Finding the right software to power your dance studio shouldn’t take a tremendous amount of time, effort, or money. The features that Akada Software offers is based on our years of expertise with studio management, which means we do the hard work, and you focus on making sure your students are nailing those pirouettes. Here are some of the features that make Akada Software the best in the industry.

Billing and Online Payments

No more spreadsheets or reminding yourself to pay bills or collect tuition payments. Akada’s billing and online payment systems make it easy to keep credit card payments up to date.

Communication, Security, and Reports

Not only is all data kept private and secure, but you can also email or text with families. When you see attendance, finance, and enrollment reports that are easy to read, you can use that data to communicate with your customers and stay on top of studio business.

Performances and Registration

Scheduling is easy with Akada. Between the studio’s class sessions and customer registration, to scheduling performances and recitals, Akada makes it simple and saves time. Also, Akada Software has built-in costume management.

Time Tracking and Scheduling

Manage your staff, timekeeping, and payroll, and track classes to ensure no conflict for rooms, instructors, and students, all in one place.

Dance studio owners have enough on their plate, and shouldn’t have to wade through countless apps, software, and tools to manage a dance studio. Partner with Akada Software, and simplify your administrative studio management so you can focus on what makes you happy about being a dance studio owner.

In the past year, professional athletes have made headlines by doing one thing: taking a step back.
Tennis star Naomi Osaka pulled out of matches; and more recently, gymnast Simone Biles withdrew
from Olympic events. Both athletes cited mental health reasons for their withdrawal, and both athletes
have received praise and scorn for their decisions.
What does this have to do with dance?
The rigors of participating in local dance classes may not be on the same level as Olympic participation,
but dance studio owners notice a decline in competitive participation from teens also citing mental
health reasons. Opinions vary on whether these students are making good decisions by withdrawing
from dance classes but keep a few things in mind.

Mental health is not just a trend
Students and adults alike have been under enormous stress in the past eighteen months. This is a time
to pay attention to mental health, not ignore it. Students need understanding, not judgment because
you may not know what’s going on at home.
Rethink your message
A win-at-all-cost mindset doesn’t motivate everyone. It’s a lot of pressure. Never forget that dance is a
form of expression and mindfulness. Physical activity is beneficial for mental health. Perhaps some new
options can include recreational dance that includes mindfulness.
Care about the whole student
Sure, another trophy would be great, but not if it destroys the mental health of students. Trust
students when they tell you they need to prioritize their mental health because it demonstrates amazing
strength to draw a line between doing what they love and understanding their boundaries. Meet
students with compassion if you want to keep them.

Perhaps it’s time to recognize that right now may not be appropriate for a win-at-all-cost message, and
young people are rejecting that mindset. Meet them where they are and be the resource that they need
so that one day they will look back and see that you helped them get through some pretty hard stuff.

Alliance Dance Academy Bluffton, SC – We would give this Scholarship to one of our Graduating Seniors, Shawna Zats. Shawna had ACL surgery last season, forcing her to sit out her entire Junior year of dance. She rehabbed for 6 long months and was super excited for her Senior year when Covid 19 hit and once again she wasn’t able to dance! Shawna is an important part of our studio’s fabric and awarding her this Scholarship would be an amazing way to recognize her hard work and dedication. She recently made the Dance team at Furman University and she is praying that she will be dancing again soon. Thank you for this opportunity to shine the spotlight on Shawna and remind her that a wonderful work ethic will always pay off!

American Academy of Dance, Hendersonville, TN  –  We will use 100% of the funds to help low-income students with their dance tuition. The owner of AAD, Paula Fortner, already implements payment plans for families who may be having a difficult time. She has always felt like being a part of the dance studio gives children so much more than merely a dance education. A dance studio gives children a sense of belonging and a safe place to feel accepted and loved outside of the home. Many of our students feel that American Academy of Dance is their home away from home.

Breaking Pointe Dance Company, Franklinton, LA – Our studio is in a rural Louisiana town. Zoom classes didn’t work for us because of a lack of internet service. The scholarship would help finance a family of five girls dancing with us. Even though I trade cleaning services with mom for free tuition. The costumes/ dance attire / etc is impossible. For parades, they borrow my teacher’s jackets etc. This scholarship would be a blessing for these talented humbled dancers. There is a real need.
Thank You
BPDC

Colorado School of Dance, Parker, CO – Colorado School of Dance awards $2000 in college scholarships each year to outstanding seniors in honor of the “Dalton’s Moon Foundation” (a student at CSD from 2002-2016, who fought cancer until 2016 when his battled ended at age 18). The funds are generally produced from recital ticket profits, and each year we award 2-4 students. This year, with no ticketed recital, we are unsure how to proceed with the funding, and sadly, the seniors will not even have graduation. Dalton’s Mom cleans our studio — so she was also laid off during this time due to the shutdown. It would mean the world to her, and to our studio families, is to still be able to award at least half of the funds this season — CSD would even match the $1,000, and be able to announce this year’s scholarship was sponsored in part by AKADA SOFTWARE. We currently have had 5 seniors apply for the scholarship; plus the funds cannot go to any owners/employee children. We know you have many terrific studios. Thank you for allowing us to be considered, and for doing such amazing work during this season.

Creative Expressions Dance Studio Inc., Flint, MI – Thank you for providing this opportunity to all of us to write for this scholarship. Creative Expressions Dance Studio Inc. (C.E.D.S.) is a non-profit that caters to low-income families. Creative Expressions has been blessed with a Parent who has been participating in our program for the last 3 years. What is so unique about this family is as follows: A Mom with a talented daughter who is a part of the C.E.D.S. Competition Team has been a foster mother for two beautiful children. The two foster children came from a drug and physically abused home. The young boy would not even speak for several months, while the young girl was extremely shy because of being molested. This kindhearted mother while receiving money for foster care was able to put the children in dance classes. But when she decided to adopt the children her stipend for foster care was decreased. The students have made tremendous gains in their self-esteem. The young boy speaks with authority now and is one of our leaders in the Small Tot Class. His sister is now one of the youngest students on our Competition Team. This scholarship will help provide this family with tuition, competition, and costume fees. The help for this family will be greatly appreciated while keeping these two children in the loving care of a mother who needs assistance, especially during this pandemic.

Dance Studio B, Wilson, NC – 2 years ago I saw a post on Social Media that a former dancer’s Mom was asking for prayers for their oldest daughter who was now in a wheelchair! I was in shock and offered to help in any way I could. At that point, there had been no diagnosis but the child had lost the feeling in her legs. Her Mom thought it best to keep her as active as possible, so we started meeting a couple of times a week, with all 4 kids, to stretch and strengthen her legs, until it could be determined what was actually going on. The diagnosis was Pediatric Peripheral Neuropathy. Only a handful of children have ever been diagnosed with this, as it generally only strikes adults. Though there’s no known cure, there are treatments. Since insurance companies don’t recognize this as something a child would need, the $6000 monthly treatments are not covered. The good news is, they seem to be working. They are currently in the process of trying to sell their family home, a beautifully renovated farmhouse, in an effort to cover the cost of treatment. But it’s working, so they feel this is their only choice No longer confined to a wheelchair, this young lady learned to walk with a walker and then finally without. All the while, meeting with me once or twice a week and finally signing up for tumbling class with her younger brother and sister. I awarded them our studio scholarship at last years recital, but now, her younger sister is also showing symptoms. The good news is, after countless appeals and community outreach, insurance will now cover treatments. Unfortunately, their father lost his job, so I fear they will not be able to continue dancing with us next season, without some sort of divine intervention. Your scholarship would allow all three siblings to continue with their class next season. The Duff Family prides themselves as being “Duff Tuff” and they prove this each and every day. It is my hope that their strength and determination can be rewarded.

Northeast Iowa Dance Academy, Oelwein, IA – These funds would be applied towards tuition for a young student (age 6) whose father was in a car accident in May 2020. The family’s life has been changed forever with the father being paralyzed and working through critical injuries sustained in the accident. The father has been transported to a rehabilitation center however, the center is 5 hours from home. The student also has a younger sister at home under the age of one. The accident happened at the height of COVID therefore, the family was also unable to be in the intensive care unit with their husband/father. All updates were provided virtually to the family by the medical staff. The mother has been incredibly strong through the whole process and is now traveling back and forth between home and the rehabilitation center to support both her husband and their two young children. NIDA is grateful for the opportunity to nominate the family for the scholarship. Being awarded the funds for tuition would bring the family positive news that is much needed at a time they are looking for healing and strength.

Performer’s Edge Dance Center, Davenport, FL – We would love to help a student in need that loves to dance but whose parents have had health issues and couldn’t work. Her mom is a nurse and has been working this entire time during covid 19 to support her family. They have had years of struggle and bad luck and their daughter, who is 12, is the sweetest girl with a huge heart and truly loves to dance as much as she can and this could help take the pressure off.

Robin’s Dance Studio, Missouri City, TX – I have a senior who has been with the studio since the age of 2 and is an extremely talented dancer and choreographer. She is humble, kind, and caring and has been an excellent mentor, assistant teacher, and teacher. She will be attending Theater Arts Preparatory School in Las Vegas while also pursuing a business degree from the University of Houston. Her goal is to dance professionally and own her own studio. Her mom danced at our studio with me growing up and she has worked very hard to help Kalyssa achieve her dreams while being a single mom and 5th-grade teacher. I would love to be able to ease some of her financial burdens and help her achieve these goals she so richly deserves. Thank you.

The Dance Connection, Canton, MI – In June of 2012 our studio owner Carol Jackson passed away from cancer. In her honor, we started the Carol Ann Jackson Memorial Scholarship fund. Each year at the recital we select one deserving dancer who receives a $1,000 scholarship to put towards their dance education. They can use it for tuition, costumes, conventions, competitions, or whatever they choose. To raise money to support the scholarship fund we sell flower bouquets at our annual recital. However, this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak we will not be having our traditional recital and will be unable to do flower sales. This scholarship would allow us to award a 2020 Carol Ann Jackson Memorial Scholarship to a deserving dancer within our studio. We thank you for your consideration and look forward to being able to continue the legacy started by Ms. Carol 25 years ago.

As many of you know, YPAD originated as the heart song of Leslie Scott Zanovitch, its founder and long-time champion—and someone I now consider a forever friend. 🙂

Leslie created YPAD to uphold a high standard of health and safety in dance. It was an answer to the industry-wide question, “How can we serve dance students in the best, healthiest way possible?”

When More Than Just Great Dancing® acquired YPAD earlier this year, it was our goal to expand on Leslie’s mission, staying true to her legacy and opening up the YPAD education and certification to more studio owners and teachers. And now here we are!

Here is more information about the educational coursework at the core of the YPAD experience. YPAD currently has two different course offerings:

#1: The YPAD SAFETY Course (which leads to Course Completion) covers the following topics:

• Best Practices for Dance Studios
• Abuse Awareness and Prevention
• Injury Prevention and Response
• Risk Management in the Dance Environment

Each of these four points represents an area of learning that we believe every studio needs to maximize student safety. It is my belief that a YPAD safety education will benefit every level of the industry, from the studio itself and its teachers to our students and their parents. At YPAD, we have gone ALL-IN on encouraging the industry to self-regulate and teach within the bounds of what’s healthy and safe for kids.

#2: The YPAD SAFETY & WELLNESS Course (which leads to YPAD Certification) covers the following topics in addition to the safety education:

• Social Media, Media Safety & Today’s Dance Culture
• Developmentally Appropriate Artistry
• Body Image, Nutrition & Disordered Eating
• Bullying & Conflict Resolution

What’s EXTRA cool about the work we’ve been doing behind the scenes is that YPAD’s educational courses are also all DIGITAL! Backed by evidence-based research, every lesson includes text and video components to optimize learning. Of course, there are a few things that can’t be done 100% digitally (like CPR training) but it’s pretty cool for each participant to be able to learn online at their own pace.

Ultimately I believe that we can serve the dance industry with the YPAD mission and leave it stronger than ever for the next generation. I hope that through YPAD, more individuals will feel empowered with the tools and resources to serve their dance students with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity.

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know that I am a champion for studio owners and teachers. I also want my legacy to be that of being champion for needed change in the dance world—making it safer and healthier for kids to be involved in this art we love so much.

Will YOU be a champion of change with me?

I hope you’ll say YES and visit us at ypadnow.com 🙂

Love, Misty

For more inspiration, sign up for the Misty Minute. https://morethanjustgreatdancing.com/misty-minute-signup/

Click Here to Apply!

The events from the pandemic crisis to standing up for human rights have set dance studios on a course into unknown waters. Everything has changed in an instant, forcing studio owners and teachers to embrace a whole new way of teaching from a distance and through an array of emotions. When everything changes and confusion and panic seem to take over, how can dance studios navigate through this abnormal time and support their audience? Here are some tips to help.

Acknowledge the emotions

Face what you are feeling, what teachers are feeling, and what students are feeling. If you are scared, no doubt others are scared too. Do not be afraid to be vulnerable. Give space for others to be vulnerable as well and use it as a time to bond and comfort one another. For students, losing their face-to-face dance classes can feel mournful and unfair – let them know they are not alone.

Dance through the chaos

Historically, the arts and social justice have been interconnected. Dance can connect individuals with community and create a sanctuary. As you listen to your teachers and students, encourage them to use their movement to heal. Share stories about how dance helps heal and listen to their stories, whether it’s racial inequality, pandemic fears, or something else entirely.

Create a safe space with open conversation

Now would be a great time for dance studio owners and staff to be educated on social injustice issues. Ensuring that your team has an open conversation about what is going on in the world helps create an environment of safety and belonging when studio doors open again. Set the goal of having a safe space in the studio.

Dance is a powerful way to connect people and express emotion. This time of uncertainty might be the catalyst needed to create a powerful space to be more open and more connected as humans. Do not underestimate the power dance has to connect us all.

Hang in there!

Akada’s COVID-Related Updates

The emergence of COVID-19 has changed everything about the way we live life over the past several weeks. While the guidelines and changes have been anxiety-inducing and scary for so many, dance studios are getting creative to give their students some sense of normalcy.  To support that creativity, Akada was right there, with updates that help dance studios withstand this pandemic.

Virtual Class

Using Akada’s new Virtual Class Options, studio owners and teachers can add classes with single or multiple meeting dates, share meeting links, set tuition amounts for classes, and easily share with parents. The virtual class link can be sent via email, or parents can access it from their parent account.

Class Materials

Materials, such as instructions, videos of routines, and even recital music, can be uploaded for parent access, and the portal is mobile-friendly. For larger files, we recommend you upload to an outside storage service and provide a sharable link.

Moving Forward

We aren’t done yet. We are working on updates that will help studios once your students return to the classroom. Soon, you’ll be able to take and record your student’s temperatures using the studio interface or Akada Express.

Akada Express

Akada is excited to release Akada Express, our free studio-facing mobile app. Teachers can log in and record class attendance, studio owners can schedule classes, and billing can be completed – all from an app in a smartphone or tablet.

Online dance classes may be a new experience for young students and teachers, and there can be frustration and sadness as a result. However, technology gives us a chance to continue reaching out to one another, offering camaraderie and comfort. Akada is proud to continue being a part of the solution, providing a reliable platform to help dance studios stay connected to their students.

In today’s world, consumers turn to the Internet for just about everything. While word of mouth and personal recommendations are still important, having a strong web presence is essential. The dance studio industry is no exception. When a potential customer is searching for a local dance studio, dance studio owners should do everything possible to make sure their studio shows up in the search. Here are some tips to help dance studio owners boost their SEO (search engine optimization) ranking.

Optimize the website

Make sure the studio website is functioning the best it can. Page speeds affect how long people will wait on a website to load, and a slow website can mean lost business.

Utilize Google Maps

Google Maps is an awesome tool to find local businesses with just a general search, and dance studio owners need to make sure their studio is listed in Maps Google even makes it easy with Google My Business, a free tool that allows a business to promote their business profile and website on Google Search and Maps. This tool can be used even if a studio already has a website.

Get reviews posted online

Ask families for lots of reviews online. Websites like Yelp will help SEO. Patrons can also write reviews on a Google My Business account. Lots of positive reviews help a website stand out among others in a search.

Make sure content is relevant

A dance studio website should have everything from location and hours, to dance styles, photos, teacher bios, and anything else that will make a potential student feel welcome and excited to be a part of the studio. Don’t skimp on the information!

Taking the time to work on and monitor online presence will help dance studios get the online attention they need. If the studio owner does not feel comfortable handling these tasks, it may be a good idea to have a staff member or contractor help optimize dance studio websites. The investment of time and money in SEO could result in a full, well-known dance studio.

I am writing this to create a centralized place for you to keep up with updates to our program and any additional resources that we’ve come across that we think may be helpful to your studio.

Program Updates:

Virtual Class Link and Class Materials – Easily link your virtual classes or youtube videos to your client’s parent account.

Uploading Large Files – A new, more efficient way to email those large video files that you may be sharing.

Additional Resources:

How to use Zoom to Stream Dance Classes Online by Joe Naftal, Dance Connection

Zoom Music Quality Solutions – Danielle Tucci-Juraga, Downstage Center Dance Studio

More Zoom Sound Quality (video) – courtesy of MusicWorks Unlimited

Secure Your Zoom Classes – Learn how to protect your Zoom classes from unwanted outsiders. Courtesy of Dan Goodin, Ars Technica.

Dance Studio Virtual Class Waiver – Jordan Mojzer-Brown, JMB Dance Academy**

Websites:

Rhee Gold – Rhee is always on top of things, and his site is adding daily content with useful tools, ideas, and links to support dance studios.

Dance Teacher Network – This is a private Facebook group just for dance studio owners, teachers, and vendors. DTN is a great place to share questions, concerns, and occasionally a good place to vent with other people in your industry.

**Akada can not guarantee the validity of this waiver. Please consult with your attorney and insurance provider before releasing it to your customer.**

Keeping Recital Planning on Track

by Joe Naftal

Dance Connection

Islip, NY

For many studios across North America, our spring recitals are just a few months away.  While that may be an unwelcome reminder or sound like a cause for alarm, it is the perfect time to review your recital checklist and make sure everything is on track for another perfect recital this year.

• Make sure all of your dance families are on the same pageYou’ve sent out what seems like hundreds of email reminders about dress rehearsal dates, tights colors, ticket sales, recital arrival times and more, but without fail, you know a parent will arrive to the recital clueless about the dozens of newsletters you’ve sent out. Boil down your newsletters to the top five or ten things your parents must know before the recital – if they read nothing else all year. What do they have to know?  Mail this out as a postcard right before the recital.  With the numerous emails parents receive daily, receiving something in the mail seems novel.  You can also include a flyer with the “must have” information in each costume.  They must have the flyer with them if they brought their costume to the recital (and hopefully they will!)
• Figure out what tasks you can delegate to other trusted peopleThe studio director is the captain of the recital ship. But the captain can’t steer the ship if they’re pre-occupied with raising the sails, mopping the deck, cooking in the galley, and supervising the brig.  The same goes for the recital – if the director is pre-occupied with setting up the lobby, organizing the dressing rooms, running check-in, and calling cues for the show, then the recital will steer off course.  Like any good captain, find your first-mate and other trusted ship officers.  Delegate a dependable leader to each area so you feel comfortable that the show is moving smoothly and can manage the big picture – directing an entertaining recital.
• Think through some of the finer detailsA recital works like a machine. There are dozens of moving pieces, and each gear needs to move correctly to avoid a jam, which could affect other parts of the machine down the line.  Take some time to think through some of the details (gears) that are prone to cause issues and added stress at showtime.  Review your recital check-in procedure to make sure you can check in all of your students in a timely fashion so that the show may begin on time.  Ensure you have enough ushers and lobby staff to accommodate the number of audience members you anticipate.  And most importantly, double-check to make sure you have enough time between songs for dancer’s costume changes, and you have volunteers in place to help with quick costume changes.  (Tip: utilize your studio management software’s costume conflict manager to get a listing of all quick changes and anticipate what your needs will be).

• Explore recital revenue enhancers 

  The recital can be a huge revenue driver for studios. It can be the difference between a studio breaking even and making a profit for the year.  It can float a studio through the cash-less summer months.  It can even afford a studio owner the opportunity to take a well-deserved family vacation.  Because of the profit potential, it’s important to leave no stone unturned when it comes to increasing revenue at the recital.  Take some time to look into selling snacks and drinks, flowers, toys and novelty items, t-shirts, dancewear, program ads, raffles, and more at your recital.  Parents will appreciate the convenience and thought put into enhancing their overall recital experience, and your accountant will appreciate the added income.

The recital is an important event for every dance studio.  Besides being a year-end focus of classes and a central revenue source, it is an opportunity for studios to showcase the talent and hard work of their students as well as the dedication and experience of their teachers and staff.  Following these tips will help your studio stay on track to have another great (and hopefully, less stressful) recital this season.

About Joe

The Problem and A New Way of Thinking

After owning my studio for several decades, it was just three years ago that I had my “aha” moment.  At the busiest time of year, April through June, we are standing on our heads, barking like a carnival barker and doing the elevator pitch for Re-Registration.  We hope that everyone returns for the following dance season, but we need their cooperation and commitment AND we need their registration form.

I’ve been creative with verbiage like:

“As a member of our studio family, you (AND ONLY YOU) are being offered Re-Registration in advance of the general public.  Don’t delay – classes fill up and we don’t want you to be shut out”.

Throughout the years, I have offered: The first 100 students that Re-Register before Dress Rehearsal will:

• be entered into a raffle to win FREE TUITION for a FREE CLASS
• get a special limited-edition studio shirt
• get 2 front row seats to the recital
• be entered into a raffle to win $100 Visa gift card
• get my next unborn child, etc., etc.

I did it all and to some extent, it worked.  But, what MORE could I do?  I was always worried – will my students come back?  The anticipation was killing me!  They say they will return – but show me the money!

Every year I waited and prayed and every year there was a “situation”. After Re-Registration closed (just before summer classes began) I would issue the following year’s class schedule and of course, I mixed and combined students to fill the classes.  After a class was full – inevitably a student would come back at the beginning of September and expect to be back in the class.  Parents would say “You knew I was coming back – I’ve been with you 6 years”.  Really?   My thousand Re-Registration notifications didn’t give you enough incentive to fill out the form.  So sorry that my mind-reading skills didn’t work and that I didn’t KNOW that you would be coming back to classes.

Finally, I had enough of this. How is it that we are one of the only businesses, that I know of, that wipe out our clientele and completely start all over again year after year.  Who started this and who thought that this was a good business practice?

I needed to run my business in a more professional and competent way.  I needed to change my way of thinking about Re-Registration.  I needed to be able to project my numbers, make class schedules, hire enough teachers and plan better for the next year.

Why do we handle Re-Registration this way?  Why can’t we be like a gym membership or daycare center?  In those establishments, you are IN till you tell them you are OUT.  Even when I order my hair products on Amazon, they offer auto deliveries for an indefinite time period until I cancel it.

So, here’s how I introduced the new procedure to my students and parents:

ROLLOVER REGISTRATION PROCEDURE

As we come to the close of another dance year, we are aware of how busy your schedules are going to be in the next few weeks.  We hope we can help take something off your plate.  With the help of our studio software, we are happy to announce that we have instituted a new procedure – Rollover Registration.  That’s right, if your contact information has NOT changed, you will no longer need to fill out a full registration application year after year.  No need to worry about being closed out of your classes – you are assured placement in the dance subjects you desire and continue to be part of our dancing family. As a current member of our dance studio family, if you are in good standing (accounts paid in full, no studio policy violations), you will automatically be re-enrolled for the next dance season.

If you want to make additions or changes to your classes, all you need to do is inform the office before __________ (date of choice).

Confirmation of classes will be emailed to you by _________  (date of choice).

We have had GREAT results with this new procedure, and I have only one regret – why didn’t I think of it sooner?  Now, I can plan teachers’ schedules more efficiently.  I know what classes are full or need to be pushed and best of all, I have money in the bank . . . in the summer!!!!!!!!

If you want to take control of your destiny and studio schedule, if you want to enjoy your summer because you know where your business stands, go ahead and sit on the beach because your enrollment is back.  I know that not having financial stress and being worried about my enrollment for next year has made me a happier studio owner, and everyone benefits from that!

by Hedy Perna

Perna Dance Center

About Hedy

Hedy has run Perna Dance Center for more than 30 years and is active in dance organizations that promote the education of teachers and students.  She is President Emeritus of Associated Dance Teachers of NJ and a lifelong member of Dance Educators of America. Additionally, she has presented for Rhee Gold’s Project Motivate, The DanceLife Teacher Conference, the Dance Life Retreat Center, Dance Teacher Summit, United Dance Merchants of America, is a contributing writer for Dance Studio Life Magazine, as well as a long time Akada Customer.

If you have questions about how to make this registration procedure work in Akada just let us know. We’ll gladly walk you through it. – Brett