff is busy preparing for the classes and selecting recital music and costumes. I love our costume choices this year, Weissmans will really rock it out for us this year!

It's our 10th Anniversary year, so I'm trying to think of cool things we can do all year to celebrate. Does anyone have any ideas? Our "theme" this year is Growing up in Dance. Our recital will be like a garden etc. So, any ideas for monthly things we can do?

One idea I have is a poster at the end of the year. I've traded time for class with a parent who is a graphic designer. I want to have 3 or 4 flowers with blank middle spots and then have the kids add photos of themselves to customize the poster for our 10th anniversary. I envision it to have a lot of green, florals and their cute faces in costumes inserted. I'll let you know how that one turns out! You never know it could be a new idea for our Releve' product line.

I'd love to hear more ideas from you! At 10 years we are still rookies compared to a lot of studios out there!

Do you warm up for your day?

In the dance studio, the warm up is the first thing you do before you take a class. Same should be true at home.

Is your morning routine working for you or just a survival tactic? Consider this, for a working Mom the most hectic part of the day can before you even get to the office. You’ve gotten up early to get yourself ready, packed the lunches or diaper bags and then you still need to feed and dress your children and get them in the car seats, drive to a daycare provider or school, and THEN you finally get to go to work.

I can remember this crazy schedule when my own daughters were little; then I topped it off with a 50 minute commute. Ironically, the commute is what often saved me. It gave me time to think, to regroup. I could drop the ‘Mom job’ and put on my work face for the rest of the day. It worked in reverse on the way home, from work back to being Mom in 50 minutes (or less) depending on what was waiting for me at home.

I felt like one of those blankets that convert to a cute cuddly animal.

As it turns out, the 50 minute commute was critical to my success. How many of you can honestly say you spend an hour or two each day planning and thinking? I could plan and be purposeful each day without running around in a needless hustle. If you don’t enjoy a long commute like me, you can still start your day with some extra time. Wake up 20 min. early – give yourself some space and time to live within. A little warm up, even if it means just sitting quietly on the couch thinking about one topic before the rest of the house wakes up, will help you focus and be more productive.

Every dancer knows the importance of a good stretch. All of us, dancers and non-dancers alike, can take care of our body before we even get out of bed in the morning.

Here’s a great way to wake up:

1. Pull your knees to your chest while laying on your back.
2. Circle your feet in both directions. Do some push and pulls with your feet.
3. Now it’s time to get up, put your feet over the side of the bed and when your feet hit the floor say “Good morning” or “Thank you” or whatever mantra you chose.
4. When you brush your teeth you can easily do ten Plie’s and even throw in a few Releve’s while you are at it.
5. Next, stand tall, reach for the sky, take a deep breath and then reach for your toes. And hold it. Repeat as necessary to feel great.
6. Shake it out and smile.

Now you are warmed-up for the day.

Another Year Done.

Well, it's recital season and that means that dance teachers across the country are beginning to breathe a sigh of relief...another year well done! Whew!


You already know this, but your end of the year recital is your biggest marketing tool for the next season. I hope you remembered to invite your local newspaper in to take photos, sent a press release before/after with audience results, and included an annual summary along with your registration dates for the next season with the release. I also hope you put your URL for your website and Facebook contact info in your show program. These are just some simple steps to expand your marketing opportunities at no cost. (If you didn't, put it on your list for next time!)


This year our class photos were posted on our Facebook page which people really enjoyed. Also, I encouraged students/parents to post their own snapshots on our site and asked them "What was your favorite performance?" Asking questions in your Facebook account is very helpful to start discussions.


Of course parents love to show off their photos and dancers love to tag their photos and share with friends. Creating buzz after the show is important to keep your successful show at the tip of their tongue when they are socializing online or in the local cafe.


I hope you all get a small break before summer classes begin. Breathe! :) Congratulations on another successful year. I'll be off for the summer from teaching, but working on fulfilling orders from dance teachers around the globe of my Releve' Dance Posters.

Smile! Special moments for Mom

It's recital season - personally my favorite time of the year. Last week was picture week, so all the students and Mom's (and a few brave Dad's) arrived at the studio bursting with excitement, flashing their sequins and trying to make sense of the chaos.

The recital at our school is the icing on the cake. This year at picture night I was able to observe a little more than usual with my staff fully functioning and able to pose their own students and classes. I watched as Mom's and daughters cooperated, got frustrated, got happy and shared unique moments together. Recital time is like playing "Barbie" all over again for the Mom's. You get to tease hair, put on makeup and try your best to put clothes on "your doll". It's fun!

Since I had a few extra moments and cameras were out in force capturing the behind the scenes drama and groups of smiling friends, I took the opportunity to say..."Let me take a picture of you and your daughter" -- Mom's never get to be photographed, they are always the ones taking all the pictures-- they gladly handed over their camera or cell phones for a quick picture.

It was fun for me to connect with my customers by giving them a free gift - a photo of them together, happy and sharing a moment in Dance.

Enjoy your recital day Dance Mom's across the nation! Have fun playing Barbie with your little girls.

If you need a gift idea for your dance teacher or studio, consider giving them Releve' dance posters. They are a unique and useful gift that will help all the students and teachers alike.

Releve' Posters now at DanceStudioOwner.com

If you haven't had a chance to visit and join DanceStudioOwner.com you are missing out! This is a valuable site full of resources for dance teachers of all experience levels. I've had the pleasure of working with DSO creator Suzanne Blake Gerety and she is now retailing Releve' Dance Posters on the site. I'm a member of her site as the owner of my own school and use her resources weekly.

As you may recall, I created Releve' Dance Posters back in 2005 and have had a lot of success over the past 5 years. I think 2010 is going to be a great year with the addition of Dance Studio Owner.com as a distributor and key partner. If you need to change up your studio Releve' dance posters can give you an immediate face lift!

Suzanne has energy and passion for dance that rivals all! I'm pleased to know her and you will be too. Seriously, you need to add visiting this site to your "to do" list today. (I call it my "ta da" list but that's for another post). It will save you time and money down the road, help you deal with staff issues, and make your recials easier too.

So visit Dance Studio Owner.com today and check out the shop to find my Releve' posters!

School Referendums - Is it your business?

Today is Tuesday April 6. Voting day for many local school districts across the nation. My community in Brodhead, Wis. is voting for the second time on a school referendum. The first vote in Feb. failed by 200 votes; the school district quickly put a second referendum on the ballot for April. Now, here's why I'm writing about this on Dance Teacher Talk Spot...

I organized a political action committee to PASS the referendum, even when the community is divided 50/50 on the issue. I'm a parent of two kids directly impacted by this vote and a small business owner of a child-based business; I felt I needed step up and be a leader in my community for the kids.

From a business perspective, I need strong schools my business to thrive-- bad schools equal no clients for a dance school... but I was one of the only businesses in town brave enough to state my position and get involved. Even our Chamber of Commerce and Mayor didn't have a voice because they were afraid to offend and lose business from customers on the opposite side.

So, did I make a mistake? Time will tell, but even if the vote doesn't go our way today I will know that I did all I could to help the children in this community thrive. It's what I do - put kids first.

If parents in my program were "no voters" (and I know there were some) and decide not to support my business next year then I guess that is a price I am willing to pay.

Now, I was careful not to promote the vote inside my business or use my location as a propaganda area, but I was not afraid to let people know I was an organizing member of the PAC and did a lot of highly visible campaigning. It's a small town, so people know me and my business affiliation. I've often heard the term, "it's not personal, it's business" referred to when tough business decisions are made; for me it was the opposite, "it's personal, not business" - sort of.

I'm sad that other business owners were not willing to step up and fight for a stronger school and to protect our local community. After all, if the school fails so will the community ultimately. So, what would you do in this position? Hide in the wings or share your school pride?

Tights for pasty wisconsinites

Don't laugh if you run studios in California or Florida, but the tan tights often worn by my tap and jazz dancers are simply too tan for dancers in the northern states. I finally found tights that work for our pasty skin in Wisconsin. The Revolution brand Classic Pink - is actually about perfect nude color for our non-tanned dancers. The added plus is they are very affordable and of solid construction, no baggy ankles on the young dancers either. Plus they match their shoes perfectly for a very clean line.

Last year I tested these tights on all my ballet students and snuck in a few tests on the Tap classes. The result is that the Suntan/Tan traditional tights we wore for the past 8 years are out the door! Now, all classes can wear the same tights and look fantastic with all costumes.

Parents only need to buy one color, so they are saving money too. Win/Win. Thanks Revolution for supplying us with a great tight, in a great color, at a great price! (how's that for a non-paid endorsement :)

Happy recital planning... it really is almost Spring.