With a new season of dance beginning, it’s time to start thinking about fundraising ideas for dance teams! Fundraising for your studio can help with costumes, dance contest fees, scholarships for students, and travel. Go beyond the boring pitch for dollars and try one of these 12 fantastically fun ideas.
Why dance fundraising ideas are important
Fundraising may not be the most glamorous aspect of running a dance studio, but it can have a tremendous impact on the lives of your students. When you organize around your fundraising ideas for dance teams, you can really help to enhance the lives of your dancers.
If you can help make costumes and travel more affordable, you take pressure off of families and encourage more participation.
Starting with virtual events and moving to in-person and hybrid dance fundraiser ideas, here are 12 unique fundraising ideas for dance teams.
- Online dance-a-thon
- Social media challenges
- Text-to-give
- Family or parent night out
- Dance workshops
- Boot camps
- Haunted houses
- Dancer photos
- Silent auctions
- Flowers/candy for dancers
- Sell swag
- Community business donations and sponsorships
1. Online dance-a-thon
Imagine a Zoom platform open for as long as dancers are dancing. Students collect pledges per time period (e.g., $5/hour) and dance or move as long as they can. The Zoom dance-a-thon is recorded, and pledges are tallied.
Online dance fundraisers are convenient for dancers and for parents. This is also a good place for hybrid fundraising. Students who prefer to enter from home can dance with students in studio. Dance marathon fundraising incentives can include prizes for students, too (such as free classes and studio swag).
2. Social media challenges
Use TikTok and other social media platforms to encourage dancers to participate in some of the hottest dance and fitness challenges online. Consider:
- 30-day plank challenge
- Specific dance challenge
- Mastering motions challenge
For each challenge completed, collect pledges to the studio. Don’t forget to add a studio-specific hashtag.
3. Text-to-give
Text-to-give fundraising for dance teams allows anyone with a cellphone to make a donation directly from their device.
Once a giving method for large nonprofits, this convenient way to make donations is now available to anyone. Simply partner with a text-to-give provider, choose a dedicated word (like DANCE or DONATE), and spread the word with email marketing tools and social media messaging.
4. Family or parent night out
Host a paid night of fun activities to take the pressure off of parents. Ask older dancers to volunteer their time and babysitting talents for younger dancers and their siblings. Schedule fun crafts and other activities, and see if a local company will sponsor snacks.
5. Dance studio workshops
Dance workshops can be one-off events both online and in person, or they can be a series of master classes in a dance discipline that your studio does not normally offer. Maybe your ballet dancers want to explore hip-hop, or your Irish dance team wants to give step dancing a try.
You can make a portion of these special program fees a donation to a specific fund to increase participation. For example, if your studio features a nationally-ranked dance team with steep travel and costume costs, dedicate the workshop to fundraising for that team specifically.
6. Boot camps
Boot camps for adults and students are one of those dance team fundraisers that get the whole family involved. Spend a month of Saturdays getting fit, or schedule a week-long exercise blast for all ages.
7. Haunted houses
Increase the seasonal drama with a haunted house. Have students help plan areas for both older and younger kids, and serve creepy finger foods, too.
8. Dancer photos
Dramatic dancer photos complete with props, hair, and makeup are a great way to raise money and create memories at the same time.
Check in with creative parents first to see if there are professional photographers, makeup artists, and stylists willing to donate their time and talents.
9. Silent auctions to raise money
Silent auctions can be held online and in person at the same time for any gathering. Ask parents and community members to donate goods and services, then use The Studio Director’s easy billing service to collect payment.
10. Flowers or candy for dancers
For ongoing fundraising efforts, sell flowers and candy for audience members to gift to your dancers after recitals. You can also sell these items online so that family members out-of-state can support their dancer, too!
Other dance recital fundraiser ideas include offering snacks and drinks for purchase during the recital, setting up a donation box where attendees can drop in a few dollars if they wish, and serving ice cream after the recital (for a fee, of course!).
11. Sell swag
Swag is one of those smart fundraising ideas for dance teams that can make a big impact long after the actual fundraiser. Popular swag to sell includes:
- Bumper stickers
- Travel mugs
- Coffee mugs
- T-shirts
- Dance shorts
- Dance gear
- Stickers
- Tote bags
Design your own merchandise online, then have families place orders a couple of times per year. You don’t pay for goods until the order is placed.
12. Community business donations and sponsorships
One of the best sources of support is right outside your door. Community business donations and sponsorships can help with dance recital fees and practical costs. They can also provide in-kind donations like snacks and programming needs (such as program printing, lighting, and sound equipment).
Many small businesses are willing to support other local businesses, especially those that help kids in their community. Offer advertising on your website, positive social media mentions, and ads in dance recital programs in trade for services and donations.
You may want to cultivate a strategic relationship to support a certain program. Look for one local business that wants to support dance teams that travel, another who is committed to increasing diversity in dance through scholarships to traditionally underserved or underrepresented populations, and so forth. When you offer multiple ways for people to help, you might be surprised at the support you get!
Important Things to Remember when Running a Dance Team Fundraiser
Running a dance studio fundraiser requires careful planning and attention to detail. Often, people overlook the importance of incorporating a variety of dance team fundraising ideas to keep things dynamic and engaging. Offering a mix of activities from dance studios such as a dance-a-thon, movie night, or even setting up a haunted house can make your fundraiser more appealing to different audiences.
Another overlooked aspect is the involvement of younger dancers. They bring a fresh energy to the event and can participate in age-appropriate activities like dance classes for kids. This not only helps raise money but also fosters a sense of community among all members of the dance studio.
Engaging with local businesses for sponsorships or community business donations is another often-missed opportunity. Local businesses can offer valuable support that can greatly boost your fundraising efforts.
Lastly, people sometimes forget to leverage social media effectively. Running social media challenges or promoting your event on various social media platforms can help reach a wider audience and contribute significantly to raising funds.
Here are some key points to remember when running a dance studio fundraiser:
- Incorporate a variety of fundraising ideas for dance teams
- Involve younger dancers in the fundraiser
- Engage with local businesses for support
- Leverage social media for promotion and engagement
Remember, the goal is not just about raising money but also about building a stronger dance community, promoting your dance team, and most importantly, having fun.
Manage It All With Studio Director
The Studio Director makes the business of fundraising and studio management a breeze. Our cloud-based software allows you to manage everything, wherever you are. Whatever fundraising ideas for dance teams you come up with, we’re here to help.