The #1 Way to Increase Dance Student Retention

It’s only mid-June, but for most dance teachers, and studio owners, that already means that summer is well underway. You’re probably already thinking about fall: fine tuning your schedules and planning out your promotions.

If you’re looking to get more students into your dance classes this year, or hoping to avoid the dreaded emails that come in over summer with the subject line “Taking a break from dance”, today’s blog is for you.

I’ve been teaching dance for over 15 years, and been directing dance programs in both small, and large scale studios and recreation programs, and in my experience, the number one way to increase dance student retention doesn’t have anything to do with your marketing efforts, or what kind of classes you offer, or what big name teachers or productions you have.

Most dance teachers and studio owners are surprised by the best way to keep students coming back year over year, but to me, it makes perfect sense.

The #1 way to increase dance student retention is to prioritize dancer wellness.

If the term dancer wellness is new to you, check out this handy dandy graphic I made.

When dancers feel comfortable, safe, and cared for as a whole person (not just for the way they perform, or how they participate in class), they’re more likely to keep coming back to dance. The logic is simple really: we want to go, and stay in place where we feel valued, heard, understood, and cared for.

Parents of dancers are less likely to question if dance is a priority when they know that their kids are learning things like body confidence and growth mindset - skills that will serve them as they continue to grow up and face challenges at school, college, and beyond.

Additionally, when you consider that dancer wellness isn’t prioritized at most traditional dance schools, it gives any studio that includes it in their regular classes and training a unique advantage. Highlighting the fact that your studio prioritizes the mental, emotional, and physical health and wellbeing of its students speaks volumes to any prospective family looking to enroll their children in a class, and practically guarantees a lifelong following and devotion.

So, now that you know the benefits of incorporating dancer wellness into your dance classes, there’s only one question that remains: how, exactly do you add topics like body confidence, growth mindset, and mindfulness into your classes?

That’s where Different Drummer Dance comes in! I have tons of resources to help you get started, and if you want to get a jump start on learning dancer wellness, and specifically, body kind practices you can bring to your dance studio, check out my Body Kind Ballet Workshops, and bring one to your studio this summer. I’m only accepting summer bookings for a few more days, so now is the time! Click here to see all the details.

Wishing you and your dancers a wonderful summer and a fantastic fall that focuses on all the things we need most right now: connection, communication, and tools to keep our wellbeing in check!