The dance studio industry is hotter than ever
The current steady stream of young, middle-aged, and elderly Americans to your local dance studio is not a misstep. Many see dancing as an attractive route to fitness, and millions more have been drawn to the flash, the script, and the fun of television shows like “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance.” .
New cast of stars
Dancing on television is no longer confined to the remnants of the Lawrence Welk show. The faces of contemporary dance performers are those of Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Julianne Hough and Karina Smirnoff, among others. The impression they have made is that viewers can learn to dance too, and do it with courage, style and pride.
Trends for the future
Dance studios offering Latin-inspired, ballroom, and fusion classes, in particular, have benefited from the trend. Also, baby boomers are expected to feed it for at least the next five years, especially in ballroom dance classes.
According to Angela Prince, director of public relations for USA Dance, the popularity of Latin and ballroom dancing has been on the rise since about 2000. Television shows have driven, not created, the trend, she said.
It is said that “Dancing With the Stars” did for ballroom dancing what “Saturday Night Fever” did for disco decades ago.
Mood improvement
All of this, plus the dancing, makes people feel good, even in tough times. By reducing tension and stress, dancing naturally produces an overall sense of well-being. Additionally, dance as a social endeavor provides opportunities to meet other people, improve an individual’s social skills, and increase self-confidence.
Physical aptitude
Most dance forms require stretching, bending, starting and stopping, all of which improve flexibility. Dancing forces muscles to resist and control body weight, and practically all its forms, from ballet to ballroom, strengthen the dancer.
Like tennis, jogging, or weight lifting, dancing builds endurance by forcing the heart, lungs, and muscles to work harder and longer without fatigue.
Survival and future expansion
Although many industries suffered in the wake of the 2008 recession, the dance studio industry not only survived, but also expanded in the last five years. According to IBIS’s January 2015 global report, annual dance studio revenue since 2010 grew 2.9 percent, with more than 8,500 companies now employing more than 50,000 people.
The report estimates that these studies will generate $ 2 billion in revenue this year. In the next five, improving economic conditions and increased consumer spending on recreation are expected to further expand the industry.
No dominant company or companies
The dance studio industry is highly fragmented. According to the latest economic census, 98.9 percent of its studios operate from a single location. Each supplies and serves its local market, leaving national franchises with less than 3 percent of the national market.
In 2015, nearly 75 percent of the industry’s revenue is expected to come from tuition for general dance classes, with nonprofits contributing another 5.2 percent.
Americans are no longer content to watch dancing on television or from the edge of a ballroom. As the numbers reveal, more people than ever want to dance, or at least try.
