Dance Studios, Schools, and Halls

SIC 7911
DANCE STUDIOS, SCHOOLS, AND HALLS

Establishments in this industry are primarily engaged in operating dance studios, schools, and public dance halls or ballrooms. Establishments primarily engaged in renting facilities used as dance halls or ballrooms are classified in SIC 6512: Operators of Nonresidential Buildings. This category includes ballroom operation, children's dancing schools, dance hall operation, dance instructors, dance studios and schools, discotheques (except those serving alcoholic beverages), and professional dancing schools.

NAICS Code(s)

713990 (All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries)

611610 (Fine Arts Schools)

This approximately $500 million industry constitutes a very small portion of the overall recreation category. It is dominated by small, independent schools run by sole proprietors, usually owner-operators. The two major nationwide dance school chains, Arthur Murray International and Fred Astaire Dance Studios, cater to adults. Independent studios, which are primarily involved in teaching ballet and tap dancing to children, outnumber other franchises by about six to one.

The dance school industry in America has had an uneven history. Dancing as a leisure activity was forced underground by the dominant Protestant culture that declared dancing socially unacceptable and linked it with drinking and lewdness. Even when European immigrants brought traditional dances to America during the nineteenth century, they were limited to celebrations at ethnic social halls.

Dancing became more mainstream after the turn of the century, when music and more organized bands earned enthusiastic followings. The advent of prohibition in 1920 separated dancing and drinking to a certain extent, and made dancing more socially respectable. Many commercial dance palaces were set up during this period, and in New York City alone, dance halls had revenues of $8 million in 1920.

Arthur Murray and Fred Astaire, the namesakes of the twentieth century's two largest dance schools, got their starts during this period. Murray opened his first dance studio when he was just 18 years old. Murray's career reflected the fortunes of the dance school and hall industry, crescendoing in the 1940s, when the song, "Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing in a Hurry" was penned by Johnny Mercer. A request by a hotel manager to have Arthur Murray dance instructors in all Statler Hotels was just the beginning. Headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida, the company has around 180 studies in nine countries. In 1964, Murray and his wife Kathryn sold the studios to Philip Masters and president and CEO George Theiss, who retain ownership. Arthur Murray International reported revenues of $55 million in 2001 and $60 million in 2002.

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers inspired young men and women to emulate their moves in such popular films as Top Hat, Swing Time, and Shall We Dance. The Fred Astaire Dance Studios, headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, were established in 1947 and have locations throughout North America. Fred Astaire Dance Studios reported revenues of $40 million in 2001.

A combination of social, economic, and demo-graphic factors contributed to the decline of ballroom dancing and the dance school industry in the 1950s and 1960s. Fewer extravagant, romantic movie musicals were filmed. The advent of counter-culture rock-and-roll music was accompanied by alcohol use, transferring much social dancing into another industrial category. Moreover, the mass exodus to suburbia during this period resulted in a decreasing number of couples visiting urban dance halls. During the 1960s and 1970s, improvised singles dancing grew increasingly popular, and organized couples dancing became reserved for weddings and other special occasions.

Ballroom dancing regained popularity in the 1980s, spurred by a modest revival of music from the first half of the century. As the decade of conspicuous consumption progressed, ballroom dancing provided an outlet for prosperous men and women to dress up and spend money. Dance studios and halls also benefited from the fitness craze, as people danced for exercise and to relieve tension. Some observers even cited the increasing fear of both AIDS and romantic commitment as reasons for the industry's upswing, noting that individuals could get to know each other without having a formal date. The return of traditional formal weddings also contributed to this industry's growth in the 1980s. Dance teachers also credited the Public Broadcasting Service, which carried major ballroom dance competitions beginning in 1981, for promoting the activity. Dance studios began to coordinate more competitions, which encouraged students to take more lessons in preparation for competition.

The International Dancesport Federation (IDSF, formerly the International Council of Amateur Dancers) spent the latter half of the twentieth century working toward the acceptance of ballroom dancing as an Olympic event. In 1987, IDSF designated the United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association as the sole governing body for amateur ballroom dancing in the United States. Ten years later, the International Olympic Committee gave full recognition to the IDSF and its affiliates. As the twenty-first century began, the dancesport community was awaiting inclusion as a medal sport.

The growing popularity of recreational dance was evidenced by the number of Web sites devoted to ballroom, folk, Latin, swing, and country/western dancing. These sites offer directories of schools, dance halls, and competitions.

As popular dance boomed, however, professional dance lagged. Rehearsal space in New York City, always rare, has been taken away from professional dancers and college students and used for more lucrative activities. A sizable number of professional dancers supplemented their incomes by working as aerobic instructors. In addition, dance companies were licensing fitness centers to use their names, choreography and techniques.

Although college dance students were being urged by their professors to prepare for alternative careers, dance schools at the University of Utah, University of Hartford, Rutgers University, University of Iowa, and Hunter College of the City University of New York still provided professional dancers for smaller companies. A growing concern for dancers' health was responsible for the inclusion of nutrition classes in these curriculums. The National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), founded in 1981, has 57 institutional members, all of whom offer programs in dance. As an accrediting agency, the NASD serves to delineate and improve practices and professional standards in dance education and training.

Music copyright collections was a prominent issue for dance schools. Schools are required to pay fees for the use of music registered with ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. Although there appeared to be agreement in the dance community that composers should receive royalties when their music is used during public performances, the status of many schools as non-profit institutions was a cause for controversy.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 33,630 people were employed by dance schools, studios, and halls in 2001. Management occupations accounted for just over 3.5 percent with general and operations managers accounting for 910 of the 1,240 total management positions and reported a mean annual salary of $46,140. For the mere 40 chief executive officers listed, the mean annual salary was $61,460. Self-enrichment education teachers, with a mean annual salary of $33,180, accounted for nearly 30 percent of the industry's jobs, and choreographers, with a mean annual salary of $32,080, accounted for another third of jobs. Dancers numbered 2,360, or 7 percent of the jobs, with a mean annual salary of $27,040. Office and administrative support positions totaled 12.5 percent of the industry's jobs.