Your Dance Studio: Put the “Fun” Back into Fundraising, Part 2

Fundraisers really can be both effective and fun! In Part 1, we explained how to plan a Family Night Out and a Date Night for Parents. Now we’ll look at three more fundraising ideas we think you and your dance family are bound to love!

Spa Day for Moms

What woman doesn’t love to get pampered?! Dance moms need a little TLC once and a while, and they’ll feel even better knowing that their money is going toward their daughters’ dance expenses! Students can serve snacks and beverages as well as provide simple services, like painting nails and rubbing shoulders. For ambiance, light some candles or diffuse some essential oils, and play some relaxing music.

You could also add to this kind of event by requesting volunteers from the community who can cut hair or provide other professional spa-type services, free of charge. (Students at local beauty schools or massage therapy schools might be willing to donate their time in exchange for the free publicity and experience, as well as volunteer credit.) You might also want to consider asking other local businesses to donate items or gift certificates to use as door prizes. Consider charging from $10 to $25 per half hour, and give moms paper invitations to pass along to their friends and colleagues.

Dance Party

Okay, so this idea is far from new. Back in the Fabulous Fifties, Dance-a-Thons provided a trendy fundraising option. (Doesn’t a Dance-a-Thon sound like so much more fun than a Walk-a-Thon?) The concept is simple: participants ask friends and family members to sponsor them for a certain amount per hour they last out on the dance floor.

Preparation will include creating a simple form with lines for pledges and check boxes for amounts ($5 to $20 is our suggestion). You might also want to serve some refreshments and create a fun play list for the evening. Be sure to select an official timekeeper too, and someone to keep track of how long each dancer lasts out on the floor!

Silent Auction Theme Party

Also called Chinese Auctions, Silent Auctions are popular fundraising events. The preparation is to basically request donations of gift cards and other items from local businesses. But for the event to seem like an actual event, be sure to choose a theme for it, first! For instance, maybe your studio will be putting on a recital with a global flair: consider getting gift cards for various ethnic restaurants in your area. Or maybe you’ll be having a snow-and-ice themed show: try to obtain gift cards for outerwear, ice cream, a sledding set, and ski tickets.

You might also want to provide some theme-related refreshments and/or activities for your guests and get the word out! Then simply decide how much you’ll charge for tickets and set a container of some sort in front of each item. Then draw tickets and enjoy your earnings!