Small Dance group needs sponsorship ideas!

paulwf

It sounds like a real labour of love and well done for keeping it going. Perhaps you need volunteers as much as money, could you try and get parents to contribute time if they can't contribute more money? There might also be local businesses that can act as advisors especially with your finances, a dispassionate pair of eyes looking at your accounts might help.

As for fund raising charity bag packing in supermarkets can work well and it is a chance to get the children involved. I've worked on tills during charity bag packs and on average every customer put between 50p to £1 in the pot. How about a bake sale or BBQ or car wash to raise a bit of money?

Amethyst_ice

Paul...we have tried cake sale, car washing, and bag packing....tbh it doesnt bring in more than £30 quid or so .

We have volunteers, we have 3 ppl on the bank accounts, one runs st.johns ambulance so they help lots.

The parents help slightly..but tbh apart from round show time theres not much they can do! The parents take turns in the smaller kids dressing rooms and help hand out costumes.

but the general running yknow.

its good that people have suggested pretty much everythign we have tried though...means at least we have been trying to go in the right direction at least!

We'd like a full kit like bags with our logo on and tops but the hoodies have been all we've managed so far..tahts where a sponsor could help too.

we;ll see.

I spoke to my mum last night and an annonymous person has posted us a cheque through our door for our show...we dont recognise the name on the cheque either...wasnt a mass but will help us get the cast and crew some after show pressies
xxx

Slinky

You say "To teh ones that go on to do it as a career seeing their names up high and in reviews makes us proud taht they started with us."

Could you approach some of your former students and ask them to help support you as you helped get them where they are now? Either in terms of donations or an appearance in one of your shows which would hopefully give you a 'name' to use to fill the theatre?

Amethyst_ice

Slinky wrote: »

You say "To teh ones that go on to do it as a career seeing their names up high and in reviews makes us proud taht they started with us."

Could you approach some of your former students and ask them to help support you as you helped get them where they are now? Either in terms of donations or an appearance in one of your shows which would hopefully give you a 'name' to use to fill the theatre?

Oh we get full sellouts when we perform..and our recent show with peter karrie was amazing.

Its more just getting help without having to pester and pester for it. Just come back from a few days and one kid doin a duet tahts not even finished had the cheek to say...im goign to a party so im not gonan come to dance...and its the tech rehersal!!

The problem is that some kids think they are way better than they are and dont need any practice..

our past students come back occasionally but i dont think the farmers of my town are much into west end or cirque du solei (spelling sorry!) lol

xxxx

Caroline73_2

You have a huge amount of children and the majority have apathetic parents. I would concentrate on the children and parents that commit and can pay a sensible amount. Maybe have a few 'scholarship' places for parents that can't afford it.

Otherwise you risk becoming a cheap babysitting service, which would be a real shame when you obviously want to do the best.

Amethyst_ice

Caroline73 wrote: »

You have a huge amount of children and the majority have apathetic parents. I would concentrate on the children and parents that commit and can pay a sensible amount. Maybe have a few 'scholarship' places for parents that can't afford it.

Otherwise you risk becoming a cheap babysitting service, which would be a real shame when you obviously want to do the best.

Sadly lots of after school activities become a cheap babysitting service...however when we see that a child is not enjoying it we simply tell the parent that it is unfair on the child..we dont believe in just taking money for the sake of it

the scholarship idea is good...not sure we could afford it.

we started looking at grants from arts councils etc and believe we stand a good chance. Our next show is this friday and saturday...managed to get in the local paper to advertise as well..hopefully we will keep going
x

Amethyst_ice

We had our show over the weekend...we broke our theatres records...had people queing down the road and we hadnt even managed to do many posters! x

Mrs_Huggett

That's really good news, well done!! I read your post with interest as I help our Foster son run a steel pan orchestra and we only have 20 young people, even that is hard work, getting them to turn up to practice and gigs, I always say that working with children/young poeple is like herding cats! We are lucky in that we get paid to perform at events and fuctions, and we are able to to various town centres and busk, which brings in good amounts of money,and as we are in London this gives us lots of scope for good areas, we do have the same problem with parents, and sometimes it makes me sad, they have VERY talented children and yet since we began a year ago at least half of our parents have never seen them perform. But on a more productive note have you looked at grassroots grants? Give them a google. Good luck with it, and try to find the strength to carry on, I doff my cap to you, 100 of the little *^**##*" You must be mad LOL!

[Deleted User]

My goodness - those parents don't know how lucky they are. Our classes are £4.50 each - £15 if you do 4 a week - however, we pay each lesson rather than on a termly basis. Being fair with the parents has really helped the dance school grow.

Our shows are always fabulous but we don't pay much for costumes - black leggings plus fab t-shirts from Pr*mark. The money made is split between a charity and the dance school. We use a school hall rather than a theatre to stage the show.

purpleheather2810

You really are underselling yourselves. €1.50 per lesson is too cheap! Parents should expect to pay €3-€5 for after school tuition of this kind. I run after school language clubs and I would much rather have 10 children paying €3 a week than 20 paying €1.50. Much easier to manage the class, the children get better quality tuition in a smaller class and there will be less work re costumes etc. I know the price will put some parents off but then those will be the parents, as someone else has had already, that will go off on hols and let you down.