The flurry of “goodbye for now” messages from dance studio owners are not a surprise in 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic has taken its toll not only on health but on business health. Many owners have struggled to hold on, trying desperately to think outside of the box to keep their studios open and their students engaged. Now is a time to get creative and think about opportunities to revamp and stay afloat until life resembles normal again. If studios have available space, consider these options to bring in some income.
Virtual School Pods
Virtual students often must share space and bandwidth with siblings and getting out of the house might be a much-needed change of scenery. Parents are busy balancing work and virtual schooling, so why not allow a limited number of students to come into a safe space with their laptop or tablet regularly. If there is a local university, maybe university students could help tutor on a part-time basis.
Expanding Private Lessons
It may not be safe to have a crowd in your studio quite yet, but perhaps dance teachers can use technology to reach students virtually. Think about new private class offerings. Record videos of warmups, stretches, and basic steps to share and students can practice through the week.
Appeal to non-dancing adults
Many are feeling the stress of everything going on right now, whether it is political, work, or pandemic concern, so maybe a new use of the space could include yoga or meditation classes for adults? It would be easy to social distance and the studio can reach people who may not otherwise be interested in dance classes.
In these challenging times, it can be easy to feel defeated, but there are opportunities. Keep a sharp eye and open ears, and you may find a new way to bring a needed service to the people around you.