SO YOU WANT TO BE A DANCE STUDIO OWNER: 1

For many a young dancer it is a life long ambition to open their very own dance studio. Many will have idolised their own teachers and held onto the dream of becoming the best teacher they can be. But to be a dance studio owner – now that’s another thing!

Should I be a dance studio owner? Being the owner of a dance studio encompasses a whole lot more than just teaching dance. Are you willing to put in a lot of time into the administration side of the business? This may be required especially in a new business. Do you have any small business skills? So many dancers have great technique and dance knowledge only to have to close the doors of their studio due to mismanagement. Good business sense will take you a long way.
Are you willing to give up your time? Running a business can be a 24/7 affair. Are you prepared to have a shift in your work/life balance? It may not be a consideration right now but many dance studio owners find it difficult juggling work and family commitments. When your kids and partner are getting home, your classes are just getting started. Is your spouse/partner willing to cook, feed the kids and put them to bed? No kids? Then is your boyfriend/girlfriend or partner willing to be alone at home or amuse themselves every night you are teaching?
Do you have good people skills? Picture this: the students absolutely love your energetic classes and you are a hit with the kids. Outside the classroom, however, is another story. You seem to clash with many parents and now some of them are forming alliances against you. Slowly your students start to drop out….. The children may love you but it is the parents that have to bring them and pay for classes. If they don’t like you they’ll look elsewhere. You need to be both diplomatic and firm and have the parents on side.

All these questions are designed to prepare you for your choice of career. I’m not trying to turn you off but rather make you think of the considerations you should make before getting into this business. I have been in this industry for 30 years and can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing. Except maybe a lotto winner laying on a beach with a pina colada. We all know that’s not going to happen – right? If you still decide to go ahead – I wish you the best of luck.

In my next post I will be discussing finding a space for your dance studio.

Keep dancing!

TDT