Teacher of Teachers: Hiring and Management

Congratulations! You’re a Dance Studio Owner. That means you’ve stepped into a new role I like to call the “Teacher of Teachers.” Your number one responsibility is to inspire, motivate, and equip your staff with the resources they need to succeed.

As a recovering one-woman show, I’ve learned to set up the following foundational elements in my business to streamline hiring and management:

1. Systems

Having a reliable system is key to consistency and efficiency. I use Twinkle Star Dance, a video-based curriculum for my preschool and school-aged classes. It includes monthly themes, skill progressions, and engaging class combinations, making it easy for teachers to deliver high-quality instruction.

2. Annual Training

I host annual training sessions to keep my staff well-prepared and aligned:

• January: Focus on recital choreography.

• May: Prepare for summer camp and review the upcoming season’s curriculum.

• September: Update fall curriculum and rehearse holiday show choreography.

These sessions ensure my team is confident and ready for each phase of the year.

3. Weekly Meetings

Every Tuesday, I hold a standing staff meeting via Zoom. These meetings cover curriculum updates, studio reminders, upcoming events, and any questions or challenges that need addressing. Consistent communication is vital to keeping everyone on the same page.

4. Office Hours

I maintain designated office hours throughout the week for one-on-one meetings with staff. This time allows my team to bring up individual concerns, seek guidance, or collaborate on new ideas in a structured and supportive environment.

Join Me for More Insights

If you’re looking for additional strategies and time to recharge, join me at the Pinnacle Dance Conference and Retreat July 18-20, 2024, at the Omni Royal Orleans. This weekend getaway is designed to help studio owners reconnect, learn, and grow their businesses.

Check back next week as I share my tips for Gaining a Competitive Edge in a Saturated Market.

Meet Tiffany Henderson

Tiffany Henderson is a leader in the dance industry and a seasoned business expert. She owns and operates multiple Tiffany’s Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in over 300 dance studios worldwide.

TACKLING Financial Instability

Welcome to mid-season in your dance studio—a time when you’re simultaneously creating for this season and planning for the next.

Through my connections with studio owners in the Twinkle Star Dance community, my Diamond Circle coaching clients, and Dance the Dream parade events, I’ve learned that many of us share the same five major challenges:

1. Work/Life Balance

2. Financial Instability

3. Hiring and Management

4. Gaining a Competitive Edge in Saturated Markets

5. Keeping Up with Trends

Last week, we explored strategies to improve Work/Life Balance. Today, let’s dive into Financial Instability, a challenge that often leaves us feeling like our business is running us instead of the other way around.

Whether your business isn’t yet profitable, you’re not categorizing revenue correctly, or you’re rebuilding after losing a performing company group or key teacher, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Trust me, I’ve been there.

In my early days as a studio owner, I expanded my one-room studio to a three-room location, taking on an additional lease with the plan to sublet my original space. How hard could it be? Then the real estate market crashed. For three years, I drove home every night after teaching, waving goodbye to my $3,000 monthly salary just to stay afloat.

It’s safe to say I’ve made my fair share of mistakes. However, those experiences have equipped me with the knowledge to offer practical solutions for tackling financial instability.

Financial Instability

It’s easy to get caught up in adding extra community events or outside performance opportunities to your calendar. This season, I challenge you to focus on maximizing your two primary revenue streams: Class Tuition Revenue and Recital Revenue. 

1. Class Tuition Revenue

Your dance classes are the foundation of your business. Focus on making them exceptional by creating or implementing a proven curriculum that balances structure and fun.

For example, the Twinkle Star Dance program introduces young dancers to ballet, tap, jazz, and creative movement. Students learn basic steps while developing their ability to follow directions and imitate movement in a positive environment. Engaging music and props like Twinkle bears help inspire creativity and imagination, ensuring young dancers have fun while learning.

2. Recital Revenue

I’m a strong advocate for hosting two recitals per year—one during the holiday season and another in the spring. Dancers pay a recital participation fee that includes the performance, costume, tights, action photos, wide-angle video, and a dancer ribbon or medal.

Notice I didn’t mention tickets. When it comes to recital tickets, implement tiered pricing and reserved seating, and avoid selling out by organizing smaller, shorter shows if necessary. Based on our data, we plan for every dancer to sell an average of five tickets. This strategy ensures your recitals are both profitable and enjoyable for your audience.

Join Me for More Insights

If you’re seeking actionable advice and time to recharge, I invite you to join me at the Pinnacle Dance Conference and Retreat this summer. Pinnacle is July 18-20, 2025 at the stunning Omni Royal Orleans, in the heart of the French Quarter. This weekend getaway is designed to help dance studio owners reconnect, learn, and grow their businesses.

Check back next week as I share my tips and tricks for overcoming Hiring and Management challenges.

Meet Tiffany Henderson

Tiffany Henderson is a leader in the dance industry and a seasoned business expert. She owns and operates multiple Tiffany’s Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in over 300 dance studios worldwide.

Top 5 Pain Points of Owning a Dance Studio: Work/Life Balance

It’s Tuesday and I’m deep in the whirlwind that is January at my dance studios. I’m creating and setting choreography for our spring recitals, running promotions for new students, taking inventory of classes, planning the schedule for the new season, and onboarding new teachers and staff. To keep myself motivated, I glance at my to-do list and add, “Book flights to Paris” for a well-deserved September getaway.

Through my connections with studio owners in the Twinkle Star Dance community, my Diamond Circle coaching clients, and Dance the Dream parade events, I’ve found that many of us face the same five challenges:

1. Work/Life Balance

2. Financial Instability

3. Hiring and Management

4. Gaining a Competitive Edge in Saturated Markets

5. Keeping Up with Trends

Having owned and operated multiple successful studio locations for decades, I’ve experienced my fair share of ups and downs. Here, I’ll focus on the first challenge: Work/Life Balance and offer some practical solutions.

Work/Life Balance

Ask yourself: Is your studio running you, or are you running your studio? If it feels like the studio is in charge, it’s time to make some changes. Here are my top strategies:

1. Set Boundaries

Make a list of your non-negotiables and stick to it. When my children were young, I committed to picking them up from school every day and reserved Thursday evenings for family dinners. These small but significant boundaries ensured I stayed present for my family while managing a thriving business.

2. Treat It Like a Full-Time Job

Hold regular office hours in a dedicated workspace. Identify your most productive times of day and prioritize the one critical task you need to accomplish daily. Consistency in this approach will help you feel more in control of your schedule.

3. Utilize Systems and Delegate

Today’s technology offers countless tools to streamline small business operations. Invest in platforms that simplify scheduling, payroll, and communication. Hire the right team, establish clear processes, and trust them to handle tasks you don’t need to manage personally.

4. Build a Supportive Community

Connect with like-minded studio owners at live events to share ideas and find encouragement. Having a network of peers who understand your challenges can make all the difference during the busiest seasons.

Join Me for More Insights

If you’re looking for actionable advice and a chance to recharge, I invite you to join me at the Pinnacle Dance Conference and Retreat this summer. It’s happening July 18-20, 2025, at the stunning Omni Royal Orleans in the heart of the French Quarter. This weekend getaway is designed for dance studio owners to reconnect, learn, and grow their businesses.

Check back next week when I’ll share my tips for tackling Financial Instability.

Meet Tiffany Henderson

Tiffany Henderson is a leader in the dance industry and a seasoned business expert. She owns and operates multiple Tiffany’s Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in over 300 dance studios worldwide.

Hello, Holiday Season!

As we enter the busy holiday season, it's natural for new student enrollments to slow down this time of year. But don’t worry—January is just around the corner, and we have exciting promotions planned to welcome new friends into our Twinkle Babies and Twinkle Stars classes at the start of the new year.

For now, November and December offer the perfect opportunity to shift our focus inward, nurturing our current studio community and engaging with the dancers and families already enrolled.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing fun programming ideas to keep your dancers excited and your studio thriving through the holidays.

One simple yet effective idea is to incorporate themed props into your classes!

For example, our Twinkle Star Dance classes love using autumn-colored scarves for a choreographed ballet center stretch to “Colors of the Wind.” It’s a beautiful way to celebrate the season.

This November, we’ve added a dance to “Country Freeze Dance” in all our classes, building up to a special Family Hoedown during Parent Observation Week. Parents will be invited to join the fun and create lasting memories with their dancers.

In December, jingle bells take center stage! Our Twinkle Babies adore dancing to “Jingle Bells Opposites,” and they love the sound of the jingling bells as they move. Another favorite prop is the star wand—our Twinkle Stars use them to dance to “Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star,” adding extra magic to their holiday-themed classes.

Looking for more inspiration? Learn more about Twinkle Star Dance and our teacher certifications here: Twinkle Star Dance.

Meet Tiffany Henderson

Tiffany Henderson is a respected dance industry leader and business expert. She owns and operates multiple Tiffany’s Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her innovative video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is used by over 300 dance studios worldwide to inspire young dancers and grow thriving studio communities.

‘Tis the Season for Extra Holiday Events at Your Dance Studio!

The holiday season is a magical time filled with warmth, joy, and festive celebrations, making it the perfect backdrop for dance studios to host special events. Whether it’s a Kindness Month initiative, a Nutcracker Tea Party or a Holiday Mini Camp, these events help bring the spirit of the season to your studio while boosting your business. Adding holiday-themed events can introduce new dancers to your classes, foster community, and provide an extra revenue stream during typically slower months.

Here’s a guide on how to make the most out of the holiday season by hosting events that bring holiday cheer—and so much more—to your studio.

Why Host Holiday Events?

1. Increase Revenue in Slow Months
   The holiday months can be challenging financially for some studios. Holiday events provide an extra opportunity for income, even as students are busy with other seasonal activities.

2. Market Your Dance Classes
   Holiday events give new families a low-pressure way to experience your studio firsthand. These events can be fun introductions for prospective students, allowing parents and dancers to get a taste of what your classes offer.

3. Foster Community and Customer Loyalty
   There’s something special about a community gathering to celebrate the season. Hosting these events allows your students and their families to connect with one another, building a loyal and engaged community around your studio.

4. Share the Magic of the Season
   Holidays are magical, especially for young dancers. By bringing that magic into your studio, you create memories and experiences that will stay with your students and families long after the season ends.

Seasonal Event Ideas to Consider

• Kindness Month in November
  November is Kindness Month at Tiffany’s Dance Academy (TDA), and we’re celebrating it with a series of meaningful activities to encourage acts of kindness and gratitude. In the lobby, we’re introducing a "Kindness Matters" banner where students can contribute by taking a kindness card, performing a good deed, and writing it on a colorful index card to display on the banner. For our holiday potluck party, we’re setting up a "Thankful Tree" with paper leaves, where kids can write what they're grateful for and attach it to the tree. We’ll also have “Find Someone Who” Bingo cards for parents and Color Kindness Cards for kids to foster positive connections in our dance community.

• Nutcracker Tea Party in November and December
  November and December are perfect for a Nutcracker Tea Party, where young dancers can dress up, enjoy a magical “tea” experience, and dance to the music of the Nutcracker. This type of event is ideal for children of all ages and can be a wonderful introduction to ballet for new students.

• Holiday Mini Camps in December and January
  Mini camps during school breaks in December and January provide a fun activity when students have extra time. These camps can include festive crafts, holiday-themed dance routines, and even a small performance at the end to showcase what the dancers learned.

Make It Easy to Participate

Keep the holiday spirit alive by making it easy for everyone to join the festivities. Open your events to current, past, and prospective students, encouraging families to bring friends as a way to share the holiday fun. Consider offering the event for free if a dancer brings a friend who isn’t currently enrolled at the studio—this is a great way to introduce new families to your community!

Marketing Tips for Holiday Events

To make sure your events are well-attended, start your marketing efforts 2-3 weeks ahead of time. Here are some tips:

• Email and Text Blasts
  Reach out to your mailing list, including current students, alumni, and those who have expressed interest in your classes. Email and text messages are effective ways to ensure everyone knows about your event and any special promotions you’re offering.

• Social Media Boosting
  Create a Facebook event for your holiday event and consider boosting it to increase visibility. Encourage parents to RSVP and share the event with friends. Use festive graphics and videos to get people excited!

• Studio Announcements and Newsletters
  Spread the word about your events during regular classes by handing out flyers and including the information in your monthly studio newsletters. Teachers and staff can also mention the events to parents during pick-up and drop-off times.

Creating a Magical Day-of Event Experience

On the day of the event, set the tone by decorating the studio according to the holiday theme. For example:

• Festive Decorations
  Use themed decorations like holiday lights, seasonal flowers, and fun decor pieces that make the studio feel magical and inviting.

• Music
  Play holiday-themed music to add to the festive atmosphere.

• Goody Bags
  Give out small goody bags with treats, stickers, or other small items as a thank-you for attending. This can leave a lasting impression and build goodwill among students and their families.

Don’t Forget to Offer a Promotion

Before the event wraps up, provide a special promotion for new students who want to register for classes. This could be a discounted rate for their first month or a free trial class. Use the event as an opportunity to share how your studio can continue bringing joy and growth to their child’s life beyond the holiday season.

Spread the Holiday Cheer!

The holiday season is the perfect opportunity to bring extra joy to your studio and strengthen your community of dancers and families. By planning holiday-themed events that are easy and fun for everyone to attend, you’ll build a positive reputation in the community, encourage new enrollments, and bring the magic of the season to life for your students.

Happy holidays, and may your studio be filled with the joy and warmth of the season!