Increase Student Retention: 5 Essential Strategies for Your Dance School

Curious about how to increase student retention in your dance school? Happy, long-term students not only provide a steady income stream but also contribute to a positive and vibrant culture. While attracting new students to your dance classes is important, customer acquisition costs can be up to 5 times higher than the costs associated with customer retention. Ensuring your current students remain engaged and satisfied can have an even greater impact on your growth and is crucial for the success and sustainability of your dance school. In this article, we will explore some of the potential strategies for the question of how to improve student retention and keep your business thriving. Before we get to that, however, it’s important to get an understanding of retention rates and learn how they are calculated. Knowing and monitoring retention rates will help dance school owners to monitor whether the activities being undertaken to help increase student retention are having their desired effect. 

Calculating student retention rate is essential for dance school owners who want to keep a pulse on their school’s performance. This metric reveals how well your school is retaining its dancers over time, helping you to understand student satisfaction and the effectiveness of your classes. To calculate it, take the number of students at the end of the quarter, divide it by the number of students at the beginning, and multiply by 100 to get a percentage. For example, if your dance school starts the quarter with 150 students and ends with 135, the retention rate would be (135/150) * 100 = 90%. This means your school retained 90% of its students during that quarter. By regularly tracking this rate, you can identify patterns and pinpoint areas where you might need to make improvements to keep your dancers coming back for more.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s look at 5 fundamental student retention strategies that will help your Dance School grow and thrive.

Creating a welcoming and supportive environment is key to long-term retention, as students who feel connected and valued will reward you with loyalty. Take a look at some of your current strategies and see if there are ways you can improve in this area. Encourage collaboration and teamwork in your dance classes through group projects and performances. Celebrate individual and collective achievements with recognition and awards, and milestone events like birthdays or 1 year anniversaries which will make students feel special and appreciated. By cultivating a warm, inclusive atmosphere where students form lasting friendships and feel supported in their growth, you can build a strong sense of community in your dance school. This sense of community and belonging not only enhances satisfaction but also motivates them to stay committed in their dance journey, ultimately contributing to an increase in student retention and the overall success and longevity of your dance school.

It’s essential to understand and connect with the student at your dance school if you want them to return year after year. Providing personalised attention and getting to know everyone who attends your dance classes will allow them to feel seen and acknowledged. Regularly check in with them about their progress and offer encouragement. Students will drop out of a class if they are bored because it’s too easy, or they feel unable to keep up with the difficulty so take the time to understand their needs, goals and how they feel about the curriculum. This individual attention can make a significant difference in their overall learning experience and commitment to your dance school. 

As dance school owners, we’ve all experienced the frustration of students dropping out, leading to a loss of income and the nagging question of what could have been done to prevent it. The answer is simple; maintain open and clear communication. Be transparent about school policies, schedules and any changes. Keep records of absences and monitor any patterns that emerge so that you are able to address any potential issues with individual students or dance classes. Are they absent due to injury or illness? Are they unsatisfied with the teacher, class style, or level of difficulty? Taking the time to understand this information can help you decide what action you need to take in order to increase student retention. We also strongly recommend actively inviting feedback to understand your student’s needs and address any concerns promptly. The parents and students will appreciate the time you take to ensure everything is well, and could make the difference between them staying or leaving.

The most successful dance school owners are committed to keeping things exciting and inspiring. With the right attitude and strategy, you can create a vibrant and dynamic space where students are eager to learn and grow. Involve yourself in the wider dance community to stay inspired and try new things. If you are not constantly inspired by what you are producing, how can you expect your students to be?

Stay at the forefront of dance trends and integrate new styles and choreography into your regular curriculum. Even a few classes dedicated to exploring different genres can refresh your program and keep studens curious and engaged. Avoid relying on the same choreography and regularly update your routines to keep them dynamic and challenging. Students will not return year after year if what you offer is expected and uninspired. Once again, seek feedback from your students about what they enjoy and what they would like to see more of, then reflect on this feedback to make informed changes. Stay inspired, and your enthusiasm will undoubtedly ripple through to your students, keeping your dance school a place of excitement and excellence. 

By implementing these strategies, you can increase student retention and create a thriving dance community. Remember, the key to keeping students engaged and committed lies in making them feel valued, challenged, and connected to your school. With a focus on personalised attention, diverse opportunities, and a supportive environment, your dance school can build a loyal and enthusiastic customer base for years to come. 

While keeping the dances that your school teaches fresh and exciting is essential, it is worth bearing in mind that there are approximately 11,040 dance schools in the UK and anyone looking for a place to learn dance is going to be spoilt for choice. Unfortunately this means Dance Schools don’t have to sell themselves to students only once; they have to constantly sell themselves and their benefits or risk losing students to competing classes. What’s more, the one thing all dance schools offer is dancing lessons, so it can be challenging to increase student retention on the basis of dance lessons alone. Price is always going to be a factor for some customers but unless you want to start a race to the bottom, we would always advise against making price your primary retention lever. Instead, focus on what you can deliver that other schools in your area are not or cannot. Think about who your customers are and what their needs might be. If a lot of them are parents, provide a space for children to hangout and be kept busy while their parent is in class. If you have a lot of younger people in your dance school, use the space at your disposal to organise group activities and events that allow students to engage with one another socially outside of lessons (which will also help to foster a sense of community). 

In the end, the more you offer your students, the more they have to lose by leaving or moving to another school. On the other hand, if all you offer is the same that every alternative has to offer, you are one savvy marketing campaign or promotion from a competitor away from losing students.