We cannot pinpoint the origin of dance. Maybe it started with prehistoric people chanting around fire thumping their feet, or maybe not. However, one thing we can be sure of, is its popularity. Everyone enjoys watching this beautiful performing art, and many are keen to learn and master this art form. Television programs like So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With the Stars, etc. have taken 'dance' to every household. Competitions like competitive ballroom dancing and others, have promoted the importance of learning a particular dance style to achieve perfection in it. Students of varying ages enroll in a dance studio to learn the art. This has led to an increasing demand for good dance studios and schools. Opening a dance studio is not very difficult, provided you keep some things in mind. Here, we tell you about them. The first step to opening your dance studio, or starting any business for that matter, is doing your homework. Research as much as you can, take advice from those already in the field, and study your competition. Every business venture starts small. Learn from the masters. Some of most famous and successful dance schools are The Royal Ballet School, London, Paris Opéra Ballet School, Paris, The Juilliard School, New York, to name a few. Read their success stories and see what you can take from them. Students get attracted to a known or popular dance teacher. It will be a good idea to establish yourself in the field before opening a dance school. To achieve this, you could take part in dance shows or exhibits. It will be a good idea to perform in local events, or offer trial dance lessons in schools. This will help you build a student following. A great deal of patience and stamina is needed when it comes to teaching. In addition, physical fitness is a must. Opening a dance studio is a serious business venture. To know the basics of managing it, it is advisable to work at an established dance school before starting one of your own. Business education programs might also help. A dance school offers lessons in one particular dance or several forms. You will need to choose one or more dance styles for your dance studio. It is advisable to start with one dance form, and add other styles depending on the student response. Offering more dance styles will attract more students. Not all the students that enroll in a dance school are very serious about learning or mastering the art form. Some of them may be looking at it as recreation. Considering this, it is advisable to prepare formal lessons for students looking at serious learning, and less formal lessons for those looking at it as the means of recreation. Your dance studio should have a good name. Build around your name and the name of the dance style that you will be specializing in. For example, Jessica Hart Dance Academy or Jessica's Belly Dance Academy. However, be sure that the name has not been used by someone else before you. Register your business name so that no one else uses it. Registration is necessary for any tax-related or legal work as well. It might take a lot of time to choose the perfect place to conduct your dance lessons, but it will be worth it! See who your prospective clients are, and choose a location accordingly. Your studio should be easily accessible to your students. Depending on the number of students you plan to intake, also consider a parking space. A well-ventilated room with ample light becomes a plus for any dance school. A sprung floor or a marley-type flooring is suitable for a dance studio, as these floors are ideal for activities like tapping, jumping, and running, and are durable. To make the studio more welcoming, the right use of colors and lighting will help. A dance studio may have just one room or multiple rooms. Depending on the size of your venture, consider having a separate reception or lobby area. Consider the space that washrooms and storerooms will require. Separate rooms for teaching and administrative work will help you avoid clustering in one room, and will also make your dance studio look spacious. One of the very important items on the 'opening a dance studio' checklist is the equipment. A dance studio must have at least one full-length mirror. This helps the dancers with their postures. A good music system with a remote control, a musical instrument like a piano for ballet lessons, and spare dancing shoes, are among the other requirements. The most important step towards opening a dance studio is the monetary backing. The average cost of opening a dance studio can range from USD 10,000 to 50,000. However, it will vary based on the location of the studio, rent of the place, expenses for the possible renovation, etc. To cover the expenses, grants can be collected. Personal funding is the first option. It can be supported by government grants, a loan, sponsors, private funding, etc. Hiring help for conducting the classes will be good. You, as the owner may not be able to manage everything from teaching to administrative work. It will be a good idea to hire help in the form of teachers, assistants, and administrative staff, so that the work is shared and managing the business becomes less stressful. With your passion for dance and some business acumen, opening a dance studio and running it successfully will not be difficult. As Renuka Srinivasan, owner of Tala Shruti School of Dance, New Jersey, had said, "To be able to dance and teach is indeed a blessing. If you can make a living out of it, you are doubly blessed!"