Thread: Retention of Beginner Students

Can we start a conversation about ways to retain beginner students? First, let me say that I find it frustrating how so often new students come into belly dance class with the idea that they will be able to dance well within a very short period of time. I don't understand this mode of thought. If a student were taking a ballet, or jazz, or tap class, she surely wouldn't expect to know how to perform these arts within a six week period. I believe this preconceived notion is an initial hinderance. Beyond that, I think the following factors also effect beginner retention:

1) how new students feel about their appearance upon arrival and during their first attempts at beginner moves, 2) the pace at which the class moves, 3) the class makeup with regard to age, weight, etc. and how welcoming the teacher and students are, 4) the "fun" quotient.

1) Regarding appearance - when I first starting taking belly dance, part of the fun was dressing up for class. Since I began teaching, I wear form fitting clothes - crop top and yoga pants - but, wonder if the "dressing up" for class bit would help with beginner retention. 2) Regarding class pace - I find I move slower and slower for beginner students. Registration for my classes is ongoing - but, I often think that teaching in six or eight week blocks would be better for beginner retention. This would allow students to move forward together. 3) Regarding class makeup - what can a teacher do about this? If a class is made up of a majority of middle age, housewives and a teen comes to class, the teen will likely not continue and if the situation were reversed, the middle aged housewife probably wouldn't continue. 4) Regarding the fun qoutient - I know this is important and also just part of teaching belly dance, but it does get a little tedious what with the huge beginner turnover.

Any ideas out there?

I have only been dancing for two years...I can say from a student point, smaller class size. That is the only reason I ever dropped any of my classes. The classes were too large and group too diverse.

It also depends on how passionate the students are about the dance to begin with. I also think that appearance anxieties factor into it as well. I dragged my friends along with me to a belly dance class and they took the classes to learn the dance for a Halloween party so we could dress up as belly dancers, but they became bored with the idea and I was the only one who stayed on board because I took the class seriously and wanted to really become a belly dancer. Also, I think a factor is how other students pressure one another. I pressured my female friends to leave their middrifs uncovered because I was ignorant of what belly dance really was. To this day, they look back at those pictures of themselves and cringe.

So, education about what belly dance really is and dance for the students! I remember the direct effect of our teacher dancing for us was to increase the passion for the dance among everyone in the class. Find ways to instill passion and have fun with it. I know I'm still a baby dancer, so I don't know the ins and outs, but I remember this was a factor that increased my friends' willingness to be in the class.

I also think that if you aren't initially passionate or serious about it, it's just going to be a fun thing to do with your friends then abandon later on. So find ways to get people excited about it. Show performances. Get them wanting to learn more.

I totally agree with you about teaching in 6 or 8 week blocks so the group can move forward together.

I'm not sure how much control the teacher can have over class makeup. My classes tend to be fairly diverse, but every once in a while I get a small group with identity issues.

In theory, I like the idea of wearing simple clothing to teach but adding jingly earrings, bracelets, ankle bracelets, fancy makeup. In reality, I'm often teaching yoga on the same night so I don't do it.

I think teaching choreo helps tremendously with student retention. The students feel like they're 'dancing' even though the choreo is only a simple string of beginner movements.

The combination of a 6 week session with learning choreo is magic for me. Because they've prepaid AND they're afraid they'll fall behind in the choreo, students make a real effort not to miss any classes, and it becomes a part of their routine and a habit to come. Drop-in drilling classes are too easy to 'blow off' in the early weeks and it's hard to establish the habit of going to class.

Another thing that really helps, IMO, is giving the students 'toys' to play with. Veils, zills, canes, etc. add to the fun in class.

In the longer term, I think retention is helped by having appropriate performance opportunities for students (recitals and haflas) and lots of social outings and opportunities to build friendship among the dancers.

It seems to me that the problem isn't so much keeping every warm, breathing mass of flesh that walks through the door enrolled, but recruiting the right kind of potential students in the first place. I think part of the situation you're describing goes back to the public's misperception of us, and a general lack of good information about what we really do. Do students understand what they are signing up to learn when they register for class, or do they expect it will be random wiggling around in a sexy costume and it will only take a couple of weeks to learn how to do it? Do we target our PR in places where it's most likely to reach people who would be receptive to learning something as involved as this dance, because it isn't a trivial or fast process to learn to dance well?

You're never going to be able to prevent students who drop out because their financial situation or schedule changes in a way that no longer can accommodate weekly classes. It is not a particularly cheap hobby, and unfortunately, there aren't enough job opportunities for it to become anything more than a hobby for most dancers. It is possible to adjust your curriculum to keep it challenging enough that students will want to keep learning what you have to offer, though. I think the main thing is to stay away from constantly repeating cycles of material. Nothing gives a student incentive to skip class like teaching them something they've already paid to learn.

I teach my classes in 6 week blocks and I still have problems keeping students. Well, I mean, keeping a lot of them. I think the majority of those that drop out or dont come back are either the ones who think it's easy and find it's not or something in life happens that prevents them from coming back.

I try a lot of things to make it fun and interesting. I have monthly film viewings of different performances or documentaries. Not only are they learning, but it's a social thing. Haflas of course. I also have a loaner library for those that want to learn more. Magazines, Books, etc. I give weekly handouts full of info, history, movements, etc. They have to take their own notes, but the skelton is there.

I'd let them dress up to keep it fun, but I don't allow skirts because they just get in the way. They have their place and it's not in beginner classes. I sell stuff like hip scarves, veils, jewlery, and unitards, etc. I encourage them to "bling" it up a bit, but with pants.

Choreos are good, but what I find is the ones that don't come back are the ones that had a hard time with the choreo. The reason they have a hard time is if they don't practice the movements themselves. I try to stress this to people. It's like reading. If you don't learn the alphabet first, how can you expect to read later?

I just had to accept that there are people who don't take it very seriously and they won't come back when they find it's more than just "shaking it." Also, sometimes people want to continue, but something happens (life stuff) and sometimes they come back and sometimes they don't.

I also find if there are breaks between sessions, I have a much lower enrollment the next session. People forget or get rusty and don't sign up again. It's best to keep it going as much as possible or have events in the downtime to keep it in everyone's minds.

It usually takes me about 3 sessions before I get a good core group, and even then, it tends to be cyclical. I will have a good, strong group of 8 or 9, then one will move, one will have a baby, one will have schedule problems, etc. Then it builds up again.

You have to remember than many more people just want to try it out and say they took a belly dance class than actually want to be a belly dancer.

It helps, however, to have a goal. Having a hafla or recital will keep more dancers interested. Having them buy a $100 L Rose costume and a $40 hip scarf so they can participate in the hafla helps even more. After they perform, most of them will get bitten by the performance bug and can't wait for the next show.

Don't be discouraged, sometimes it takes time to get the right students.

Good points, defining a 'good' retention rate is important.

Lots more people will try it on a lark and then go on to try something else than will stay.

Hmmm, I haven't actually measured my retention rate, it would be a good number to follow at the studio. But I'm guessing probably only 30% of my beginner students are still with me a year later. I'd guess about half to two thirds of the students in a beginner class wind up registering again for a second session, and lots more gradually drop off as it begins to get 'hard.'

Lots of people just aren't cut out for dancing, or misunderstand what they're signing up for, or only wanted to try it on a lark and never had any intention of pursuing it. But that rate is abou the same as in the other classes I've offered in my studio, or even higher, with other teachers -- Poi, Tai Chi, Yoga, Argentine Tango, Swing Dance. Bellydance's retention rate is no higher or lower than the others.

Among my staff in the above classes, though, the single biggest factor seems to be the teacher. Teachers who are outgoing, friendly, supportive, and have a sense of humor do well. Teachers who are more introverted or take their material 'too seriously' (don't remember that the students' goal is to have fun) don't retain students as well, but will sometimes wind up with a smaller group of more serious students. Personality is more important than whether the teacher knows his/her stuff, even, by far! Most adults sign up for dance class with the goal of 'having fun.' If the class meets their goal, they'll stay -- even if the teacher isn't very knowledgeable. (applies to beginners only -- in higher levels the students' goals begin to shift)

So it depends on your goal as an instructor, the goal of your class. I like to bring dance into women's lives as an outlet for exercise and expression, so I try to reach a lot of women. It's not important to me that they have a natural aptitude or ability that will bring them to a professional level.

A teacher who is primarily interested in training pros for the stage would have a much smaller group, but that would be a sign of success, not failure, on her part.

Originally Posted by SandraDances

It helps, however, to have a goal. Having a hafla or recital will keep more dancers interested. Having them buy a $100 L Rose costume and a $40 hip scarf so they can participate in the hafla helps even more. After they perform, most of them will get bitten by the performance bug and can't wait for the next show.

Well said. I was going to say this myself! I really believe that goal setting is vital in any type of learning environment. Hands down.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I think teaching choreo helps tremendously with student retention. The students feel like they're 'dancing' even though the choreo is only a simple string of beginner movements.

The combination of a 6 week session with learning choreo is magic for me. Because they've prepaid AND they're afraid they'll fall behind in the choreo, students make a real effort not to miss any classes, and it becomes a part of their routine and a habit to come. Drop-in drilling classes are too easy to 'blow off' in the early weeks and it's hard to establish the habit of going to class.

Another thing that really helps, IMO, is giving the students 'toys' to play with. Veils, zills, canes, etc. add to the fun in class.

As I was reading this thread, it took me back to the days of my beginner level classes. Everything that Lauren mentioned above is what kept me coming back for more. I also had (and continue to have) this incredible passion and drive to learn and grow more in this dance. IMO, having passion for this dance is KEY and makes ALL the difference with student retention - regardless of dance level.

Our retention rate is better than it was but I think that is because we've made our 'mission' more clear on our website. Folks come to BD to socialize, to have fun, to get fit, and/or to learn to dance. We emphasize the 'learn to dance' aspect so although we are get fewer new students now, the ones who come here are more determined to learn to dance.

Also, we don't nickle and dime them to death. We have durable hip scarves and veils to borrow, water and tea and nibbles are free in the lobby. Once they come through the door and pay their fee they are our guests.

As far as timing goes: We've had good luck with 4, 6 and 7 week sessions. Most classes are by the session and we don't give refunds unless in emergencies. Having several beginner classes a week and allowing beginners to take a makeup class on a different day if they have to miss one seems to make them feel they can both keep up and get their money's worth.

Yeah, what Maurazebra said - Our dance market does want to have fun and discovery in the early learning experience and then make the choice to graduate to dedicated work-your-butt dance which is still fun - at least I think so

I also find that 6-8 wk sessions are best.
I have a parks and rec program that insists on doing it monthly and it's killing the continuity of the classes. Although, I will offer special topics in 4 week blocks.

I used to say there is a 10% retention rate in a good year - meaning 10 in 100 that pass through the door will stay for more than 2 sessions. Here in the hinterlands, I've found it's closer to 4% - [1 in 25/ 4 out of 100].

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Among my staff in the above classes, though, the single biggest factor seems to be the teacher. Teachers who are outgoing, friendly, supportive, and have a sense of humor do well. Teachers who are more introverted or take their material 'too seriously' (don't remember that the students' goal is to have fun) don't retain students as well, but will sometimes wind up with a smaller group of more serious students. Personality is more important than whether the teacher knows his/her stuff, even, by far!

I would say compatible personality between students and teachers is what is important, not simply the personality of the teacher. Even at my first lesson, I would have been turned off by a teacher who was more fun than substance, but I approach everything I do with a lot of intensity. I think it's better to generalize that serious students tend to prefer serious teachers, and less serious students tend to prefer less serious teachers (assuming we're talking about teachers who don't have any major personal issues that make it difficult to work with them--having a headcase for a teacher is rough, no matter how qualified they are). Of course, it goes without saying that serious students are only a fraction of the beginner population.

A teacher who is primarily interested in training pros for the stage would have a much smaller group, but that would be a sign of success, not failure, on her part.

Considering how few teachers work at this level, I would imagine they are in rather high demand. If they have a small group of students, it may be because they concentrate more on private and semi-private mentoring instead of larger classes, and consequently it makes sense for them to be selective about whom they choose to invest their time and reputation in. I guess this is equivalent to saying the converse of what I wrote in the previous paragraph is true--namely, serious teachers are more comfortable with serious students than fun-oriented ones, and fun-oriented teachers prefer fun-oriented students over students who want a more rigorous classroom experience.

Only about 10% of my Beginning students choose to move on to my Level 2 class; the other 90% are usually gone after one or two sessions. Of those who move on to Level 2 though, the retention rate is much higher - more like 50% or so. I have a core group of about 20 - 25 students who have been my students for 2 years or more, and even have a couple from when I first started teaching in 2005.

Let me just say that I don't teach before saying anything but I look for the opportunity to dance what I know hard enough in other ways (like directional drills) to get a good workout and to challenge what I know in a way that I am on the edge but not off the edge combined with challenges that also make me feel stupid but encouraged which basically means that if I am >50% successful in a class but not 95% successful in a class I feel satisfied. I know this must be extraordinarily challenging and I give hats off to all of those who can and do teach.

I don't currently teach classes but I have subbed and I do do taster and information sessions from time to time.

From my personal experience I have only ever dropped out of classes for 2 reasons: 1) I've had to move around a lot so I've left one area (and class) for another; and 2) after a good few years of taking a class with a fairly maverick teacher of the 'thou shalt have no other instructor than me' persuasion I got irritated and left - I knew that there was more out there.

Even at my first lesson, I would have been turned off by a teacher who was more fun than substance, but I approach everything I do with a lot of intensity.

^^ this exactly describes me as a student.

However, though it makes me grind my teeth on a regular basis. I have to say that about 98% beginner students and general interest in this dance stems from the 'novelty value' aspect. The vast majority of people out there, don't even want to be educated about it in a class context because they like their cosy little stereotype thank you very much and actually resent attempts to debunk it, especially when those attempts involve stuff that is hard to learn or physically difficult. Its cynical I know, but I've seen it happen sooooooooo many times over the years with beginner intakes and I expect to see it about a zillion times more ..c::.

I think that students who are retained fall into 2 broad groups: 1) those who want to become bellydancers and really progress in the dance (the minority) and 2) those who enjoy it as a physical activity and time away from the weekly grind (the vast majority). Group 2 usually like learning new stuff to a point but aren't up for really being stretched.

I think that the dressing up thing can have a huge influence. As I have personally progressed I, like so many others here find pants and exercise gear the most comfortable and appropriate stuff for class but I know from experience that so many people out there are incredibably disappointed when their class has people who look like me in it ..l;,, especially if that includes the teacher. They want to be given 'permission' to prance around in sparklies because class is about a sense of 'performativity' for them. Never underestimate the power of this - I personally hate wearing hipscarves but have actually been chased around a class by fellow students anxious to make me wear one because I wasn't 'dressing up enough' and it made them uncomfortable!

Originally Posted by maurazebra

Our retention rate is better than it was but I think that is because we've made our 'mission' more clear on our website. Folks come to BD to socialize, to have fun, to get fit, and/or to learn to dance. We emphasize the 'learn to dance' aspect so although we are get fewer new students now, the ones who come here are more determined to learn to dance.

Also, we don't nickle and dime them to death. We have durable hip scarves and veils to borrow, water and tea and nibbles are free in the lobby. Once they come through the door and pay their fee they are our guests.

As far as timing goes: We've had good luck with 4, 6 and 7 week sessions. Most classes are by the session and we don't give refunds unless in emergencies. Having several beginner classes a week and allowing beginners to take a makeup class on a different day if they have to miss one seems to make them feel they can both keep up and get their money's worth.

I disagree with the characterization that students buying hip scarves or veils is "nickel and diming" them. In other dance forms, martial arts, etc. beginners are expected to have their own gear in addition to paying the class fee. For those that teach large (20+) students regularly it would be a significant investment to keep that many scarves/veils on hand and in good repair (not to mention the pain-in-the-butt schlep factor if you are not in the same studio all the time!) If anything, it was almost like a rite of passage for starry-eyed beginners to purchase their first scarf

I don't think any teacher that doesn't offer loaners should feel like she's doing a disservice to her students.

~~Kimahri

our retention rate from total beginners to beginners II is pretty high. 50-70% enroll for the 2nd term (another ten weeks). with some highs and lows, depends on teacher, venue changes, the weather, whatelse is "hot" (zumba), and the percentage of college students in a class (if we have a lot of those retention rate is lower). etc.

from beginners II who stay on till the next year, after the summer break, (so after three terms) and move into "improvers", is somewhere between 25 and 40%

the ones that make it that far, are usually in it for the long haul.

i dont offer loaners AND i dont sell stuff. they also dont HAVE to have a hipscarf; in fact, i dont allow jingly ones in class, they drive me crazee. we encourage them to use whatever they have lying around from last years fancy dress/christmas do, anything hipscarf-ish, shiny, will do. many clothes scarves have been given a 2nd life here.
when we have shows, i have vendors, and i give students info about where they can buy stuff.
but a beginner can perfectly get through class without.

the last lesson of term is "kitsh" class. i encourage people to bring whatever they have (skirt, etc, top, home made costume) to class, and i'll offer some loaners then.

Originally Posted by Kimahri

I disagree with the characterization that students buying hip scarves or veils is "nickel and diming" them. In other dance forms, martial arts, etc. beginners are expected to have their own gear in addition to paying the class fee. For those that teach large (20+) students regularly it would be a significant investment to keep that many scarves/veils on hand and in good repair
Kimahri

not judging folks who don't offer loaners (my 1st instructor offered only loaner veils, but that's it & it wasn't a big part of beginning classes) but I would like to point out that 'gear' for a beginner in something like Tae Kwon Do is only about $10 and is often included in a 'beginner package'- you can get fancier stuff once later, but compare a $30 yoga mat, a $40 pair of tap shoes, etc. with veil, zills & hip scarf (which may or may not be suitable for future performance) and you are getting closer to the ice skating/skiing arena (my son still doesn't get why he can't join the 'free' ski club at school!) For me, having a variety hip scarves, veils & zills as loaners for class is an investment- looks like a lot up front, but it pays dividends in the long run. Most folks do eventually want their own (zills required for intermediate levels!) but this gives them time & experience to decide what they really want.

Retention rates will depend a lot on the area you are teaching in- being in a University/military town isn't exactly great for holding on to students long term! But I felt much better about MY retention rates after finding out what is going on at other studios & fitness centers in my area. Most folks have been very free in sharing estimates (it's so nice being in a supportive community!) and you can compare them to national rates as well- for most dance classes, 2 out of every 7 beginners stick around for any length of time, fitness classes (yoga, pilates, nia) it is closer to 1 in 10, 1 in 15 for general fitness centers stick around after an introductory rate. Those are all average estimates, I don't have hard copy evidence! That is also only measuring who sticks around to make it to a second year, for example. If you are looking at who sticks around 5-10 years to become an integral part of the studio, you're looking at a lot less than that!

You do have to know what market you are appealing to- find out what kind of student you want to cater to & then focus on that demographic. Some businesses (like large gyms) make their profit by throwing the nets wide and getting as many people as possible to try it out, knowing they will loose all but 1 in 15 who try it, but it's okay as long as they have enough folks signing up in the first place. Other businesses need to focus on a more narrow demographic, looking for that 'higher quality student.' (that is only partly tongue in cheek!) not saying one student is better than another as a person, but from a business stand point.

(cont'd)

(cont'd)

I do think the hands down best way to retain students is to offer high quality instruction, but that can be delivered in a number of ways and will depend on the demographic you are trying to reach. I used to worry about 'talking too much' in class (as in giving as much cultural/fitness/style/etc. info as possible) and not making class fun & 'fluffy' enough, only to find out that THAT is the reason many of my students came to me in the first place- but when teaching on the other side of town years ago to a younger demographic, I did need to take a different approach- knowing your clientele is key!

1) appearance- this will depend largely on the demographic you are serving. In a mostly fitness community, folks generally show up in yoga gear & throw on a hip scarf- make up optional. In a more upscale neighborhood, or if I don't know the population yet, better yoga gear, make up required, add jewelry, know some students will wear the 'turkish airport special' their cousin/aunt/hubby picked up for them on vacation. younger, trendier area- do you have any tattoos you can display? etc.

2) pace- yes, of necessity, beginning classes need to move at a slower rate than intermediate/advanced classes- I really like doing 6 week classes because of this- I have 4 six week sessions that rotate by topic- you can stay in them as long as you want, but you must take & show proficiency all 4 (in any order) to move to the next level. I also have special sessions for learning choreography, etc, but the technique classes generally do the best.

3) class make up- depends on how you run your class, what else is available in your area, etc.- I have a huge range of folks in my classes, which I keep pretty small- seniors who may never progress to intermediate level (and don't want to) military wives, middle aged coworkers who seem to come in groups of at least 3, teenagers, a couple well focused children by special permission, men & women- it works for me. My friend teaches a fairly large class that tends to be mostly college age women, as well as teaching at a dance studio where most of her students are from other disciplines in that studio- she is on the other side of town & that works for her. Another friend teaches a seniors class which goes at a slower pace- her niche works for her. Diversity does tend to work better in smaller groups, but it is not a hindrance if you know how to work it!

4) fun quotient- fun is in the body of the participant. This, too, comes back to knowing the demographic you are aiming for. I try to be light hearted & keep things fun too, but yes I am known as a task master & students WILL be getting some hard core information right from the start. I was informed this week that my new nick name is "the zillin' villain"- we'll see if it really sticks, but my students seem to agree... I torture them, but they seem to thrive!

(cont'd)

(cont'd- sorry for being so wordy!)

& I would add
5) content- this again comes back to what your potential students are looking for. I see nothing wrong with teaching a class that is faster paced, more choreography oreinted, focusing more on fitness than cultural info or other variations- you need to know what group you have your sights on & give them what they want (I want you to give them more than they want too- but some classes you need to sneak in the extra info & in some you can be more direct!) Is your class goal to have everyone perform at the end of year hafla? to prepare folks for the intermediate class? To help a specific group get into shape in a fun way? To impart the depth & variety of Egyptian folk dance to experienced dancers? Once you know your demographic & your goals, you can vastly improve your retention rates!

we dont have our own studio, so the problem with gear for a beginner is lugging it around. i actually have a collection of about 80 hipscarfs (gasp) , we use those for events; taster classes, corporate dues (that last one being the reason i have so many and also cause some weekend we'll have several hen night gigs at the same time)... but the only thing i drag around to class is loaner veils... but not a collection of hipscards, it's just too basic a thing.

i really encourage mine to get their own basic stuff, but it is also clear that they dont HAVE to, and stuff that is really needed for class (like veils, canes, zills on occasion) will be available when needed.

we dont teach choreo to beginners, or ongoing beginners, so no choreo the entire first year. it hasnt had an impact on our retention rate really... sometimes the 2nd year has choreo, but usually i only start with that in the 3rd. i just reallllly dislike doing beginners choreo and think they can learn a lot more, and DANCE a lot more without it. so it doesnt mean we just do steps. we do a lot of circle dancing, a lot of group/duo impro, etc. there's other ways of making it fun than just by choreo!

Originally Posted by artemisia_danst

we dont have our own studio, so the problem with gear for a beginner is lugging it around. i actually have a collection of about 80 hipscarfs (gasp) , we use those for events; taster classes, corporate dues (that last one being the reason i have so many and also cause some weekend we'll have several hen night gigs at the same time)... but the only thing i drag around to class is loaner veils... but not a collection of hipscards, it's just too basic a thing.

i really encourage mine to get their own basic stuff, but it is also clear that they dont HAVE to, and stuff that is really needed for class (like veils, canes, zills on occasion) will be available when needed.

hey, I hear ya! This is the first year I have been able to have all my classes in one studio. It is such a relief!!! used to haul my gear, loaner stuff plus sound system, & once per session my vending bin. Whew!

When studio bouncing, I never brought enough loaners for everyone, first come, first served which helped give a good feel, but still encouraged everyone to go in search of their own. lucky that veils are light, at least! but 12 hip scarves & a bag of loaner zills aren't too bulky to lug around, especially since about half the scarves were the 'Spanish shawl' variety- again, that whole "get there first or get your own" incentive if you want a sparkly! But I know my students tend to end up with higher quality stuff if they have a chance to see what is available first- no one buys cheap zills after seeing the cheap zills next to the nice ones in the loaner bag! & that does make me happy. & again, I prefer smaller classes (12 or under) so that does make a difference, as you stated.

how big are your classes?

our classes this term are between 8 and 25 people, we are at 4 different locations now, we run 8 to 10 classes per week (spread over 6 different levels), i teach 4-5 of them myself, we have somewhere between 100 and 200 students per term...

and mostly we're already lugging the sound system around. on bike or on foot, that's enough for me. but yeah, hafl the time i'm bringing in some other stuff as well, i'm your regular donkey if you see me arrive for class.

Originally Posted by Kimahri

I disagree with the characterization that students buying hip scarves or veils is "nickel and diming" them. In other dance forms, martial arts, etc. beginners are expected to have their own gear in addition to paying the class fee. For those that teach large (20+) students regularly it would be a significant investment to keep that many scarves/veils on hand and in good repair (not to mention the pain-in-the-butt schlep factor if you are not in the same studio all the time!)~~Kimahri

The nickle-and-dime characterization was intended as business advice, not a reproach, but I can see your point. Okay, let me re-phrase.

Samantha comes to first class. She has no clue that BD is an art form that will require real gear (unlike a ballet or martial arts student). Scenerio 1: The teacher is wearing a pretty hip scarf. Several of the other students are wearing pretty hip scarves. Samantha has no hip scarf, nor will she buy one until she 'knows' she wants to continue. Scenerio 2: The teacher is wearing a pretty hip scarf. Several of the other students are wearing their own hip scarves, and all the others are selecting hip scarves from the class stock, which were designed have a distinctive sillouette (ie, class uniform), to stay up on bodies of all shapes AND to be durable (ie linings and rayon chainette fringe instead of chiffon and beads or coins). The teacher makes sure Samantha finds a hip scarf for herself and during the class is able to show Samantha what she is doing and why based on the info provided by the hip scarf.

Which scenerio will more like result in a higher student retention rate, with plenty of opportunity in the future for Samanatha to buy a hip scarf when she knows what to look for? okay, a rhetorical question, guilty as charged.

Actually, the nickle-and-dime remark was more a lump scenerio: don't try to sell hip scarves, water AND tea to the beginner who is testing the 'is it fun' waters! And yes, it's not fair that ballet and martial arts students expect to provide equipment and uniform from the get go, but there you are. Or there we are, anyway.

As far as the cost goes, tis indeed significant unless you make your own. And when you make your own, you have that additional marketing edge of being able to create a hip belt that will STAY UP on your students, especially the ones already embarrassed by their size and weight. I've gotten to the point that I can make one in an hour, using remnant fabric and chainette fringe. This costume section on our website is a total WIP, so I'm not going to direct you to it, but if you can sew, the simplest approach is this:

Fashion outer fabric (sturdy but fancy - brocade, etc) and sturdy cotton lining (drill or denim if the fashion fabric is a bit on the thin side): 10 " wide and 4" shorter than the target hip measurement.
Ties: 45" long x 10" wide = two ties.

RS together, stitch lining to fashion fabric at top edge.
Taper width of both fashion fabric and lining to 5" in front with smooth long taper.
Attach chainette fringe to bottom of fashion fabric.
Sew lining and fashion fabric together at bottom, and don't catch the chainette fringe!

Turn through one of the side holes.
RS together on tie fabric: fold longways, then sew together on the two short and one long raw side.
Cut in half and turn.
Press and insert into hip scarf sides. Topstitch all around.

Oops, one last thing. The hip scarf is done, yes? NO! Now you add darts, right through all thicknesses. Four of them work best. Two somewhere in the middle of each side (not at the back or the ends). These darts will provide both shape to hold the belt up AND an boning effect, since they are dense. Now you are in a position to offer beginners a belt that won't embarrass them by sliding down around their feet 10 times during the first class, no matter what size they are!

I know it can be frustrating when you feel you put so much thought & effort into teaching & see how people take it & leave it.

When you just start out teaching (I'm not sure how long you've been teaching, just assumed you were newish?) you have to remember you are unusual among students. How many of your former beginner classmates are where you're at now? That'll give you a bit of perspective on it.

And try to think of how many people you know who regularly take lessons in ANYThing? on a regular, weekly, years-of-commitment basis. Not a lot, right?

Teachers are unusual and we're forever looking for 'ourselves' in our students but destined to find very few, if any, who have the passion for the dance that we do.

So nuts & bolts, for me is small class size (I'm lucky my classroom is small I guess!) and I have other level classes so can move people out when they need to learn new things. That way I can just let beginners be beginners ..l;,

I bought ballet slippers for a ballet class I'm intending on taking this Friday. I have no idea whether I'll like it, but I know I'm required to have proper footwear. They aren't providing me with shoes, nor would I expect them. If I don't enjoy ballet, I'll have wasted money on the shoes, because I don't plan on wearing them for anything but ballet. I don't think it's a big deal to require them. The first hip scarf I ever had was a black shawl with fringe that I still use. It was maybe $10. They don't have to be coined and beaded. I agree that it is a lot to ask upfront for zills, veil, and hip scarf. However, I think if you phase them in, it doesn't seem so bad.

For my first beginner class, I had no hip scarf. What kept me there was the teacher's attitude and way of teaching. She did make it fun but challenging. That's what keeps me going to class is that there's always something interesting to learn. The other thing I've heard from people is that they like to feel like their dancing. Maybe nothing fancy or complicated but some movement to music.