Why I Don’t Sell Dance Lessons at Our Dance Studios

By Natalie Perkins

I always seem to have interesting conversations with people when I tell them that I own dance studios.  One of the most fun ones is when I hear someone comment on how expensive dance lessons are and question why anyone would pay that amount for their child to take dance classes.

Well, I have a confession to make. We don’t sell dance classes - if a parent couldn’t care less about seeing their dancer on stage or in a production of the Nutcracker then that’s A-OK with me.  So if I’m not selling dance lessons, what are we doing? I’m selling them confidence. That when their dancer steps foot in our classroom they are in a safe space to express themselves and know that they are the main character in their own fairy tale. I’m selling gracefulness; in both learning what physical grace and philosophical grace looks like when you grow and learn what friendship with a fellow dancer looks like. I sell strength when we see dancers struggle with disappointment and they learn that there are amazing teachers in life who will support them just as much as their parents and also that they are stronger to overcome fears then they thought they were. We sell perseverance. Every time a dancer wants to give up on themselves, we make sure they know that it takes hours and hours of practice to create something beautiful and that success doesn’t happen overnight. At the end of the day, parents aren’t paying for dance. They’re paying for the opportunities and life lessons that dance brings to their lives and when framed that way, dance classes are priceless!