Good Communication Is Good Business - tips for dance teachers on how to establish a good relationship with parents of young dancers - Brief Article

Dance Magazine, July, 2000 by Rhee Gold, Gloria Jean Cuming

FOR MANY dance educators, dealing with their young students' parents is the hardest facet of the profession. One secret to success in this sensitive area is good communication. Remember, you're all on the same side; the common goal is to secure the best dance training and high-quality education for the student.

Make yourself accessible at certain times (not during or just before class); don't hide, but keep control of your time and focus. Make it a point to get out into your waiting room and talk to the people who sign the tuition checks, transport the students to class, and are potential word-of-mouth advertisers and references, volunteers and community activists, school support systems, and devoted audience members.

Most parents want to be a part of their children's education. Help parents or caregivers feel comfortable when they ask a question or express a concern; smile or nod to let them know you hear them. If you don't have a ready answer, jot down their question on a handy notepad. Remember that you are the professional providing a service, while they may never have taken classes or experienced the culture of a dance studio. In the world we live in, a concerned parent is a healthy asset. Most parents do not go out of their way to give you a hard time, but unanswered questions can grow into nagging concerns. Caregivers become uncomfortable when they don't understand, and they will eventually seek more comfortable and communicative surroundings.

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES

Since you operate a dance school, conferences are no less appropriate than at an academic school. Students and parents are entitled to know the progress that is being made in classes, where more attention is needed, when it is time for advancement, and whether class placement is appropriate. When students approach performance level, further counseling should surround the audition and casting process so that the long-term best interests of the students are insured.

Sometimes we encounter parents who believe their children are more talented than we know them to be; this is often the most difficult issue to approach. While the elements of hard work and dumb luck cannot be underestimated in any dancer's future, emphasize that you are expressing your best judgment in light of your considerable experience. Consider using the following phrases, which evaluate the student's current skill rather than the student: "his capabilities are" rather than "he is not capable of"; "She is better suited for (such and such) a class," rather than, "She can't handle this class"; "This age level is better for him socially," rather than "He is not mature enough for this class." You get the point. Communicate your judgment and what its outcome will be in the most positive way.

RAP SESSIONS

Rap sessions aren't just dialogues for older students. When you prepare for a concert, a competition or other performance, consider having a rap session with parents, students, your faculty and staff to let them know what you expect of them: the dates, time and commitment involved; estimated expenses; appropriate and necessary wear and grooming; decorum, courtesy and sportsmanship. Be open to questions and always end on an upbeat note. Affirm the bond of mutual trust and confidence. Put the results in writing for reference and for those who were unable to attend.

SCHOOL NEWSLETTERS

If you have the time and the skills, these are a great tool for communicating with parents--and students--concerning regular class and holiday schedules, deadlines, placement auditions, photographs, costume fittings and payments, concert, recital, or graduation tickets, and rehearsals. A newsletter can be created on your computer and printed out at a copy shop. A version can also reside online for your computer-literate students. If you feel up to it, open the door for dialogue with letters to and from the teachers, or a student message board.

GOOD COMMUNICATION IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

Good dance students and their confident, well-informed parents can be strong partners in the education process. Many are loyal to a school and its company or style long after the lessons are over. When it comes to good marketing, a shared understanding of the values of dance training is worth more than a full-page advertisement.

Rhee Gold and Gloria Jean Cuming are co-founders of Project Motivate, sponsoring retreats and seminars to reinvigorate dance educators.