5 Indispensable Things To Build Your Oriental Dance Business

Nowadays I am devoted 100% to Oriental Dance. However, not long ago I had just finished my studies in Business I have a bachelor and two master degrees in International Management and I was working in one of the biggest companies in Portugal, where I learned a lot.

Today, I still work in management but of my own business - in my Oriental Dance career as an artist and on my school, Catarina Branco Dance Studio. I wouldn’t have the sucess I have in Dance if I didn’t have had all this learning in university and also in my work. Besides developing my business knowledge, I also learned to be more analytical, having interest in learning more and to be more organized. I tend to structure always everything, and that has helped me to get better in Dance, specially in my teaching. We, as teachers, need to be very organized and have the ability to pass on knowledge to others in a structured way, which means we have to dominate the content and also structure it in a way students understand. Well, having a business in Oriental Dance )and in all dances and in art, in general) is not so different from having any other business of your own. We artists, want to do our art, but we also need to survive, (even if with a low income), so here go my basic tips for you if you want to live through your art:

1. The most important thing is having all your information available on your Website (and I see so many dancers failing in this point) so people who want to hire you. Facebook and Instagram won’t do the same for you. You need to have all your information available on your website with all the services you can provide so that the clients who want to hire you (specially those who are looking for a high-quality service and are willing to pay for it) can see you have a solid and professional business.Having a website makes the information more acessible to potential clients and gives you credibility. Nowadays, it is easy to create a website by yourself and have a good image with platforms like Wordpress, Wix, Squarespace, etc. It’s a slow process, it takes time and it is needed patience and dedication but it is possible and, believe me, it is really worth it. The majority of my clients were raised through my website.

After having your own website, it is fundamental you present yourself on social media. But don’t get confused: social media’s function is to interact with your fans; to keep them updated and to make more people to know your work. But to convert clients (to really sell your service), it’s very important you have a website. If you don’t know what information you should have on your website, I invite you to read 5 Tips To Have A Great Website post.

Picture taken in a Photoshoot with Rita Santana Photography, em 2016.

2. You should create your Brand Image and stick with it - have your logo, your fonts and colors set and use them at all time. Hire a designer to help you on this and then keep it consistent.

3. Having a professional and good Image means also to invest on pictures and video. Hire professionals to do sessions with you and every time you go to a festival, buy your media – for a little more money you can set a new and more up-to-date image of you.

4. Another important aspect is to invest on Flyers, Posters and a kick-ass Business Card. When you are organizing an event (show or workshops) print your flyers and posters, and put there your logo, website, social media links, e-mail, phone, etc. A business card is also essential for any occasion, and it should already set a good image of your business.

5. Finally, create Partnerships with other dance teachers or other businesses so you can help each other. Maybe you could offer discounts for clients of a hairdresser close to your dance school. A partnership with the city hall is helpful as well. In my case, being part of the city events has helped me a lot promoting my work.

There is much more to share, but Instagram posts are short. Would you be interested in another post on this subject with other and more detailed tips for a business in dance?

Parts of the Show "A Dança Oriental e as 1001 Noites" (“Oriental Dance and the 1001 Nights” organized by Setúbal Municipality in the 11th July 2020 in Casa da Baía, Setúbal.