When Rosana Schoonover decided to share her passion, she had no idea she would be stepping into a new career. That passion soon turned to profit as hundreds of men, women, and children followed her lead.
The power of dance reaches across generations. It offers nostalgia for senior citizens, romance for young lovers, and amusement for children. It is also great exercise for anyone at any age. Rosana marketed her cowboy dance classes with these benefits in mind. It was a good move one her part. Although she originally used her family room as a dance studio, eventually her 200 to 300 member classes had to move to a larger facility.
If you enjoy boogying the night away, you may have what it takes to teach your own dance classes. You can start out small, the way Rosana did. If you are able, teach private lessons in your home. If the idea of strangers coming to your home bothers you, find free or inexpensive alternatives such as the YMCA, local church halls, or school gymnasiums. These places may even help you draw more students.
What else will you need besides your knowledge and love of all the latest moves? Actually, the start-up costs won't be much, especially if you already own the music you'll be using in your classes. Any decent CD player will be good enough to start with. If you have the kind of success Rosana enjoyed, however, you will eventually need more sophisticated equipment. You may even want to add a microphone system so you can instruct and play music at the same time.
It will be important to look the part. You don't have to dress like Roy Rogers or Dale Evans, but you need to look sharp and attractive. Remember, you are the professional.
Offer several levels of instruction-children's, beginners, intermediate, and advanced. Market your skills creatively. I know of a middle school whose parent's group hosts a series of dance lessons a few weeks before the first school dance. A friend of mine attended a family reunion where the entertainment was a line dance instructor. It sure beat making small talk for three hours. Maybe you could hold your own amateur dance contest or recital and offer special packages leading up to the big day. It is truly amazing what parents will pay to see little Johnny or Jill on stage!
When Rosana first started teaching line dancing and swing dance, she already knew it was good for the heart, good for the soul and good for the waistline. Make the right moves with your business, and it could be good for your bank account too!
Resources:
http://www.dancepages.com/
http://socialdance.stanford.edu/syllabi/teaching_tips.htm
November 17, 2009
