Running a dance studio involves a lot of moving parts. From registering new students to hosting your annual recital, you have a lot on your plate—but the right technology can make your life much easier.
Perhaps you’ve started a new studio and are looking for the best tools to jumpstart your business. Alternatively, you may already have a dance studio software solution, but find that it no longer serves your needs.
Whatever the case, we’ll walk you through the top must-have dance studio software features so you can find a robust platform that streamlines your operations and helps your business grow:
Top 10 Dance Studio Software Features
1. Online Registration
Gone are the days of physical sign-up forms and spreadsheets. Families should be able to easily register their students online.
Further simplify the registration process with a solution that creates shareable registration links. That way, you can update current and prospective dance families about registration via your website, email newsletter, and social media posts, and direct them right to your enrollment page.
2. Class Scheduling
Once students register for your studio, the next step is signing up for classes. The right dance studio solution will allow you to:
- Easily create and modify classes.
- Enable parent access to see and book available classes.
- Create automated waitlists and notifications.
There’s no need to juggle class sizes on your own; your dance studio software should do it for you.
3. Student and Teacher Management
Personalizing each student’s experience requires keeping up-to-date information about them. Organize important student data in your dance studio software, such as:
- Preferred names and pronouns
- Class assignments
- Medical history
- Absences
- Family relationships
Your system should empower you to upload unlimited files and pictures for each student and create owner-defined fields to customize student profiles to your studio’s needs. For example, if your studio distributes t-shirts at the start of every dance season, you may add a field for t-shirt size.
Additionally, the right software will also enable you to manage teachers. Assign them to the correct classes, and log and share teacher notes to maintain clear communication among staff members. Look for a solution with user permissions that allows you to assign specific users to their own unique tasks.
4. Communication Tools
Stay in touch with your studio community through dance studio software features built for ample communication. The best solutions offer multiple ways to communicate with parents, teachers, and students, including:
- Email. Send email communications directly from your dance studio software. Use automation features to send emails in advance, and segment recipients by class or group for targeted messages.
- Text messaging. Text messages are best for sending tuition and class reminders that need to reach families quickly. You should also be able to automate texts and send them to certain groups or students.
- Push notifications. If your dance studio solution has a mobile app, encourage dance studio families to download it so you can send them push notifications for important registration, class, and event updates.
- In-app chat. Some dance studio apps allow users to chat with individuals, small groups, or large groups directly from the app. That way, you don’t have to worry about character limits, blocked links, or potential texting charges.
For best results, use a combination of these features to engage your community members and keep them informed.
5. Tuition and Payment Processing
Collect tuition and other payments easily with dance software that has built-in payment processing tools. The best systems accept various payment methods and enable auto-pay for seamless transactions.
Look for a solution that also includes a point-of-sale system. That way, you can set up an online store and sell dancewear directly from your dance studio management software.
If you want to sell items in person, seek a system that offers the appropriate hardware or supports tap-to-pay directly from your mobile device. The more payment processing options your dance studio software provides, the easier it is to align with your dance families’ preferences.
6. Recital Ticketing and Management
Your recital is likely one of your studio’s largest undertakings, but the right tools can take some of the stress out of recital management. The best dance studio software has features to support:
- Act scheduling. Rely on dance studio software to help you order your show optimally.
- Quick change arrangements. After assigning classes or students to different performances, some solutions will alert you to potential quick changes so you can switch the act order or plan accordingly.
- Ticketing. Sell tickets for the big day directly from your system.
- Costume ordering and distribution. Look for dance software that lets you assign and track costumes for different acts, collect costume payments, and track orders.
- Team and volunteer management. Assign roles within your solution to the appropriate team members so they can access the correct features.
Organizing all aspects of your recital management in one place will help your event run smoothly and allow you to focus on what truly matters: delivering the best performances possible.
7. Lead Management
Acquiring new customers is no easy feat. Building relationships with prospects and converting them requires hard work and the right tools to keep your team organized.
When your dance studio software supports lead management, you can more easily track, manage, and communicate with leads to maximize the chances they’ll become part of your studio community. And once they do, you’ll already have their information stored in your system and can move them from the prospect side to the customer side.
8. Mobile App
Did you know that Americans spent an average of 4.5 hours on their phones every day in 2024? Meet studio families where they already are by choosing dance software that comes with a dedicated mobile app. From here, parents should be able to:
- Register their students for classes.
- Make payments.
- View their children’s schedules.
- Receive push notifications.
- Purchase recital tickets.
Additionally, the best dance studio software also includes apps for studio managers, allowing you to collect payments, send messages, manage students, and more from the palm of your hand.
9. Marketing Support
Spreading the word about your studio’s classes, events, performances, and promotions is easier with the right dance studio software features by your side. Your platform should support your marketing efforts by enabling:
- Email campaigns
- Text marketing
- Customer acquisition campaigns
- Branded merchandise sales
From launching loyalty email marketing campaigns to promoting events, you can better market your studio’s upcoming initiatives with top dance studio management software.
10. Integrations
Connect your dance studio software to the tools you already use with integrations. Before investing in a specific solution, ensure it syncs with your current tech stack so data flows freely between the platforms.
Integrating your dance management platform with solutions like your accounting, email marketing, or project management software can help you automate data entry tasks and ensure all systems have the most up-to-date studio information at all times.
Other Dance Studio Software Considerations
In addition to the dance studio software features you should look for, there are several other considerations you should keep in mind when browsing different solutions:
- Pricing. Platforms will either have incremental or flat-rate pricing. While incremental pricing will increase as your studio grows, flat-rate pricing allows you to easily predict software costs each month and scale up without worrying about additional expenses in this area.
- Onboarding and ongoing customer support. While the system you choose should be user-friendly, you still may need some help getting started and leveraging everything the platform has to offer. The best dance studio software providers have extensive onboarding processes and ongoing customer support through various channels like phone, chat, and email.
- Customizability. Every studio has its own unique needs. The platform you choose should provide ample customization opportunities so you can tailor it to your studio. For instance, you should be able to customize your dance studio app using your studio’s logo and brand colors.
- Scalability. As your studio expands, your dance studio software should continue to support you. Look for a solution that can handle as many students as you need, allows you to add more users as your team grows, and provides additional features or integrations you can add to enhance its functionality.
When you’re searching for a new dance studio solution, don’t forget to look at reviews as well. Sites like G2 and Capterra can help you gauge what real customers have to say about the software they’ve used and narrow down your options.
Explore The Best Dance Studio Software Features on the Market
The best dance studio software streamlines as many business areas as possible so you can focus on building relationships with dance families and making your studio an enjoyable place to be. By looking for a solution with the features we’ve discussed, you’ll be able to better organize your operations and keep your studio running smoothly.
If you’re looking for a solution with all of the dance studio software features listed above, look no further than Studio Pro. Trusted by over 6,000 studio owners worldwide, our comprehensive solution simplifies studio management and saves you precious time that you can spend on cultivating the next generation of dancers. Explore our dance studio software today by signing up for our free 30-day trial!
If you’d like to learn more about using dance studio software to improve your operations, check out these resources:
Laura Cole, CEO and Business Leader of Studio Pro
Laura Cole is the CEO and Business Leader of Studio Pro, a leading studio management software platform serving over 6,000 studios across all 50 U.S. states and more than 35 countries. Laura brings deep expertise in SaaS operations, strategic planning, and project management, with a passion for helping dance, cheer, gymnastics, and performing arts businesses grow and thrive.
Since taking the helm in 2020, she’s been dedicated to building tools that streamline studio operations and empower small business owners to succeed. When she’s not leading Studio Pro or partnering with studio owners, Laura enjoys running, yoga, and hosting friends at home with her husband and two young boys.
