In Episode 86, we welcome back Melissa McGee from Lineage Dance in Columbus, Ohio. Melissa has had incredible growth since opening her studio just a few years ago, and she’s here to continue our 5 Fun Things series and share what she’s doing at her studio right now that you might want to try, too!

1. Back-to-Dance Merchandise Boxes
Melissa noticed there weren’t many local dancewear shopping options, so she created an easy, branded “dancewear in a box” package. Parents can order or attend try-on nights, and each box includes everything dancers need—shoes, tights, leotards, and more—ready for pickup at the studio’s open house. It’s a huge time-saver for parents and ensures dancers are performance-ready from day one.

2. Choreo Camp with Clues
For their competition hip hop production, Melissa added extra excitement by mailing physical clues to dancers before camp. Each clue hinted at the theme, building anticipation and making the choreo week feel like a big reveal and team-bonding event.

3. Friday Night Lights Parents’ Night Out
Capitalizing on football season, the studio offers themed “Friday Night Lights” events so parents can enjoy the game while younger dancers have fun at the studio. These are offered a few times each fall, sell out quickly, and are a great way to provide a community service while bringing in extra revenue.

4. Studio Orientation Videos with Kids as Hosts
Melissa’s team created short, engaging social media videos featuring an adorable young dancer guiding viewers through the new studio space. This fun, shareable format communicates important information in a way parents and kids love—while also showing off the studio’s personality.

5. Academic Partnership Incentive (In the Works!)
Inspired by programs like Pizza Hut’s “Book It,” Melissa is working with a local business, Storyline, to create a reward system for academic achievements. The idea is to encourage dancers to excel both in the studio and at school, with incentives like dancewear or special perks for reaching reading or grade goals.

We love how Melissa combines smart business ideas, strong branding, and creative twists to make her studio experience stand out. Whether it’s streamlining the parent experience, building anticipation for big events, or finding new ways to connect with the community, these 5 Fun Things are full of inspiration you can adapt for your own studio!

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We’re heading back to New York City for Dance Teacher Summit, and we couldn’t be more excited! In this episode of the Make Dance Fun Podcast, we’re sharing the top 5 things we’re looking forward to as we prepare for this incredible event. Whether you’re attending DTS this year or just dreaming of a trip to NYC, this episode will inspire you with ideas and tips for making the most of your experience.

Here’s what we’re talking about:

1. Attending with our Executive Leadership Team
It’s been so long since we’ve been able to attend DTS together as a full team, and we know it will be energizing and inspiring.

2. Networking and Brainstorming
One of the best parts of DTS is connecting with other like-minded studio owners and educators. We can’t wait to brainstorm ideas and bring renewed energy and inspiration back to our team and students.

3. Confetti on the Dance Floor at DTS
NYC is where we first launched Confetti on the Dance Floor in 2016, so being back at this event is extra special. We’ll be debuting new WOW Cards, offering show specials, and hosting two seminars:

• Summer Down to a Science: Formulas for Fun & Success
• Confetti Worthy Content: Social Media & Branding

4. Hitting the Garment District
We only have one afternoon to explore, but we’ll make it count! We’ll visit our favorite fabric and trim stores, including MOOD, Hai Trim, and Spandex House, with Beth joining us for the first time.

5. Being Inspired by NYC
Broadway shows, unique restaurants, retail spaces, museums—the city itself is a creative reset. We’re excited to soak up all the inspiration NYC has to offer and bring it back home for the upcoming season.

We’re also sharing tips for making the most of Dance Teacher Summit, from how to stay organized, to making time for daily debriefs, to how to take what you’ve learned and put it into action when you return home.

If you’ll be at DTS, we’d love to see you! Stop by our booth, attend one of our seminars, or say hello in the hall. If you’re listening from home, we hope this episode gives you a peek into the magic of DTS and a little NYC inspiration for your next visit.

If you’re enjoying the Make Dance Fun Podcast, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review! Your feedback means so much to us, and you might even get a shout-out or fun prize in a future episode.

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In Episode 84 of the Make Dance Fun Podcast, we're back with another edition of our “5 Fun Things” series—this time, highlighting some of our favorite resources that we use at our studio on the regular!

Here are 5 fun resources that make our studio lives easier, more creative, and more fun! Check out our blog post for links!

1. Canva Print Services
Yes, everyone uses Canva but have you explored their print services? We've used them for mugs, banners, flyers, and more. The quality is fantastic, the turnaround is quick, and it's so easy to design and order in one spot. Go to “Print Products” in Canva and browse. So much you can create and order!

2. Sticker Mule
We use Sticker Mule for nearly every event at Rhythm: stickers, magnets, car decals, you name it. While we usually upload our own designs, they’ve really improved their internal design tools too, so you can play around with their templates if needed. They’re reliable, fast, and the product always turns out great.

3. QR Code Monkey
We’re making QR codes constantly, and this is our favorite site. It's free, super easy, and gives you tons of fun options to customize the look—colors, logos, styles, and more. It’s a simple way to align your QR codes with your branding or campaign and help you stay organized by dropping your logo into the center.

4. Studio Shuffle
We discovered this amazing resource at Studio Owner University and were instantly sold. It has completely changed the way we build our class schedules. It offers drag-and-drop, visual layout, conflict alerts, color coding and more! We use it for full-year schedules, summer camps, and rehearsal planning. Bonus: it actually makes the whole process kind of fun?!

5. Custom Patch Experience
We’ve mentioned this before, but it’s worth repeating. We created our own designs in Canva and uploaded them to Ninja Patches. The quality is awesome, the turnaround is quick, and the options are versatile (iron-on, glue, or attach to merch). We’ve used patches for dress rehearsals, shows, open houses, team wear, even teacher gifts. We purchased our patch press machine from amazon and it even came in a fun pink color! Pro tip: use it on a sturdy table!

These are just a few of the ways we’re staying inspired and prepared for the season ahead. If you’re using a resource you love, let us know—we’re always on the hunt for fun and functional new finds!

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