How to run a dance company

Everything You Need To Know

Have you ever wondered how to start your own dance studio? Or, if you have already started researching how to open one, perhaps you’ve been wondering if you have what it takes to run a dance studio and make it successful. Does this sound like you? Then, this post is for you! Here’s how to open a dance studio, from step one to your studio’s grand opening and beyond.

Opening A Dance Studio Checklist

Since we first wrote this post at The Studio Director, we’ve expanded on the information here so that all studio managers can feel confident and excited as they embark on their journey to studio ownership. We know that studio ownership itself has certainly changed recently as well, so we’ve added updated information on offering online dance lessons and noted the latest trends in our industry. Throughout this post, you’ll also find links to in-depth articles on related dance studio ownership topics.

While all of this information is necessary as you get started, sometimes a checklist is the best way to manage your tasks. Here’s your roadmap, with more information below on each of these points.

Apprentice at a studio you respect
Prepare for the many roles you’ll take on
Build a name for yourself in your community
Create your dance studio business plan (and estimate the finances involved!)
Find your perfect studio location
Develop your systems and processes
Set up your studio space
Hire your dance studio staff
Get the word out with marketing
Start from a place of organization

Ready to get started? It’s time to learn how to open a dance studio of your dreams!

1. Shadow A Studio Or Owner You Respect

Do you know another studio manager that you respect or look up to? Love a local studio that’s on the other side of town or in another city? Know of a studio who excels at online dance lessons? The best way to learn about starting a dance studio is to actually work at one.

If there’s a local dance studio that has been around for a while, pick up some hours at their studio and gather notes. Or, find a studio manager you love and ask if you can mentor under them.

While there, volunteer to fill in for the different roles or jobs where they need help so you can see how things run from all angles. This will clue you into important challenges in the dance business and how they are solved.

In particular, make note of:

What problems occur and how they solve them
How money comes in and out of the business
The different roles staff members play
How the studio handles marketing
How the studio communicates with parents and students

More importantly during this period, make sure you enjoy the work! Opening a dance studio is a fantastic way to share your love of a dance with a larger audience, but it’s not for everybody—and that’s okay.

2. Prepare For The Many Roles You’ll Take On

Along with understanding the business, you’ll also need a clear view of the different roles you will take on as the owner.

Beyond choreographing and teaching classes, you are the person who has to keep the many parts of the business running. Some of those roles include:

Dance studio manager: You’ll make sure schedules and daily activities are running smoothly. You will need to be able to communicate what you want, what needs to improve, and ensure that your staff is focused on your goals.
Mentor: Every day, you’ll embody the work ethic and attitude you expect staff members and students to take on themselves.
Entrepreneur: Your work doesn’t stop when the studio opens. You will continue to grow and develop new studio plans. As an entrepreneur, you’ll also be heavily involved in billing, scheduling, marketing, community outreach, events coordination, customer service, and much more.
Techie: Offering online dance lessons? Make sure you (or someone on your team!) can easily troubleshoot virtual class enrollment, set-up, and your online class platform for teachers and students alike.

Learn early on which of these roles you naturally gravitate towards, and which would be better to outsource to another trusted teacher or staff member.

3. Build A Name For Yourself In Your Community

Usually, dance studio owners go into business confidently knowing they already have enough of a following to fill classes from the get-go.

If you do not have a big enough following yet, some ways to find more students include:

Offering dance services to local schools, gyms, and churches
Giving discounts for people who refer your classes to friends and families
Advertising for your classes at nearby businesses that are not competitors, but will have the clientele that would take an interest in dance (think yoga studios or daycares)
Sharing your personality and approach to dance on social media so others in your community can learn more about you

This is a step that you do far before finding your location or setting up your business plan because it takes time. Thankfully, you can work on this as you go through your other dance studio start-up tasks.

4. Create Your Dance Studio Business Plan

Your dance studio business plan is a document that lays out your business goals and how you plan to achieve them. It sets a solid foundation for your studio for years to come. We have more information about creating a business plan here, but yours should cover the following sections, at a minimum:

Executive summary
Company description
Market analysis
Products and services
Financial projections
Marketing overview

Let’s look at each of these in more detail. Note, too, that your business plan may contain much more.

Executive summary and company description

The executive summary should summarize your main business goals, vision, and core values. This should not be more than a few sentences. You’ll likely have an easier time writing your summary last after you’ve covered all of the other details.

Following that, describe what sets your studio apart. This is typically what you will use to pitch your company when you are marketing it. It should include the services you plan to offer, the types of classes you’ll have, and what sets you apart from other studios.

This section should also clearly establish what type of legal business entity your studio will be, and how you’ll comply with any local licensing or regulatory requirements.

Market analysis

It’s time to research your potential customers! Building a following well before you begin the process of opening your dance studio can help tremendously with this step. The more people who know you, the more likely you’ll know what types of dancers will sign up once you open your doors.

In addition to researching the people who already know you, though, you will have to research your local market, potential customers, and competitors. This section should include all the details you gather about the size of the dance industry in your area and how you will fit into this equation.

Start off by listing the dance studios you will be in direct competition with and the number of students they serve. This will help you determine how many students you should bring in and define your pricing structure.

In addition, you may want to do surveys and host focus groups with your potential customers to ask them what they’d like to see in a dance studio in your area.

For a larger industry-wide study, we recommend reading our post on dance studio industry stats and trends. This will help you get a better idea of where our industry is at right now, and where it might grow over the next few years.

Products and services

Once you have thoroughly analyzed your market, you can decide on the services that will attract the widest range of students. In this section, list in greater detail the classes you plan to offer. You can also outline the benefits that students may receive from taking your classes.

This section will also include any other plans you have outside of classes and memberships to make money, such as dance apparel, competitions, and recitals.

Financial projections

One of the most necessary sections of your business plan is the funding plan and your financial expectations once in business.

If you need a loan to get started, having a transparent and organized assessment of your current financial position and future projections will show potential investors that you know what you’re doing.

This portion will also detail where your revenue will come from, how much your bills will cost monthly and annually, and your class pricing. In this section, think of everything you will need to open your doors from equipment like dance studio mirrors, down to the rolls of toilet paper in the bathrooms. The more thorough you can be here, the better.

How much does it cost to open a dance studio though? We’ve created a full post on how much it costs to run a dance studio here.

Marketing overview

In the most basic sense, this part of your studio business plan is all about how you’ll get the word out about your dance studio. Start by establishing your brand. What’s your studio’s name, logo, and brand identity? Learn more about that here. You can find ideas for fun and catchy dance studio names in our earlier post.

Also, give a general overview of the marketing channels you’ll use and what portion of your budget you’ll allocate to marketing. You can include a strategy for growth if you have a plan for targeting other markets in the future as well. Review our full post on social media for dance studios to get started on this one.

5. Find Your Perfect Studio Location

Once you have figured out how your business will run and what your financial situation is, you can start looking for your studio. Do it in this order so you know how much you have for rent and extra costs that will come with the location you decide on.

A dance studio has its own unique requirements. First ask yourself how much space you’ll need? Do you want one room or multiple studios in your facility? Will you want a room set up for virtual dance lessons? You will also consider the need for:

A lobby
An office
Storage
Bathrooms
Retail space
Hallways
A waiting room for parents

In addition, don’t neglect things like:

Parking options: Does this space have parking that will accommodate the number of students you hope to attract?
Safety: Parents should feel comfortable and safe bringing their child to your location.
Visibility: It may cost more to be in a highly-visible location, but it also makes for easier, passive marketing.

Remember that you will have monthly payments that you will have to meet. Be very clear with your landlord on what those are upfront, along with any unforeseen payments that could come along. If you decide to buy the building, keep in mind that you will be responsible for maintenance costs.

6. Develop Your Systems And Processes

It’s time to make a plan for running your studio once it opens. This is separate and more detailed than your business plan, but it’s just as important.

Note too that the more organized you make your processes and systems at the beginning, the fewer people you will need to hire to carry them out. This is why so many dance studio owners use dance studio management software. It not only provides them with a guide to carry out their management duties and market their studio, but it also allows for a smaller staff and lower labor costs. It streamlines their daily tasks so they can focus more of their attention on the fun parts of running a dance studio. You can learn more about choosing the best dance studio software here.

Before your grand opening (and even hiring), consider the systems and processes you’ll have in place for the following.

Automating your administrative tasks

Enrollment, billing, and other tasks can be carried out through dance studio software. Organize everything into one place that you can access with a click of a button.

Some tools can also analyze your data and track trends in your business over time so you can make well-informed decisions as you move forward. Because of this, it’s best to have this tool in place from the start. You can learn more about the benefits of an online registration process here.

Offering seamless payment options

Your customers expect payments to be easy and built around the types of payment options they already use every day. That means offering debit and credit card payments, whether in-person or online.

Make it even easier for customers with set-it-and-forget-it options, like recurring automated billing and saved payment info. Learn more about payment processing for your dance studio here.

Setting up online dance lessons

Online or virtual dance lessons represent an exciting new way to reach your students no matter where they are. Rather than face downtimes during long summer breaks or miss out on lessons due to other factors, these types of classes connect students with their teachers right from home! Many teachers also love these types of lessons, as it offers them more flexibility for teaching and studio time.

Today’s video streaming services make online dance lessons even easier. By using a system like Zoom, Google Meet, Facebook, or YouTube, you can connect instantly with students. Some dance studio software tools even offer virtual classroom management directly from the software. This allows students to sign up for an online class just like they would an in-person class, and provides set-up assistance for studios, teachers, and students.

Learn more here.

Marketing your studio

Marketing begins before you put together a business plan, but at this step be clearer about how you’ll market your studio (more on that below) and who will handle marketing for you. For example, you can handle these tasks, have a staff member handle them, automate some of these tasks with studio management software, or outsource it to a marketing agency.

Registering new students

Make registration easy with a ready-made registration form. We have full details on what yours needs to include here. Likewise, studio management software can automate this.

Developing an annual calendar

Figure out the major seasons for your studio. Consider separating your annual calendar into instruction periods, performances and recitals, and breaks, so students (and parents!) know what to expect each year.

7. Set Up Your Studio Space

Items like flooring, mirrors, and ballet barres are integral features of a dance studio. We go more in-depth into the purchasing choices and decisions behind each of those major features in the linked posts. Don’t stop there, of course. Make sure to decorate your dance studio so it invites creativity and movement.

Offering online dance lessons? Learn from other studio owners who expanded into virtual lessons to reach more students, provide more flexibility for their staff, and more. In this article, a studio owner discusses the specific logistics and set-ups they used to run these types of lessons successfully.

8. Hire Your Dance Studio Staff

You might not need a very large staff, especially when you first start out. However, keep in mind that you might not have time to actually teach many classes when you first open. As an owner, there may be too many tasks on your plate in the beginning. To that end, your first hire may be someone else to teach your classes, at least short-term. Another may help with front office and administrative tasks.

Whether you have one or many staff members, make sure everyone knows what’s expected of them from day one. You can accomplish this by:

Making a clear outline of each position and what they do on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis
Figuring out a recruitment process and using a trial period for new teachers and staff
Creating a training manual with step-by-step procedures for new hires
Using a standard dance teacher contract that formally defines pay, benefits, and your expectations

9. Get The Word Out With Marketing

You may already have a good collection of people ready to sign up for your classes. Even so, it’s important to spread the word about opening your dance studio.

To start, your website is going to be your prime source for gaining new students. This is where parents will view your location information, contact info, positive reviews, class schedule, and more.

Beyond your website, your ongoing marketing tasks will include:

Increasing word-of-mouth marketing and referrals
Building your social media presence
Growing your email list for future newsletters
Gathering positive reviews on Google and social media
Developing partnerships with local businesses and charities

Once you have these tasks set up, it’s time to market your official grand opening. Some ideas include running ads in local papers and on social media, having your students perform at outdoor events in your community, or finding small business events to participate in.

Find even more easy and effective dance studio marketing ideas here.

10. Start From A Place Of Organization

There are many things that will go onto your opening a dance studio checklist, many of which we couldn’t fit into this post. Still, we hope it has given you some insight into opening a dance studio.

As we’ve noted throughout this post on how to open a dance studio, one of the best ways to prepare is by investing in studio management software like the one we offer at The Studio Director. Not only does high-quality software keep your business in order, it helps with marketing and provides additional value to your customers with easy registration, payments, and more.

Any great studio management software will allow you to:

Offer multiple types of payment options, online and in-person, seamlessly
Organize your staff schedules and time-sheets
Handle online registration, as well as costume rental and recital enrollment
Track inventory if you sell merchandise
Set up automatic email newsletters to new and existing students
Allow customers to set up recurring or one-time payments
Integrate the customer-facing functionality into your existing website or a dedicated mobile app
Manage all of your data from a cloud-based system

People do not start a dance studio to focus on the administrative tasks. They do it out of love for their craft. Give yourself the opportunity to truly enjoy the studio you create by starting it from a place of organization.

Want to learn more about how The Studio Director can help you open a dance studio of your dreams? Request a personalized 1:1 demo or a FREE 15-day trial now.

A Guide to Running Your Own Company

Are you too busy juggling technique classes and rehearsals to learn how to write a successful press release? Do you feel so consumed with choreographing your next piece that you can’t find time to file for nonprofit status? Unfortunately, few dancers formally learn the business side of running a company. No worries—we’ve created a cheat sheet to get you started. When running a company, you will need to know how to…

Find dancers

Holding an audition can be overwhelming. Avoid the stress by asking friends who are dancers to be in your company. But make sure the partnership makes sense both personally and artistically. “It’s very important to work with people you really admire,” says Karola Lüttringhaus, artistic director of alban elved dance company/KAROLA LÜTTRINGHAUS, based in Berlin, NYC and North Carolina. “It’s not enough to just work with someone who’s great.”

If you must recruit dancers outside of your personal network, consider approaching dancers you see in class. “Just walk on up to them and let them know you want to work with them. They’ll most likely be delighted,” says Pele Bauch, manager of program operations at The Field, a service organization for independent artists, in NYC. Another good idea: Hold a limited audition. Open it up to just 15 friends of friends. Send an e-mail asking for recommendations and then set a date and time. Keep it low key. You can even have a few days of classes and auditions so people can get to know each other and see if your company is the right fit.

Find rehearsal space

Renting rehearsal space, especially in a metropolis, can be one of the most expensive parts of running a company. Many arts organizations offer space grants, and many dance studios rent space at a discounted rate during off hours (usually late at night or early in the morning). Bauch suggests trying to find a studio that doesn’t offer classes: “Generally, the studios that have classes are booked all the time,” she explains.

Remember: Scheduling rehearsal space for a group of dancers who are all balancing side jobs can be a logistical nightmare. “You can’t always pay everybody,” explains Lüttringhaus, “so you have to work around their schedules.”

Online Resource: nycdancespaces.org has a search engine that allows choreographers to search for rehearsal space by size, price and location in the NYC area.

Secure a performance venue

There are two ways to present a show: You rent a theater (sometimes you have to apply, and it can take six months to a year) and do everything from hiring a lighting designer to advertising the show yourself, or a theater selects you, in which case it takes care of all the logistics. Of course, the latter isn’t always an option for brand-new companies. You may need to be seen a few times before a venue will present you!

If you’re not yet ready for an evening-length performance, seek out showcases at the theaters you’d like to perform a full show at someday. Look for “smaller performance opportunities where you can show a 10- or a 20-minute work and be part of a group show,” explains Bauch. “It’s a great way for you to get to know a theater and for them to see your work.” These opportunities are also usually at little or no cost to you. One notable series in NYC is Dance Theater Workshop’s Fresh Tracks Performance and Residency Program; fledgling choreographers and their performers audition to participate, and if accepted are given rehearsal time and a small stipend. Look for similar opportunities in your area.

Online Resource: gotour.org, sponsored by The Field, lists performance venues in various cities.

Create a press kit

The point of a press kit is to give reporters everything they need to write an article on your company. Fill a pocket folder with the following: bios of each company member, your artist’s statement, any promotional materials you’ve already made (postcards, magnets, etc.), photos printed on regular paper (if the media want an actual photo you can e-mail a high-resolution version later), reviews or articles that have already been written about you or your company and a press release containing info about your current project.

Even if you don’t have all of the elements listed above, send a press release on its own. Determine what your news hook is—announcing the formation of your company, your first show, a work premiere or a star guest performer. This information should be the basis for the title of the release and the bulk of the first paragraph. Make sure all performance dates and times are included, names are spelled correctly, and your contact info is double-checked for accuracy.

Online Resource: prleap.com has free sample press releases.

Start a website

While having a presence on the internet may seem like a priority, there’s no reason to hire a website designer right away. There are many templates that allow even technophobes to build a great site. First, buy a domain name, like “mycompany.com.” Keep it simple and avoid hyphens. Then find a host. Websites like GeoCities and Angelfire will host your page for a small monthly or yearly fee. It’s easiest to buy your domain name and host space from the same company.

Online Resources: Search godaddy.com to see if the domain name you want is available. Talentcase.com is an affordable website template company created by artists for artists.

Apply for grants

Along with soliciting donations from friends and family, you may want to apply for grants to finance your company. “There are grants available from local arts councils,” says Bauch, “and grants for people who are starting out.” She also suggests taking a grant-writing workshop, to learn this specialized style of writing. Before applying for a grant, research the goals of the organization you wish to receive money from. For example, if its mission is to further the endeavors of women, tell them if you’re the first woman in your family to go to college.

Most grants ask for the following: proposal summary (a brief description of your objectives), an introduction to your organization (bios of members, goals, philosophy), problem statement (what you will overcome with the grant), project objective (your goals), project methods (specific tasks that more money will allow), project evaluation (what criteria you use to determine success), future funding (expected sources of money after the grant is received), and a proposal budget. If this seems daunting, there are many people who make a living writing grant proposals.

Online Resources: foundationcenter.org offers grant-writing classes and research libraries across the country; guru.com is an online database of grant writers.

Advertise performances

Buying an ad for your first few shows is “a chunk of change that’s not necessarily going to come back to you in ticket sales,” says Bauch. Instead, she recommends making postcards that you can mail to friends and family, hand out to colleagues and leave at dance studios. Postcards should have a compelling photo of your work, the name of your company, performance dates, times and venue, your contact info and price of admission. If nothing else, send a blast e-mail a few weeks before your show with the same info in it to everyone you know.

Online Resource: Order inexpensive customized postcards from postcards.com.

File for nonprofit status

Having 501(c)3 (or nonprofit) status means your company is exempt from some federal income taxes, and donations to your company can be deducted. Getting nonprofit status is not simple. Most applicants hire a lawyer because of the extensive legal paperwork. You must prove that your company betters the community; establish an advisory board; set up a separate banking account; take out liability insurance; pay a lot of money, spend between six months and a year working on the application; file annual reports and be directly responsible to the IRS. The benefits of nonprofit status are that you become eligible for more grants and you can receive tax-deductible donations, which will encourage more people to give you money.

Another option is finding a fiscal sponsor, such as The Field. A sponsor will either take a percentage of the funds you raise or charge a flat rate, but in exchange, sponsored companies are allowed to apply for grants that otherwise require nonprofit status, and receive tax-deductible donations. Essentially, you’re getting the same financial benefits as being nonprofit without the headaches. You know you’re ready for nonprofit status when you’re able to raise so much money that the percentage or fee paid to your fiscal sponsor is no longer worth the benefits.

Online Resources: Dance/USA, danceusa.org, is a national service organization for professional dancers; The Field, thefield.org, has satellite sites across the U.S.; Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, vlany.org, can help during the nonprofit filing process.

Starting a company can be daunting, but remember: Every great company started out small, just like yours! (Paul Taylor used to cut his dancers’ hair on the road!) So gather some friends and collaborators, get on your computer and jump in feet first.

What 7 control automation tools from 1C helped the dance studio improve the level of service

Cases on the topic: Industry Solutions, Customer Service, Business Automation, Services, Business Efficiency Improvement, Cloud Technologies, Management Accounting, Real Automation

Replacing the old self-written system with the professional 1C:Fitness Club system helped the Tomsk contemporary dance studio EXPROMT to bring the service to a level comparable to network fitness clubs.

Tomsk contemporary dance studio of Pyotr Goretsky EXPROMT was founded in 2002. Initially, it was a show ballet with unique choreographic performances for concert venues, events, and competitions.

Over time, there was a demand for dance training. Many people were interested in learning “for themselves” or just keeping fit, so the studio adapted the classes for non-professional dancers. Enrollment in groups became so intense that the school had to periodically move and increase the area to accommodate all the clients. Since autumn 2009EXPROMT settled on three floors of a building in the center of Tomsk.

The school teaches 19 areas of dance, fitness and pole dance with some of the best choreographers in the city.

From cards to automation

The main "capital" of the dance school is teachers and clients. For them, a clear schedule of classes, quick resolution of financial issues and a personal approach are important.

To manage these expectations, a system is needed.

From the beginning of the school's foundation, all customer data was recorded on paper cards, and the administrators kept the class schedule in notebooks. Gradually, the load on administrators increased, and sometimes they forgot to reschedule the appointment, cancel the lesson, and incorrectly calculated the salaries of teachers.

In addition, fitness centers with online registration, electronic timetable, and personal cards have appeared in the city. Clients got used to a certain level of service and, choosing between a fitness club and an EXPROMT school, could give preference to a more “advanced” establishment.

To solve these problems, Excel first replaced cards and notebooks, and in 2014 a CRM system written by local programmers. The system worked well, but it was inflexible, it took a long time to update and was not rebuilt for new services. The school management periodically thought about replacing the system, but was afraid that the new one would not solve all the problems, and everyone got used to the old one, despite its shortcomings.

New system

In 2018, the EXPROMT school received an offer to test the 1C: Fitness Club system (note: A solution based on 1C: Enterprise, released by 1C together with the Software Lab development partner). Despite the extensive list of options, the school management was skeptical. But still, I decided to give the system a chance.

A month later, it was already difficult for the school to part with the program: it turned out to be more convenient and functional than the previous one. Soon, these schools were transferred to 1C: Fitness Club, and the system was adapted to the tasks of EXPROMT.

Now configured in school:

Detailed information about clients - statuses, photos, contact information, contracts, mutual settlements.

Marketing: modules for sending SMS messages and emails to customers

"Trainer" application: planning of group and individual lessons, registration of visits, reporting system for the lessons.

Block for the head: report on the financial results of the school for the day.

Electronic timetable with online registration for classes.

Accounting for finance: cash and non-cash funds, personal accounts of clients.

Personal account of the client , for self-management of training packages and purchase of new ones.

Petr Goretsky, owner of the EXPROMT studio: “1C: Fitness Club has everything you need to run a school. I don't know what other system could have that kind of functionality."

Quarantine

In March 2020, the school had to close for the duration of the quarantine.

Thanks to 1C: Fitness Club EXPROMT was able to freeze all subscriptions in a few minutes and informed customers about this via SMS.

Many fitness clubs and dance schools broadcast classes on social networks for free during the downtime. EXPROMT went the other way and developed a program of paid online classes in a few days. Automation helped to make the consumption of the product comfortable for the client: you can sign up for a lesson and pay for it on the school website.

Trainings were organized on Zoom with the help of 1C:Fitness Club: the developers quickly responded to the situation in the industry and made integration with the necessary service.

Effects and plans

Thanks to the implementation of 1C:Fitness Club, the EXPROMT school unloaded the reception, and now administrators spend less time scheduling and registering for classes, doing their main job - creating an atmosphere in the school and communicating with customers.

The level of service of the school is not inferior to network fitness clubs, and it does not lose potential customers.

The school plans to develop this direction. In the near future - the introduction of electronic bracelets, with the help of which customers will be able to pay for classes and additional services, and school management - to see the statistics of class attendance in real time.

Contact the artist

Dance section for Komus employees: classes will start soon!

The Komus company met the wishes of employees who would like to engage in not only sports sections: soon, for the first time in the history of the Company, a dance section for the Moscow divisions of Komus will start working! The other day, open lessons were held, where professional teachers presented possible pair and solo directions to those wishing to dance. Participants of the trial classes - employees of "Komus" - talk about their impressions.

Shall we dance?

At the end of September in "Komus" was announced acceptance of applications for visiting the dance section. Prior to this, employees privately expressed a desire to attend not only purely sports sections, but also more creative areas, such as dance. Already on the third day of accepting applications, more than 100 participants registered, today it is already 170 employees from various departments!
So that those who wish to practice could understand which direction they are more inclined towards, the Group of Corporate Events of the OSR DP organized open lessons in dances of various directions. For 2 evenings, employees were able to try six dance styles at once: hip-hop, zumba fitness, bachata, salsa, hustle, Argentine tango. The level of preparation did not matter, from those who came to the open lesson, only the desire to learn how to dance was required. Also, for a comfortable stay at the dances, the participants were recommended to have comfortable clothes and changeable shoes (light sports or dance shoes).
Professional teachers first presented their directions, talking about the history of dance and demonstrating high mastery of this art. And then they invited everyone in the master class mode to try to master the basic movements and steps, to improvise together, charging the whole audience from Komus with positive energy.

Open lessons were held at the Social Dance Center (Staraya Basmannaya st., 36, building 2):

October 9 - solo modern dances (hip-hop, zumba fitness) Salsa and Bachata

Which dances to choose and why

In total, 150 employees from different departments of Komus from all over Moscow and the nearest suburbs have already attended the classes. We asked our colleagues who attended the open classes what place dance takes in their lives, what dance styles they saw were the closest to them and whether they plan to study in the corporate section of our Company.
And when information appeared on our website about enrolling in a dance studio, I signed up without hesitation! I really wanted to learn how to dance like a pro! With colleagues, I was at an open lesson in solo directions, bright and youthful Zumba fitness and hip-hop “sunk into my soul”. The second style, despite the complexity and the large number of movements that we learned (even though we didn’t always get into music out of habit), really lit me up! I have already applied for these two directions. Of course, I would devote more time to hip-hop than to zumba: I hope that a large group will be recruited in our Komus company, and together with others I will be able to learn this truly emotional dance, in which there is so much freedom for self-expression!
I would like to wish my colleagues: there is no need to refuse such a real opportunity to learn to dance (and next to work!), to acquire stage movement skills. And maybe even prove that you can move and develop in your favorite dance direction no worse than professionals. I wish everyone good luck, positive emotions from dancing – and see you on the corporate dance floor after work!”.

Ermakova Marina Dmitrievna, the operator of the PC Service Group, came to classes 2 evenings in a row, because she wanted to see and try as many destinations as possible:

“I just love to dance, as a child I was engaged in dancing and acrobatics. But now, because of her studies and work, she could not go to classes, although in her heart she really wanted to. And then "Komus" gave the opportunity to return to a useful, interesting and favorite pastime. My little dream came true!
I attended an open lesson in both solo and pair dances. At the entrance to the dance school, we were met, introduced to the schedule and escorted to the locker rooms. The atmosphere was comfortable and homey.
I really liked the solo dances! Impressions from the first lesson are simply indescribable. The teachers were at their best: they exuded a charge of drive, vivacity and energy. And what does a person need after a day of hard work in front of a computer? Exactly this! They also turned out to be attentive and understanding (after all, many came to classes without any preparation). I liked the new direction - zumba. It's just right for me: I'm a young girl, full of energy. There was such drive and speed at our Zumba class that after class, happy and a little tired, I almost fell asleep on the train on the way home! I want to do zumba, I was also interested in the direction from the pair lesson - hustle. I'm ready to continue dancing right now!
I am proud that I was accepted into the Komus team. I believe that dancing can give colleagues relaxation after work, a boost of vivacity and new acquaintances. It is great when the Company can provide its employees with the opportunity not only to work, but also to spend their leisure time with benefit. And most importantly - it's free! I hope that most of the Komus team will attend dance classes and find it interesting and exciting for themselves!”.

“I want to invite you to dance…”

Voinov Richard Leonardovich, logistics manager of the Local Supply Group of the SLP Supply Department of the UCPR LC, showed interest in social pair dancing and came to class on October 10:

“In this age of fitness, we repeat the standard set of movements,

which does not require the work of thought, improvisation. But there is dance - an integral part of life, a meaningful movement in which a person controls his body.
Last week I was lucky enough to attend the presentation of dances that belong to the social group, that is, they are available to everyone, regardless of preparation. At the lesson, I was with colleagues from Komus and we started with salsa. The first time I got into salsa classes was in 2004, and therefore I knew its history. This dance originated in Cuba, consists of a mixture of movements of various dances and is safe for health in terms of stress. Unlike ballroom dancing, which requires super flexibility, endurance and memorization of movements, this is a complete improvisation - movements are based on inertia and do not require preparation. On Liberty Island, it is danced until old age, and in some Caribbean countries it is even recommended for pregnant women. Bright bachata, which we got acquainted with on the same autumn evening, “came” from the island neighboring Cuba, and is now at the peak of popularity in Russia. Knowing the movements of these dances, it is easy to find a social circle of dance interest in the vast majority of cities in Russia and Europe.
And the next “shock”, or discovery, for me was tango - a special, bewitching dance, but, as the teachers showed us, it can be easy to learn. I am grateful to the organizers of our open lessons: it was a surprise for me that it was possible to present several pair directions at once and let each dance “taste” in such a short time, allowing the dancers to show their abilities!
I would like to learn how to dance bachata and salsa at the dances organized by the Company. I recommend my colleagues to join: dance classes will allow my colleagues to learn how to be harmonious, hear music and rhythm, develop mindfulness, become healthy and cheerful!”.

Shpolyansky Dmitry Alexandrovich, Head of Operations and Support Service of DBT, tells why dancing with colleagues is great, and what dances he decided to master after attending the lesson:

“Until I attended open dance classes for Komus employees,

I was dominated by the stereotype that ballroom dancing is a distant and alien world for a man. I used to watch the performances of couples on TV and thought that I see masters of sports with unattainably brilliant technique, who have devoted many years to the lesson. Then one day in a club I saw ordinary people dancing Latin American dances - beautifully, freely and liberatedly. It was so incendiary that there was a desire to join! I even thought about taking a few lessons. When a few days ago our Company offered to learn how to dance, I was delighted and signed up right away.
Impressions from the lessons - positive and drive. Thanks to the teachers, I got the impression that it would not be difficult to master fashionable Latin American dances, if there was a desire! I realized that salsa and bachata are “mine”, but hustle seemed more difficult. Out of habit, my knees ached a little (I tried so hard to do all the movements of each dance), but I left the class very satisfied, “on the rise”. And I even imagined that, having studied in the Company section, I would be able to visit many interesting places in Moscow where you can dance and relax. Latin American dances are energetic, beautiful and passionate dances, a good rest for the soul.”

Section official opening soon!

Acquaintance with the dance school and teachers successfully took place. Our employees gave positive feedback and expressed their desire to continue learning. How will events develop now?
Based on the results of open lessons, the most popular dances for further training in groups will be determined (a corresponding survey is currently being conducted). Both beginners and those who want to support or improve their dance level can do it! Since the Company fully finances the section, classes in it will be free of charge for our employees. The start of regular classes and the schedule will be announced separately, as groups form. Follow the information on the Company's corporate website www.