Dance School Owners and Managers

“Some people seem to think that good dancers are born,” the dance great Fred Astaire once observed. “All the good dancers I’ve known have been taught or trained.” Dance schools provide this training to people of all ages and skill levels—whether they want to learn to dance for fun or as a career. Dance school owners are typically dancers or dance instructors who have decided to become entrepreneurs. Dance school managers, who also have backgrounds in dance or dance education, assist owners in the operation of dance schools. Owners and managers do everything necessary to ensure the successful operation of the dance school. They perform a wide range of duties, including:

• Handling tasks such as data entry and bookkeeping (including paying bills, sending bills to customers, processing payments, tracking outstanding balances, and contacting customers regarding payment issues)
• Creating and executing marketing plans
• Designing and updating the school’s Web site and its social media pages
• Interviewing, hiring, and managing dance instructors
• Answering customer questions and addressing customer service issues by communicating with customers by phone or via e-mail, or by talking with them in person
• Preparing schedules and allocating studio space for lessons
• Planning dance competitions and recitals
• Choosing the music or sound effects that accompany dance lessons
• Teaching dance moves and techniques to students and providing them with feedback on their performance
• Choreographing dance sequences or performances
• Keeping records of students’ performance and progress
• Selecting and purchasing dance-related products (e.g., costumes, casual workout clothing, shoes, DVDs, books, etc.) that can be sold in their school’s retail shop