If you’re reading this article, you’re probably looking for new dance studio software. Or you’re at least considering it.
You may feel your current solution has let you down somehow.
Or that it can’t evolve with your business’ changing needs.
To help, we’ve compiled a list of the best tools for managing a dance studio.
Each Dance software has its own set of features, so we’ll focus on how they provide more than just online registrations for Dance Studios.
DISCLAIMER: Activity Messenger is our product. We created it because we struggled for years with the shortcomings of existing Dance Studio software and believe that most Dance Studio Management Softwares are broken.
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Author’s note: Olivier shares tips and tricks he’s learned over the past decade as the owner of a children’s sports program. Today, as co-founder of Activity Messenger, he helps hundreds of dance studios across North America simplify the management of their dance studio and increase revenue.
Activity Messenger is more than your typical dance studio software. It’s a user-friendly platform that not only has all the features from the older dance software on the market, but also seamlessly integrates with your favorite apps like Canva, ChatGPT, Zoom, and Stripe.
And because we’re still operators ourself, we understand the need (and frustration) for paying for other tools like SurveyMonkey, MailChimp, JotForm, EventBrite, and SmartWaiver.
That’s why we’ve developed features that replace these services and provide a holistic solution to meet all the operational needs of Dance Studios.
The idea is simple: Create workflows instead of workarounds to automate manual tasks. You know, the stuff that no one has time for.
For a detailed overview of Activity Messenger, book a demo.
Activity Messenger differentiates itself from traditional Dance Studio Software with 3 key features:
What It Is: Activity Messenger guides your potential client to the right dance class in the shortest amount of time. Based on the customer’s initial selection (day, age, type of dance, etc.), the registration path adapts to show optimal class options based on their needs.
Why It Matters: Most dance studio software shows all of your class options to every visitor. This can easily overwhelm them especially from a smartphone and does not consider the needs and wants on each family.
Extra Perks: No one likes to create yet another online account. Especially busy parents. By eliminating the account creation process, Activity Messenger provides hassle-free registration. And don’t worry, your customers have an account (we create it on the fly) and are able to log in.
What It Is: Imagine your various marketing tasks without having to switch from one tool to another. Besides online registration, Activity Messenger allows you to send newsletters (alternative to Mailchimp), bulk SMS, recital ticketing, marketing automation, surveys and AI tool for dance studios.
Why It Matters: Think about your newsletter. Currently, you have to manually export your subscribers from your subscription software to a newsletter platform such as MailChimp or ConstantContact. The process is tedious and prone to error. (Plus, you have to pay for an additional tool and don’t have a full 360 view of your client’s registration history)
Extra Perks: You can create email marketing campaigns without ever having to leave Activity Messenger to create your designs using our Canva integration. An analytics dashboard gives you at-a-glance insight into your marketing efforts and the direct impact it has on improving your registrations.
What It Is: Dance Studio Automation in Activity Messenger isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a functional reality. Our system covers a wide range of automations designed for Dance Studios, from sending reminders for unsigned waivers to marketing automation for children’s parties.
Here are just a few examples:
Why It Matters: For example, to ensure that no child attends a class, camp, free trial, or party without the proper safety protocols in place, automated reminders can be sent out for unsigned waivers. This type of targeted, specific automation not only improves efficiency. It also adds an extra layer of security and reliability for your Dance Studio operations.
Extra Perks: Automation works together with the mailmerge capabilities of the platform. Customize your dance lesson reminder email before each session start, knowing your email sent at the perfect time, personalized and ready to go.
Discover our kids party booking automation for Dance Studios
📌 Pro tip: By automating our welcome email, we were able to share relevant information with our new customers. This saved us time, but the best part is that we also saw a dramatic reduction in post-purchase inquiries which saves us many hours every session.
Activity Messenger goes beyond the basics you’d expect from a registration platform, enhancing them to empower your dance studio. Here’s what sets us apart:
Imagine this: Your Instagram post captures attention, drawing visitors to your stunning website. But then, they hit a registration page that looks nothing like your brand, often less appealing.
With Activity Messenger, that disconnect disappears. Your branding stays consistent across all touchpoints, from social media to the final confirmation email, ensuring a seamless experience for your audience.
Customers are never redirected to another platform to sign up, and everything stays on your site.
Activity Messenger simplifies your recital management, eliminating the need to another tool like Eventbrite or Tututix. Parents and your dance community purchase tickets with lower transaction fees. After purchase, they receive branded e-tickets with a QR code that they can scan with a smartphone on the day of the event.
You can also set up automated SMS reminders 24 hours before the dance recital and send surveys via email after the event.
You can send bulk emails and SMS on all Dance Studio Software platforms. But very few track open rates for you. So you have no way of knowing who received and opened an important rescehduling email you sent a few days agoi
With Activity Messenger, you have the ability to resend a message but only to those who didn’t open your initial email. Best of all, you can do it via SMS with a link to the email to make sure everyone gets the message.
📌 Pro tip: The ability to send marketing and non-marketing emails based on communication type has allowed us to better target and communicate with your dance community. This ensures that people receive important communications, but can opt out of marketing communications.
Sign up for a free trial or book a 20-minute demo with Olivier; we’ll show you how Activity Messenger can help your Dance Studio.
No problem. Many dance studios use Activity Messenger and get great value while transitioning from their current dance studio software. You can try the product for email marketing, bulk SMS, recital ticketing, dance progress reports, bulk certificates, digital waivers, party booking, surveys and more.
In a short 20-minute demo, you’ll see why hundreds of small businesses rely on Activity Messenger to streamline their operations.
Learn more: Improve your online registration process and increase conversions
While looking at different online dance registration platforms, here’s a list of other important features you’ll most likely want in a dance studio software
Create and send newsletters to keep your community engaged. This feature should allow for easy segmentation and personalization.
Automatically notify students when sessions begin and end, eliminating the need for manual communication.
Personalize your mass communications. Seamlessly integrate student-specific information into emails and SMS messages.
Efficiently manage high-demand classes by automating waitlist notifications, ensuring spots are filled as they become available.
Comprehensive reports on revenues, expenses and profitability give you insight into the financial health of your studio.
Streamline the enrollment process with digital waivers, making collecting required legal consents secure and convenient.
Simplify recital management with an integrated ticketing system, making recital organization a breeze for both staff and parents.
Continuously improve your offerings and student satisfaction by gathering valuable feedback directly from your community.
Make it easy for students to enroll in the classes they want with an easy-to-use online enrollment registration process.
Efficiently manage your team with scheduling, payroll, and communication tools, all in one place.
Leverage detailed analytics to make informed decisions about class offerings, marketing strategies, and more.
Add a personal touch to student recognition and achievement by automatically generating and distributing bulk certificates for course or level completion.
Increase student engagement and accountability by keeping accurate records of student attendance with an easy-to-use digital system.
Communicate urgent information or last-minute changes quickly and effectively with mass text messaging.
Track and share dance students’ progress with customizable reports, fostering a transparent and encouraging learning environment.
Here’s a quick guide on the best Dance Registration Softwares you may be considering for your dance studio.
We’ve included a brief demo video, direct links to their websites, details on pricing, key functionalities, and a link to client reviews.
And while you’re at it, take a glance at Activity Messenger’s Capterra profile to see what are clients are saying about us.
We’re proud of our 4.8-star rating an 100% likelihood to recommend.
Many of these platforms provide a combination of registration, communication, and scheduling features, with some venturing into additional areas like email marketing, recital ticketing, progress reports, surveys and digital waivers. (Although most integrate with tools like mailchimp, surveymonkey and tututix instead of including these features in their software)
Whereas other platforms might handle the basics, Activity Messenger is designed to unify your entire operation under one roof, eliminating the need to rely on workarounds and separate tools.
Now let’s look at some of the other best options on the market.
Jackrabbit Dance has been a stalwart in the class management software arena, especially in the niche of gymnastics and dance studios. Its strength lies in its extensive features—ranging from attendance tracking to online registration and billing.
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The Studio Director stands out as a top choice for dance studios across the country, streamlining registration, class oversight, financial transactions, and client interactions within one integrated platform.
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As a specialized solution designed specifically for the unique needs of dance studios, DanceStudioPro stands out in the crowded field of class management software. It aims to be a comprehensive system that streamlines studio operations with features that facilitate everything from student registration to performance scheduling.
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NOTE: Though the above are our top picks for best class management software platforms. You may also choose to look at Class Juggler, Wellness Living, MindBody, Class Manager and TheStudioDirector
When evaluating dance studio management tools, prioritize these aspects:
It can be daunting for clients, especially those new to the studio, to explore the numerous class offerings on traditional registration platforms. This complexity often leads to potential clients giving up and abandoning the process. The latest class management systems, however, offer a solution, mimicking the personalized assistance one might receive over the phone by fully customizing the class selection based on each family’s needs.
By moving to an intuitive registration process, dance studios can help clients quickly find the classes that meet their needs, increasing the likelihood they convert into paying customers
With a streamlined, easy-to-use registration journey, Activity Messenger is all about simplicity, efficiency, and forward thinking. The platform is designed to consolidate functionality, eliminating the need for separate services like Mailchimp, SurveyMonkey, Tututix, and SmartWaiver.
What really resonates with our users isn’t just the financial benefits. It’s the convenience of centralizing all of their needs – from registrations and communications to waivers and marketing campaigns – into a single holistic view of their business.
NOTE: Most of the products we’ve mentioned offer either a free plan, 14-day trial, 30-day free trial, or a money-back guarantee, allowing you to take them for a spin.
We hope this comparison will make it easier for you to find the Dance Studio platform that’s right for you.
If you choose Activity Messenger, we look forward to showing you the many ways we can simplify your life.
Ticket sale for Dance Studios
Waivers for dance lessons
Progress Report for dance
Job Application Form for Dance Instructors
Start of session reminder for dance
Bulk certificates for dance
Attendance tracking
Email Marketing for Dance Studios
Best Dance Quotes
