What distinguishes an average studio from one dancers consider their second home?
The amenities.
Skilled, inspiring instructors are indeed the heart of any studio. However, the high-quality dance studio amenities define the experience and keep dancers coming back.
Being able to dance in a beautiful, fully-equipped studio is pure joy for dancers of all ages. The supportive feel of the studio floor. The music playing through the modern sound system. Their reflection dancing across the wall-to-wall mirrors. That’s what makes a studio great.
Add in extras like upscale dressing rooms, premium support barres, and guest teachers, and you not only have the best studio around. You also have a formula for sustainable success.
So, what amenities should your dance studio invest in? This article covers all the essentials as well as a few extras to help elevate the dancer experience and make your studio Instgrammable and irresistible.
The Importance of Well-Equipped Dance Studios
Equipping your dance studio with all the right amenities will impact your dancers’ experiences on many levels.
- It’s safer. Amenities like good flooring and sturdy barres can help prevent injury.
- It supports their training. With the right equipment, instructors can use a variety of methods for warm-ups, strengthening, and technique development.
- It creates a sense of pride. Students will feel more confident in themselves and the studio. This can lead to higher student retention and word-of-mouth marketing to help your business attract new dancers.
The bottom line is your studio will be more competitive when it offers beyond just the basics. The dance industry in the US has an estimated market value of $4.4 billion. It’s also been growing steadily for years, including over 4% growth in 2023.
To appeal to dancers in your area, you need to offer what students are looking for. Think about deciding factors that make a new student choose one studio over another, such as the following:
- The diversity of classes available
- Perceived value
- The level of inclusivity
- Ambiance
They might also factor in long-term potential.
Does your studio have the amenities to help them evolve as dancers and athletes? Do you offer the expertise, environment, and commitment that will help them achieve their goals? Is your studio accessible to different groups?
If you don’t tick all these boxes, it may be time to revamp your studio so you can support your dancers’ dreams.
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Essential Dance Studio Amenities
Here are five amenities worth investing in. These essentials will create a positive impression when students walk into your studio. They’re also the things your dancers will use in every class.
1. Wall-to-Wall Mirrors
A clean wall of frameless mirrors provides students with a clear view of the entire studio space. They can see what their instructors are doing from any position on the floor. They can also view their form, which is critical for mastering technique.
A lot of studios use floor-to-ceiling mirrors. To ensure the best experience for your dancers, ensure your mirrors are at least 6 feet tall. They need to be no more than 22 inches off the ground to allow for a view of dancers’ feet.
2. Supportive Flooring
Sprung floors are the best choice for all-purpose dance studios. They absorb much of the impact of jumps, leaps, and other movements, preventing overuse injuries.
Jumping on concrete or even roll-out floors over concrete increases the risk of shin splints, ankle sprains, and other common dance injuries, so make supportive flooring a priority.
3. Wireless Sound System
A wireless system allows your instructors to turn music on or off from anywhere in the studio. They can use smartphones or tablets to change tracks, pause, or repeat music.
This flexibility lets your teaching staff focus more on the students. They don’t need to stand next to the sound system to ensure the right music is playing. Instead, they can move around the room, helping your students perfect their moves.
Make sure you have quality speakers to ensure sound clarity. This will help all your dancers connect with the music. Place at least two in each room for the best sound, preferably mounted on the walls so you don’t take up any floor space.
4. Freestanding Ballet Barres
Freestanding barres work well for most dance studios. You can take them out for warm-ups. Then, you can put them away to free up the entire floor space for dancing.
Choose a high-quality wood for your support barres.
Oak is widely used in traditional ballet studios. It’s wear-resistant and attractive.
Maple is a stronger wood. It also offers the smoothest texture. It is, however, the most expensive option.
Ash works well if you don’t have the budget for a pricier barre but still want to give your dancers a professional dance studio experience.
5. Well-Kept Changing Room
Your studio should have spaces where dancers can have the privacy they need to change into their dancewear.
There should also be storage space for personal belongings and lockers for those who want to secure their items. That way, your students won’t have to leave their belongings on the studio floor.
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Additional Dance Studio Amenities to Consider
Want to go above and beyond for your dance students? Special extras unique to your studio may give you a competitive edge. If you have the budget, consider these extra dance studio amenities.
A Piano
A good sound system is excellent for convenience. Most dance types will need that for daily lessons. But live piano music allows you to teach your students the more subtle nuances of dance technique.
They get the opportunity to train to dance to live music and different tempos. As a result, they’ll develop a deeper understanding of how to connect music to movement.
Filtered Water Fountains
Install a fountain with filtered water so your students can fill their water bottles before class. This is a nice add-on for your students and instructors, who can stay hydrated while teaching for hours. It also demonstrates your studio’s commitment to wellness.
Showers
Install showers for students who might want to freshen up after a class. This amenity will help your studio appeal to serious dancers who spend an hour or more in the studio and want the ability to go from class to work or social events.
Strength-Training Room
Create a room for strength training. A designated training space gives your students a place to work on their strength and flexibility, which will help them become better dancers. Include some of the following equipment in your room:
- Yoga mats
- Fit balls
- Pilates benches
- Tension bands
- Free weights
- Jump ropes
You can offer classes or one-on-one sessions with a personal trainer in this space. Another money-generating option is to charge a monthly fee to use the training room during open hours. Either way, you can diversify your studio’s revenue stream while boosting your dancers’ experiences.
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Innovative Dance Studio Additions
Think bigger if you want to level up your dance studio even more. Create immersive experiences and places that will turn your studio into a gathering place.
Here are three innovative additions that will practically guarantee a full class schedule.
1. Technology Integration for Innovative Art Showcases
Create multidimensional performances that will get people talking and allow your students to participate in truly innovative choreography.
For example, you can project art onto digital screens and sync it with choreography. Experiment with visual dance mapping, light shows, and electronic light costumes to create unforgettable performances.
This unique touch will set your dance studio far ahead of the competition.
2. Specialized Dance Programs Taught by Visiting Teachers
Offer your students once-in-a-lifetime workshops by inviting top instructors from around the world. Your dancers will learn new techniques and have the opportunity to push their skills to new levels.
3. Welcoming Lounges
Create a space for your dancers to hang out before or after class. Include comfortable seating, cafe facilities, and eye-catching decor. This will promote bonding with other dancers. But, more importantly, it will make your studio truly feel like their second home.
With amenities like these, you’ll have students dancing at your studio for years. When you offer everything that makes dance a special experience for them, your studio becomes a part of their lives.
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Top Tips for Dance Studio Amenities
Are you ready to elevate your dance studio with the right amenities? Here are three tips to help you get started:
- Explore leading studios for inspiration. Look at some of the top dance studios across the country. Check out what amenities they offer and let them inspire your choices.
- Create a student survey. Ask your students what they want. A new type of class? A modernized changing room? Guest teachers? Get an idea of their goals, and revolve your amenity choices around their wants.
- Build your email list. With plenty of dance studio amenities in the pipeline, you need a way to communicate all your upcoming changes. Create a list of current students, and make sure you have permission to email them. Add new dancers and leads as they come in. You can promote all your amazing amenities as they roll out to drum up interest in your business.
Want to learn more about how The Studio Director software can help promote all the amenities your dance studio has to offer?
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