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 :)

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.

Creating "Priceless" Moments That's Your Job

Visitors filled our studios this week for our first "Visitors Day" of the season. It is always fun and exhausting. For the teacher it's like being on stage for the entire night of teaching. And for the student it's also full of joy and trepidation.

This year with Christmas so close to our special day I created a little number to "Santa Baby" a fun classic tune. The kids wore Santa hats and looked so cute. But the best part was getting the parents to follow along and dance beside their student. It is so cool to see that little girl look up at her Dad with a giggle and have Dad smile right back, the moment is one they will cherish forever. As I watched special moment after special moment unveil itself each night I thought to myself ... "that's how to keep customers" -- give them moments they couldn't possibly pay for anywhere else. Dance classes then become priceless. (And thankfully, "For everything else there's MasterCard.") As the economy changes I'm going to work hard to create more priceless moments for my parents, I suggest you think about how priceless your program is to your parents too.

Happy Holidays.

Gift Idea for Christmas

American Girl has just released a book simply titled Dance! It retails for $9.95 and is a great idea to give to parents for a gift giving treat to thier dancer. Even if they already dance a lot this book talks about many issues surrounding dance...

- School dances
-Why you can't just start dancing with your best friend if she's been taking classes for a number of years and you have not.
- Great tips for how to work with your dance teacher if you are having trouble.
- And even cliques in the classroom, but not the dance studio - how to work with kids you don't normally hang out with in school.

(I helped write the book, but get no monetary reward for it, so I'm out promoting where I can just because I love the book and I'm proud of it.) It has some locker size posters in the back that are really cool too. Check it out! at www.americangirl.com or direct to http://store.americangirl.com/agshop

Put one in the waiting room for parents to browse! (you may need to tie it down :)

Dancingly Yours, DeAnne