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

The ripple effect of dance in a small town

As a dance school owner in a small town, population less than 4,000-- in rural Wisconsin I have a very typical dance program. Over the past 10 years I've had the privalage to share my love of dance with more than 200 students each week. Well, last weekend our local high school hosted a Show Choir Invitational with high school show choir teams from all around the state. As I sat there watching I realized what an impact my program has had on the kids in our town. You see some of my first dancers are now in high school - so it was really cool for me.

All of the choreography for the Middle School and first level High School choirs was created by 3 of my dancers. High school students themselves, two of the girls are or have been assistant teachers and the third was a long time student. Those three girls took what I taught them and shared it with 50 more kids. And they did great!

Then, when I looked at the front rows of both these choirs I see them filled with my dancers too. Some past, some present, but all students we've touched in someway through our dance academy.
It was proud moment.

I know many dance school owners struggle with keeping the high school age kids in their programs, we do too. There's so much competition for their time. But now I see how those first foundational years in dance can impact a high school in both their show choirs and other extra curricular events. So, I'm ok with letting these kids fly away from a weekly dance class to strut their stuff in school plays, musicals, sports and show choir. The confidence, poise and technical abilities we gave them will last a lifetime. And right now, high school is the most important part of their world. I'm grateful that they are using all their talents to represent their school and make our community proud.

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?

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.

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!

Forty and Fabulous

Well it happened I turned 40 this week. And in truth it wasn't all that bad. I guess it really is true, "you're only as old as you feel" - and I feel fabulous. My studio was decorated with window paint on all the mirrors much to my chagrin, but the kids really seemed to enjoy helping me celebrate my big day. Of course it helped that I brought birthday treats to share, just like they do for their special days.

I really think dancing will keep me young and I hope I can keep dancing for a long time. I had the pleasure of attending Ms. Virginia Davis' recital in Beleville Wis. last weekend. She was a dear friend of my own teacher Ms. Ginger, so she has seen me grow up in dance since I was a child. Dance has certainly kept her young- she looks amazing! The tradition of dance is so important, passing from generation to generation - teacher to student. I would encourage you to invite your former dance teachers to your own recitals, even if they are far away, you never know when a road-trip is in order. Think of the rewarding experience it would be to have one of your own students invite you to their recital 20 years from now.

I Love to Dance

Since it's Valentine's Day week I thought I'd reflect and share a technique we use at our school. I call it positive psychology - each of our classes ends with a statement, a chant - it goes like this... I'm Smart. I'm Strong and I LOVE to Dance! For the past 10 years my students have been saying this same statement at the end of class, at the start of a recital and behind the closing curtain. We have it on our waiting room wall and our kids even have arm and hip movements they created for it. Some people may call it brainwashing... I'd call it a motivational mantra. And you know what? It works. Positive self talk has powerful meaning to many people and even when I'm having a tough day I say this statement to myself and I feel better. Try it, say it to yourself -- right now, say it out loud. "I'm Smart. I'm Strong and I Love to Dance!"

I give you permission to use it in your studios too. Share the love of dance and use positive psychology techniques like this to make your dance program even stronger. And for an extra boost, join DanceStudioOwner.com to get cool coloring book pages that also say I Love to Dance!

Sports vs. Dance

Well, it's come full circle right back to my own kitchen. The discussion of sports vs. dance. Who would think that even the dance teacher's daughter would be so perplexed by this decision? My philosophy has always been to raise well-rounded kids. My own two girls play many sports and dance all the classes we can fit in - they are great athletes in the studio and on the playing field.

This year my youngest auditioned for the Madison Ballet Nutcracker and successfully earned a spot on the cast. It was a proud moment...for a while. Then, she said after studying the audition schedule for the part, "But Mom, I'll have to miss 8 basketball games and maybe even more." She contemplated for 2 days and ultimately decided not to accept the role. Basketball won this time.

I'm OK with her decision, in fact, I give the 11-year old credit for trying to figure out the audition schedule and matching up the game schedule - even I hadn't done the full evaluation yet. But it brings out a great point for all of us dance studio owners. Flexible scheduling is key. You must communicate to parents who are contemplating busy schedules just how to fit dance in with organized sporting activities.

It's tough to keep those high school dance/athletes in the studio, but it's so important to your overall program. I remember our first couple of years at our own dance recitals - with out a senior class- the show lacked a bit of the dazzle. I had to grow them from scratch. You need the older kids with the more advanced choreography to make a complete show.

This year I really looked at the school calendar at our local middle school to try to schedule class times for the older girls that would not conflict with basketball and volleyball games - it takes a bit of work, but we managed to keep all our 7 and 8 th grade students for one more year. Dance won this time.

Grandparents Day Sept. 13

Every dance studio has them...dancing grandparents. And we love them! Increasingly I see more and more grandparents in the waiting room, helping busy families juggle schedules -making sure thier grandkids get to dance class.

And what a welcome help they are. Grandparents also help make tuition payments or even "gift" classes as birthday or Christmas gifts at our school -- I'm sure they do at yours too. Many times if this extra funding didn't occur the students may not be able to take classes. So it is a true gift of love that will live with these students for a lifetime.

To honor them we have a special "Grandparents Day" when only grandmas and grandpas get to visit the classroom to watch class, usually we host them sometime in February when things are really rolling at the studio. Afterall, you always want to look your best for Grandma!

Coming up soon is the National Grandparents Day - Sept. 13. If you have classes in session now remember to honor them with a sign at your studio. Or simply remind your students to give Grandma and Grandpa a big hug the next time they see them and thank them for loving them so much! (I'm sure that will get your pre-ballet students chatting during warm-ups.)

I also thank grandparents each year at the final recital in my remarks because it is such a family committment to support our dancers. Having a grandparent attend a recital means so much to our students and we have grandparents who travel many miles to attend!

Don't forget Grandparents Day Sept. 13.

H1N1 and your dance school

H1N1 presents many challenges for dance teachers. We have all had ill children attend class from time to time. Stuffy, runny noses are normal in the dead of winter (at least in Wisconsin where we operate). So, how can we control the spread of H1N1?

Tips:

• Place hand sanitizer outside your class rooms, encourage students to wash before they enter. (TV tray tables make a quick small table for this purpose.)
  
• Buy facial tissues for each room and waiting area. Supply a waste basket and more sanitizer by each tissue station.
  
• Spray down waiting areas and play areas for siblings frequently.
  
• Have sanitizing wipes on hand for quick clean ups.
  
• Post signs to remind parents not to bring sick children (or siblings) into the school.
  
• Update your student policy manual to include how to deal with sickness.
  
• Remove activities from your curriculum that include holding hands or dancing close/face to face.
  
• Disinfect your barre' after EACH use, not just each night. Consider adding it to the dancer's role in the class room just like you spray down equipment at the gym. (there's also a cool product from Gypsy Wraps in Calif. that provides each dancer their own barre' wrap.)
  
• Be careful when you teach not to touch children, if you don't have to. I know this is a sad one for me. I love being with the kids and correcting arms and hands. Or if you do, just keep a bottle of anti-bacteria gel/wipes close by.
  
• Consider getting a H1N1 vaccine yourself/staff to help you fight off any exposures.
  
• If you or a staff member get sick - get a sub or cancel class. Don't work when you are sick. (I know this is easier said than done, but it's just not worth it.)
  
• Consult with your local doctor/clinic to ask if they have advice or supplies you could use such as those small face masks. And buy your other supplies now before they sell out.

Know what your plan will be if the schools close or an outbreak occurs locally, what will that mean for your business?

The CDC is predicting this flu season to be really bad. It's time for us to read up on it and stay informed to keep our kids safe and dancing. Sign up for alerts from the CDC and ask your local clinic/school to report any H1N1 outbreaks to you too.

Stay well.

Does your school have a Facebook page?

Everyone's on Facebook! This summer I'm watching my own two children keep in touch with friends and grow their fan base on Facebook at lightning speed. So, how do you maximize Facebook for your dance school? Well, you have two audiences, Moms and Kids. The Mom category is the fastest growing Facebook user category on line.

Consider these facts about Facebook from the Internet Strategies Group.
1. 7/8th of its members are older than 24 years old.
2. The fastest growing age bracket is 35 and older
3. The average person is spending 15 minutes per session and accessing Facebook 5-6 times per day!

Your Dance Mom's are on Facebook. Your dancers are on Facebook. They need to be FANS of your business.

Rhee' Gold this month in Dance Studio Life Magazine has a great list of ideas for marketing your business too, go read it! One of his ideas is that people like to belong to a "dance family" so make your business a "place to belong." Facebook can do that easily for you. He had other suggestions but I say Facebook is the way to go!

Create a page for your business. If you have Facebook account already you can add a business page. If not, get online and spend a couple of hours playing on Facebook. It only takes minutes to set up your page, but you'll get lost in the content (trust me on that one).

I'm considering letting my 12 yr. old manage our Facebook account for the Dance Studio... I know scary right? But she knows more than I do and she would learn a lot too. Who do you know that is a huge Facebook user? Call them ask them to help.

Once you are on, join groups, add to discussions, make comments and be social. The key to success on Facebook is acting like a human being, not just a stale business. Have fun. Get creative. You can even add video clips and photos of your recitals!

Research shares benefits of early training age 3-4

I know most all dance schools provide pre-ballet/creative movement programs for young children, but until recently I hadn't read research to support WHY parents should select this for their children, other than the traditional, balance, poise, social and rhythm advantages.

Recently, I attended a 4-Kindergarten session from a local school district administrator in Wisconsin. While many schools in our area now offer 4K training in the school systems, many don't. So,they are still out there trying to convince taxpayers of the long term benefits of 4K. While I was listening it occurred to me all the same benefits imply for pre-K dance training too.

The Research they shared...

A child's brain grows 75-90% of it's adult size between age of 3-5.

85% of the child's intellect, personality, and social skills are formed by age 5.

There's more, but I guess I don't need more proof. Use research information like this to ADVERTISE your program. What parent can say no to dance class when they think about it this way? It's not about dance class being a "nice to do" its a MUST do when you look at this data.

As teachers we know this intuitively, we see the children progress in the classroom quickly and we can tell the kids that are in a pre-school program from the ones who are staying at home.

Dance training like 4K schooling is an important part of the development process. Especially for kids who are not in other training programs by age 3 - dance can make a big difference.

Another key differentiator was the income of the parents, and while I agree that dance typically tends to go to children in more affluent homes, there's great opportunity for your studio to reach out to low-income families with options to get their children in the studio too. Or maybe this will motivate you to reach out with efforts to your

Baggy ankles and sequins

It's recital season. Dance teachers don't live by a regular calendar year we live by our business calendars. Registration time, back to school, nutcracker season, recital season and summer school... gee, when is it time for vacation season? I need another vacation. Recently I was lucky enough to travel to Las Vegas to the Dance Retailer News Expo for Releve' it was a good show. And I did take a mini-vacation for a day before the show. Las Vegas is fun; it's the place where sparkley dance teachers look right at home in thier sequins and high heels. You know what I'm talking about ladies... admit it.

A couple of observations from the show:

I observed there doesn't seem to be anything all that innovative in the dance world, just more of the same. Some new fabrics were kind of neat, and ballroom is still hot. I did run into a new company that makes barre' wraps, it's called Gypsywraps. She doesn't have a website yet, but maybe a distributor will pickup her products and it will be available soon to us. It's a velcro, terry cloth personal attachment for the barre'. I thought it was cool. I think I will approach her about selling with my Releve' posters too, heck I guess I could be a distributor for her.

I also observed that even in a fashion show models/dancers need to wear tights! Rhee Gold talks about this all the time in his commentary and I totally agree, all dancers need tights. Speaking of tights, I'm trying some new ones out this year at my studio, Revolution brand classic pink. They guarantee no baggy ankles, we'll soon see. I hate baggy ankles. I really do. Makes the kids look like 90 year old women. They already look 30 years old with all the make-up hate to make them grow up too fast with baggy ankles too.

Hello Spring, time to spruce up the dance studio.

I'm going to take a minute to remind all our dance teachers that spring cleaning isn't just for our homes. Busy schools start to look a bit worn and torn this time of year. If you have a spring break at your school consider investing in a little bit of paint and wall hangings to spruce up your space. I know we all usually wait until summer to do this, but consider that parents are going to be making resistration decisions soon and you want to make sure to have your best dress on, so to speak. Especially now in this financial turmoil many families are facing.

A fresh coat of paint and a few new interactive art posters from Releve’ dance posters can make the studio shine. And for less than $100.00 you can make parents and students see that you are investing in your business and in them. And make it a place they want to come to for a bit of a reprive.

Your walls talk. Do you know what they are saying about your business? Roll up your sleeves and let's get to work.

(if you want to order Releve' posters, go to http://www.instructdance.com/) Sorry, a little shameless self promotion for my company. These are the 5 positons for ballet and other dressing room type posters to get kids dressed right for class.

Will the economy hurt my business?

Will the economy hurt my business?

Sounds like an obvious question, but the answer is not completely obvious to me. As a dance studio owner of less than 10 years I have not experienced a downturn in the economy the likes of the one we are facing now. I know that dance studios have been around for a really long time- so what's in their business model that has kept them running all these years, even during economic hard times? What's the secret to staying afloat and keeping kids in the classroom?

When I look at my business I feel like I give an great product at a reasonable price. I know people (and my customer target group) invest in their children before all else. I know as a mom I would do without to make sure my daughter could keep dancing. So what's the answer?

The only way to know if the economy will hurt you is to start asking your customers. I am working on my annual customer survey to every parent - I hope you all do these too- feedback from parents is very valuable. Each year I ask if we met their expectations and other typical stuff. However, the most important question I ask them is "Would you recommend us/or Have you recommended us to a friend or family member." This is the all-important question- to understand word of mouth marketing impact. And word of mouth is a powerful method of marketing during troubled times. People trust each other more than anything else.

This year I'm working on adding a question or two tied to the economy to my survey - Will you be able to continue to provide your child with dance classes next year? Or, what can we do to help you with more flexible payments? etc... I don't have the right question yet, good questions take time, but you get the idea.

I encourage you to start thinking about a question or two you can ask to make sure you can respond and react smartly to the downturn next season too.

Dropping your price is not necessarily the best option(even though your customers may tell you to do it); increasing the value of your product is probably the most sound advice.

You could consider offering "specials" or "loyalty rewards" to existing and new customers. Remember, not to leave the new deals for the new students only. Even if it's a free pair of tights or a free logo'd bag (can be a marketing expense for you, ask your accountants) it can go along way in this deal seeking economy we are in- so reward your customers!

Some other random marketing ideas:
Re-packaging your classes to be more affordable without lowering price is also an option. Shorter term- less price, but at same hourly rate for you. Allows parents to keep some flexibility without committing to a long term service agreement making them feel safe spending money.

Summer programs are probably the most at risk right now. You could offer a free class as part of your package to get people over the hump or other added value efforts.

Other marketing tricks would be to say "we are not raising prices this year" - holding the barre' on prices.

Look for alternate sources of funding, health care plans that cover some classes as part of a fitness program. This is working well at my school. You just may need to rename and invoice differently to make it work for their needs.

Bottom line is you need to be empathetic without sounding to desperate in your conversation with customers in person or in your marketing materials. The economy is tough on all of us, but we'll get through this with some creative thinking.

The little gifts a teacher receives

Had another "Smile" moment this week at class when a student gleefully pranced into my studio to give me a gift. She made it herself, a necklace of colorful beads made just for me - her Dance Teacher. She asked me if I'd wear it, so of course I did. She was proud as a peacock.

I love little moments like that -- the pretty drawings we get, the occassional wilted tulip or silk bouquet-- all are lovely just the same. Gifts from the heart. That's where dance comes from too, we've awakened a spot in thier hearts so bountiful they can't help but share it with us. That's truely something you and I can be proud of.

Enjoy the gifts my fellow teachers. The love always returns to us.

Experiencing the "Flow" - Create Your Happiness

Have you ever just listened to a piece of music and the dance just appeared in your mind? Maybe it was just a combination that struck you to a particular part of the refrain? I love it when that happens! It's called being in the "flow."



Over the years I've learned to wait for it. I'll listen to music that I need to choreograph for my student recital over and over again until the movement appears to me. Now, please don't stop reading because you think I'm crazy. It really does work for me. When people ask "how do you choreograph all those dances" I tell them that after awhile the dance sort of just "appears" to me. I can start to see it happen on stage, feel it as I move around and then I write it down quick. Does this happen for you?

If it does, psychologists would tell you that you are IN THE FLOW. You are linked with the moment, the motivation and the talent to make it happen and you are totally in sync with yourself. I think we all need to find more "In the flow moments."


You've heard the term "go with the flow" well this is a new look at that idea. It's probably where that catch phrase came from, now that I think of it.


Here's an excerpt from the research...There is a state that psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi writes about called flow. The Experience of Flow:

"My own addition to this list is the concept of the autotelic experience, or flow, and of the autotelic personality. The concept describes a particular kind of experience that is so engrossing and enjoyable that it becomes autotelic, that is, worth doing for its own sake even though it may have no consequence outside itself. Creative activities, music, sports, games, and religious rituals are typical sources for this kind of experience. Autotelic persons are those who have such flow experiences relatively often, regardless of what they are doing.

Of course, we never do anything purely for its own sake. Our motives are always a mixture of intrinsic and extrinsic considerations. For instance, composers may write music because they hope to sell it and pay the bills, because they want to become famous, because their self-images depends on writing songs—all of these being extrinsic motives. But if the composers are motivated only by these extrinsic rewards, they are missing an essential ingredient. In addition to these rewards, they could also enjoy writing music for its own sake—in which case, the activity would become autotelic. My studies (e.g., Csikszentmihalyi, 1975, 1996, 1997) have suggested that happiness depends on whether a person is able to derive flow from whatever he or she does.

A brief selection from one of the more than 10,000 interviews collected from around the world might provide a sense of what the flow experience is like. Asked how it felt when writing music was going well, a composer responded,

You are in an ecstatic state to such a point that you feel as though you almost don't exist. I have experienced this time and time again. My hand seems devoid of myself, and I have nothing to do with what is happening. I just sit there watching in a state of awe and wonderment. And the music just flows out by itself. (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975, p. 44)

This response is quite typical of most descriptions of how people feel when they are thoroughly involved in something that is enjoyable and meaningful to the person. First of all, the experience is described as “ecstatic”: in other words, as being somehow separate from the routines of everyday life. This sense of having stepped into a different reality can be induced by environmental cues, such as walking into a sport event, a religious ceremony, or a musical performance, or the feeling can be produced internally, by focusing attention on a set of stimuli with their own rules, such as the composition of music.

If you are still reading, Congratulations! You made it through a college course on flow. It's a bit of a tough read, but its interesting and note how old the research is...this is not new stuff. I bet I was in pre-ballet class when this research was written.

So, go find your flow! I bet it's some place with music and an empty stage nearby...