Why School Districts and Private Dance Studios Should Team Up (And How to Do It)

There is a big debate happening on social media right now. Dance teachers are arguing about private studio dance teams versus public school dance teams. Many people look at them as rivals. Studio owners worry about losing dancers to high school teams. School coaches feel like studios do not understand the school sports model.

But what if we stopped fighting for the same students and started working together?

Building an alliance between your private studio and a local public school district is not just a nice idea. It is a smart business move that benefits everyone. Look at local success stories right here in Massachusetts, like in Braintree. The high school dance team coaches successfully crossed over to build their own private studio business. They proved that school dance and studio dance can support each other.

Here is how your private studio can approach a school district and why it will help your business grow.

The Benefits of a School-Studio Alliance

1.       You Reach a Whole New Group of DancersNot every child can spend 15 hours a week at a competitive studio. Many school athletes want to dance, but they also want to play other sports or keep up with homework. By partnering with schools, you welcome recreational and school-team dancers who only want to train a few hours a week.

2.       You Build Massive Community TrustWhen public schools recommend your studio, parents trust you instantly. You stop being just a local business. You become an approved educational partner in the community.

3.       You Solve the "High School Exit" ProblemMany studio owners get sad when their best dancers turn 14 and leave the studio to join the high school team. In an alliance, you do not lose those dancers. Instead, you become the official training ground where those high school dancers come to work on their technique, turns, and jumps.

How to Approach a Public School District

School administrators do not speak "commercial dance studio" language. They speak the language of public education. If you want to pitch an alliance, you must change your approach.

·         Do not pitch a "Competition." Pitch an "Athletic Meet." Principals and athletic directors understand track meets and gymnastics meets. Talk about dance as a team sport with clear divisions, not a glitzy pageant.

·         Leave the expensive costumes at home. Schools have strict budgets. Propose a model where dancers wear coordinated studio team wear instead of thousand-dollar custom costumes.

·         Talk about objective grading. Schools use standard rubrics to grade math and English. Show them that your dance programs use curriculum-aligned, rubric-based scoring to track student progress fairly.

A New Model for a Shared Playing Field

The old dance competition model from the 1940s does not fit public education. That is why the industry needs a bridge.

New systems like the American Sport Dance Games® Meets (ASDGM) are designed specifically to bring private studios and school teams together. With school-grade groupings instead of confusing age averages, studio entries based on the enrollment of a studio, and an objective rubric-based scoring system, it creates a fair, safe playing field. It even features a specific division just for public and private middle and high school dance teams.

When private studios and public schools share a curriculum and a goal, dance education wins. Stop treating school teams as your competition. Start treating them as your greatest partners.

Ms. Davis presents professional development seminars to dance educators throughout the USA who are searching for a new model, a 21st century approach to dance education at conventions and at private in-house workshops. Please use our CONTACT FORM for further information to book Jann, she is also available to consult virtually.

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