Topics Of Conversation On "The Boards" November-December 2025
- Jann Davis
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Did your read this in the last 2 months? Here is a summary of what was discussed.
1. “November Drop-Outs” & Holiday Burnout
One big thread running through November is how to keep kids from disappearing in November and how to survive the holiday chaos:
The Dance Studio Owners Association’s Transform My Dance Studio podcast released an episode on Nov 3, 2025 called “How To Avoid Holiday Burnout and November Drop-Outs.” It talks about November being a “make or break” month for retention, family stress before the holidays, warning signs of disengagement, and smarter rehearsals so students don’t burn out or get injured.
The episode also pushes ideas like spirit days, parent weeks, holiday events, and stronger communication systems/handbooks to keep families feeling connected instead of chaotic—which mirrors the kinds of questions people bring into owner groups this time of year.
What owners are discussing here:
Kids missing class after Halloween and before winter break
Whether to be strict or flexible with attendance in November
How to structure rehearsals so they feel fun but still productive
Personal burnout: how to get through December without resenting the studio
2. Holiday Shows, Nutcrackers & Winter Productions
From the public posts, November–early December is absolutely dominated by holiday show logistics:
Studios are announcing Holiday Shows and ticket launches (e.g., December 2025 Holiday Show ticket posts from studios like Center Stage and Next Step Dance).
Individual studio websites and calendars list Holiday Shows, Nutcrackers, and winter performances across the US, with specific show dates and casting details (e.g., Downstage Center’s “Happy Birthday Mrs. Claus” show, plus class lists, tights, hair, and makeup requirements).
Typical discussion points:
How long a holiday show should be (many are aiming for ~60 minutes, no intermission)
Managing parent expectations about hair, makeup, and backstage access
Choosing themes that feel fresh but still “classic holiday”
Balancing Nutcracker productions with more flexible holiday reviews
3. Costume Season & “From Mayhem to Method”
Costumes are a huge topic right in this window:
On Nov 18, 2025, Weissman and DSOA ran a free online event “From Mayhem to Method – the costume system you can finally hand off”, specifically marketed to dance studio owners.
The marketing copy for that event frames what people are venting about in groups:
Chaos around costume ordering, tracking, and distribution
Owners wanting a system they can delegate to staff
Reducing last-minute panics and parent complaints around sizing, shipping, and mix-ups
So inside discussion boards, you’d expect threads like:
“How do you track costumes so you’re not losing your mind in March?”
“Who handles trying on/labeling—me, front desk, or teachers?”
“What system do you use to keep parents from constantly messaging about costumes?”
4. Holiday Marketing, Ticket Sales & Local Visibility
There’s also a strong marketing and ticket-sales conversation:
Studios are posting about Holiday Show ticket drops (countdowns, “tickets go live at 9am,” etc.).
Industry coaches are reminding owners that location and local visibility are easy wins for filling classes—e.g., posts telling owners to optimize Google listings and local search so parents can find classes.
So you’re seeing discussions like:
Best ways to promote Holiday Shows (email vs. social vs. text)
How to price tickets (flat vs. tiered; handling fees; family caps)
Whether to run Black Friday/December promos or keep pricing firm
Making sure your studio shows up when parents search “dance classes near me”
5. Planning for 2025–26 & New Revenue Streams
Even while they’re deep in December mode, owners are already talking about next season and revenue:
Articles and blog posts targeted to studio owners are pushing revenue-boosting ideas for 2025, such as specialized classes, flexible memberships, and virtual dance offerings.
Business blogs aimed at studios talk about smart pricing structures and the use of software platforms (Jackrabbit, Studio Director, etc.) for tracking revenue and discounts.
Studio event pages list registration for 2025–2026 seasons already open, alongside holiday events.
So, in groups, that looks like:
“Should I raise tuition for 2025–26 and by how much?”
“What new class types or camps should I add for summer 2026?”
“Who’s still doing virtual or hybrid classes in 2025?”
6. Leadership, Operations & Staff Retention
Podcasts and coaching content in late November are hitting leadership and retention, clearly responding to owners’ pain points:
A retention/marketing podcast for dance studio owners released an episode in mid-November about avoiding “spending another December in survival mode” and shifting leadership so you’re not constantly exhausted.
Other coaching content and life-coaching shows for studio owners emphasize mindset, financial coaching, and transforming staff retention strategies.
This maps directly to typical discussion-board questions:
“How do I keep staff from burning out in December?”
“What can I delegate so I’m not doing everything?”
“How do I handle teachers who want time off during Holiday Show season?”
7. Safe Dance Culture, Costuming & Content
There’s ongoing conversation about safety and appropriateness, especially with all the holiday performances and competitions:
A public “safe dance culture” forum invites dance studio owners and teachers who care about protecting young students (costumes, choreography, competition environment, etc.).
Industry discussions conversations in November touch on where dance education is heading, including student-centered practices and ethical standards.
On social boards, that tends to show up as:
“Is this costume appropriate for 7–9 year olds?”
“How do you handle parents who want ‘TikTok style’ routines for little kids?”
“Any guidelines for keeping holiday choreography family-friendly but not cheesy?”
8. Disney Trips, Parades & Travel Teams
Holiday time is also when Disney-style performance trips and special events are front of mind:
Dance tourcompanies are promoting choreography for their 2025–26 Halloween parade, which attracts lots of studio owners thinking about travel teams for the next year.
Studios are publicly advertising their participation in the “Holly Jolly Jubilee” Disneyland Parade in November 2025, and a separate Holiday Show in December.
Those posts reflect discussions like:
“Is it worth taking a team to Disney financially and logistically?”
“How do you price these trips so families can manage it?”
“Do you open it to everyone or just company kids?”
9. New & Aspiring Studio Owners Asking for Help
Finally, even though you asked about current owners, there are aspiring and first-time owners popping up on broader forums in roughly that timeframe:
Recent posts titled “First time dance studio owner” or “Aspiring dance studio owner – where to start?” ask about start-up costs, business plans, and where to find owner education resources.
These threads often attract established studio owners who jump in with:
Startup cost realities (build-out, flooring, licensing, software)
Warnings about under-pricing and over-discounting
Recommendations for joining owner-only groups and coaching programs
A NOTE FROM JANN
Are these your most recent questions and concerns? After reading this summary my thought is who owns your business, you the studio owner or the vendors for profit offering conventions, costumes, and competitions which have been modified over time but basically have remained the same since the seventies. My direction is the Dance Classroom™, because none of this is valid if you and your faculty are not teaching correctly in your studios.
How do you organize your weekly classes to keep the students interested in returning? How do you train your faculty? How do you recruit and faculty? Which classes are not retaining students? Is it the dance subject matter or the teacher not understanding methods and materials for dance education? What are your projected outcomes for the recreational dancer? What are the achievement goals for your company/competition dancers?
Follow me for the rest of this season and maybe increase YOUR profit!
#44-WeekStudioSuccessPlan, #JannDavisCompany, #DanceStudioOwners
Jann Davis draws on her backgrounds in dance studio and competition ownership, her public education career which includes working for the prestigious Gates Foundation as an Intel Teach To The Future Senior Trainer and receiving a scholarship to the Harvard Kennedy School.
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