Sammy Davis Jr. Photo Credit: Michael Lutch for WGBH

Sammy Davis Jr. was often billed as the “greatest living entertainer in the world”. The son of vaudeville star Sammy Davis Sr., he was known as someone who could do it all–sing, dance, play instruments, act, do stand-up–and he was known for his self-deprecating humor; he once heard someone complaining about discrimination, and he said, “You got it easy. I’m a short, ugly, one-eyed, black Jew. What do you think it’s like for me?” A short stint in the army opened his eyes to the evils of racism–a slight man, he was often beaten up by bigger white soldiers and given the dirtiest and most dangerous assignments by white officers simply because he was black–and he helped break down racial barriers in show business in the 1950s and 1960s, especially in Las Vegas, where he often performed; when he started there in the early 1950s, he was not allowed to stay in the hotels he played in, as they refused to take blacks as customers. He also stirred up a large amount of controversy in the 1960s by openly dating, and ultimately marrying, blonde, blue-eyed, Swedish-born actress May Britt.

He starred in the Broadway musical “Golden Boy” in the 1960s. Initially a success, internal tensions, production problems and bad reviews–many of them directed at Davis for playing a role originally written for a white man–resulted in its closing fairly quickly. His film and nightclub career were in full swing, however, and he became even more famous as one of the “Rat Pack”, a group of free-wheeling entertainers that included Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford.

Starred in the 1964 Broadway Musical “Golden Boy” for which he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor (Musical) in 1965; he lost toZero Mostel for “Fiddler on the Roof.” “Golden Boy” also featured many then unknown or relatively unknown talents such as Roy Glenn who later portrayed the father of John Prentice/Sidney Poitier in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967); other talents included then very young performers Lola Falana, Louis Gossett Jr., who later won an Oscar for his performance in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982); and Johnny Brownwho is best remembered for his portrayal of “Nathan ‘Buffalo Butt’ Bookman” on the popular television sitcom “Good Times” (1974). A then unknown performer named Ben Vereen was Davis’ understudy in “Golden Boy.”

Always articulate, he never attended school of any kind; performing since the age of five, he was largely self-taught.

Click here to view the embedded video.

He lost his left eye in a car crash when he was on his way to record the theme song for the Tony Curtis film, Six Bridges to Cross (1955). He wore an eyepatch for sometime after that, but Humphrey Bogart ultimately convinced him to unmask when he told him that he didn’t want to be known as the kid with the eyepatch.

A chain smoker, Davis died from throat cancer at the age of 64.

He was inducted into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame in 2005. He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6254 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

Mini-bio courtesy of IMDB.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Photo Credit: VoiceOfDance.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

Involved in show business since toddlerhood, Gregory Hines was a highly acclaimed tap dancer, choreographer, dramatic and comic actor, singer, and director. Hines is the brother of actor/dancer Maurice Hines. When Hines was two, his father employed him in a dance act with his older brothers. The child honed his dancing skills with master tap dancer Henry Le Tang. He was five when his father teamed him with his big brother, Jake, to form the Hines Kids. The brothers spent much of their early careers dancing at the Apollo Theater and learned much from such famed fellow performers as the Nicholas Brothers and Sandman Sims. At age eight, he debuted on Broadway in the musical The Girl in Pink Tights (1954). When the boys reached adolescence, they were called the Hines Brothers. In 1963, they became Hines, Hines and Dad, and started a ten-year stint on the nightclub circuit and on television. They also went abroad. In 1973, he left his brother and father’s act to form a jazz-rock group called Severance. He eventually came back to New York, where in 1973, he launched a distinguished Broadway career that garnered him a Tony (for playing Jelly Roll Morton in George C. Wolfe’s musical tribute Jelly’s Last Jam in 1992), three additional Tony nominations, and a Theater World Award.

Hines made his feature-film debut in Mel Brooks‘ all-star farce The History of the World, Pt. I, replacing an ailing Richard Pryorin the role of Josephus. It was actress Madeline Kahn who suggested Hines for the role. In film, Hines has proven himself a versatile actor and he has starred in everything from musical dramas in which he showed off his dancing ability (The Cotton Club and White Nights, in which he starred opposite ballet superstar Mikhail Baryshnikov), to straight dramas (The Preacher’s Wife), comedy (Renaissance Man), sci-fi/horror (Wolfen), and action films (Running Scared). In 1994, Hines made his directorial bow with Bleeding Hearts. He released an album, simply titled Gregory Hines, in 1987. In 1997, he starred in the CBS family comedy The Gregory Hines Show as a single father who has trouble reentering the dating scene. Though that particular series was shortlived, appearances on such popular small screen staples as Will and Grace proved that the years had certainly not dulled Hines comic abilities. In addition, the prepetual entertainer also provided voice work for the Blues Clues adventure Big Blue’s Threasure Hunt and the popular children’s series Little Bill. Moving into the new millennium Hines appeared in such features as Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2000) and the made-for-television biopic Bojangles (2001), in which he portrayed the title role of legendary dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. Following a supporting role in the television series Lost at Home, Hines made his final film appearance in the 2003 feature The Root.

On August 9, 2003, Gregory Hines died of cancer in Los Angeles. He was 57, and the lights of Broadway were dimmed in his honor three days after his untimely death.

Biography courtesy of MSN Entertainment.

Please share this post on Facebook and Twitter, and let’s continue to honor the legacy of Gregory Hines.

Fractured Atlas Logo http://fracturedatlas.org

Tonight on The Kiner Hour Radio Show, Special Guest, Emily Gray, Program Director of Insurance at Fractured Atlas, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping artists be better at the business side of making their art, leaving them more time to concentrate on what really matters: making their creative work happen.

On tonight’s show, you’ll learn about affordable liability insurance for artists and arts organizations, as well as access to affordable rates for equipment insurance, directors and officers liability insurance, volunteer accident insurance, etc. Plus, learn more about Artful.ly, an open-source online ticketing and donor management software designed specifically with the needs of the arts community in mind.

You don’t want to miss this show!

The live show begins at 7 pm EST on http://mission101broadcasting.com!

Tune in, and call in live at 917-267-8924!

The Kiner Hour – Let’s Talk Dance with Ashani Mfuko radio show, every Sunday night,  7-8 pm EST on http://mission101broadcasting.com!!

Please Share this on Facebook and Twitter!

After writing about how to overcome guilt as a dancer yesterday, and having three separate conversations with friends/family about the importance of keeping balance in our lives, I felt that this post was absolutely necessary.  It’s difficult for most of us to maintain balance in our lives nowadays, because there are so many distractions, and so many demands put on us everyday.

This of course is no reason to settle for a life that is not happy, healthy, and balanced. Although you may get off track from time to time, you don’t have to stay that way. Here are my top 5 secrets to a happy and balanced life.

The Top 5 Secrets To A Happy and Balanced Life:

1) Give Yourself Permission To Be Un-Productive. TV, movies, video games, sports, reading a book or magazine, these are all things we do simply for the pleasure and enjoyment of doing it. It may not help your career or business grow, or help you mark any tasks off of your to-do list, but it sure feels good! Yes it does! Allow yourself to have time where you don’t have to think, accomplish anything, or even be productive. Give yourself time to just be, and have fun. You deserve it, and you need it to maintain your sanity.

2) Keep or Create White Space In Your Life. I read an article online about the concept of having white space in your life, and it’s so important. White space, as far as I’m concerned, is that time where you can just think, and be alone with yourself in your mental space. It’s a bit different from meditation. You can think of it as the space that creates a time for meditation. It’s a time that you leave blank, as opposed to scheduling things to take up every minute and every hour of your day, until you go to sleep at night. It’s basically empty space or time in your day/week, where you’re able to think, process, reflect, and not get caught up being busy doing “stuff”, with no time to actually think about what you’re doing, and why you’re doing it.

3) Stop and Think About What You’re Doing and Why. Be very careful of routine. Sometimes we can get stuck in the routine of doing certain things, while forgetting why we started doing them in the first place. It’s very easy to continue doing things out of routine, so be sure to stop every so often and ask yourself, “why am I doing this?” You may find out that you no longer need to be engaging in a certain activity, task, or job, or with a certain person, or you’ll just get refocused on your purpose and your goals, and get the motivation you need to carry on for another 3-6 months.

4) Learn To Delegate. There are some things that you really shouldn’t be spending your valuable time on everyday, and you (and I) know it. Delegating can be a little scary at first, and can backfire if not done properly. But it’s something you and I must learn to do, if we want to live the balanced and happy life that we’ve always dreamed of. It’s pretty simple. Start with delegating the things that you like to do the least, then move on to those areas that are not exactly your strengths. Take the next step, and find (or hire) someone to take over those tasks for you. You will not only be more productive as a result, but you’ll be happier too!

5) Put Yourself First. Let me clarify this point before I explain it. I put God first in my life, above everyone and everything, then my husband is second, so technically I’m third. But what I mean by “put yourself first” is this:

• Put Your Mental & Physical Health, and Well-Being First.

• Put The Relationships That Matter To You The Most First. (I’ve been known to postpone non-urgent work, in order to spend some quality time with my husband, or a day with my niece at the park, and I’m proud of it!)

• Put Your Priorities, Personal Goals, and Happiness First. One thing that I’ve learned is, what is urgent to someone else, isn’t necessarily urgent to me. Don’t make other people’s priorities, your priorities. Stay focused.

• Put Life Balance First. Your life can not be all work, and no play. Your life can not be ALL of any one particular thing. You need to have balance. Meditation, Exercise, Work, Play, Downtime, White Space, Rest, Relaxation, Entertainment, Learning/Reading Time, etc.

Don't let guilt overtake you!

Do you ever feel guilty about the choices you’ve made for your dance career? Do you feel guilty about getting paid to do something you love so much, and would do for free? Do you feel guilt about choosing a career path different from what your parents/family thought you should choose? Guilt about not living up to your own expectations? Do you feel guilty about not spending enough quality time with your loved ones, because your life is so busy?

Guilt is real, and it’s something that many of us feel on a regular basis, for a number of different reasons. It’s an emotion that will definitely get the best of you, if you don’t keep it in perspective. It’s always best to get to the heart of why you’re feeling guilty in order to address in the best way possible.

How To Overcome Guilt As A Dance Artist

Ask Yourself:

“Have I done something wrong/hurtful to someone?”

“Am I being too hard on myself?”

“Am I feeling pressure from external sources?”

“How does feeling guilty help me in this situation?”

“What can I do to avoid feeling like this in the future?”

“Are my actions in alignment with my goals/values?”

“Am I doing what’s best for me?”

Don't Let Others Guilt-Trip You!

Last night on our weekly #LetsTalkDance Tweetchat, we discussed the topic, “Overcoming Guilt As Dance Artists”. When I asked the question, “What is the one thing you’ve felt most guilty about throughout your dance career?”, many of our dance Tweeps had expressed feelings of guilt for different things in their career. Apparently us dancers, have some serious guilt issues.

@thedancebuzz:  I feel most guilty about spending too much time away from family/husband for dance.

@morphing: I feel guilty abt not taking gr8 care of my body-pushing myself 2 far, eating 2 little/poorly,sleep- 2 little.

@SaintElasticat Guilt about not working hard enough.

My second question was, “How do you overcome those feelings of guilt?”, and the responses were very uplifting and encouraging. Here’s what some of the dance Tweeps had to say:

@mochazina:  Evaluate the legitimacy of the feeling, then take practical steps to address it.

@jordoncloud:  A personal confirmation that Im making the decisions that make the most sense for my life at the moment.

@KarenatashaB: I cant do anything about childhood decisions…Either work harder or realize I am working enough!

@mochazina: If its just in my head, pray. If its a real thing I can change, do it. #SerenityPrayer

@thedancebuzz: Setting priorities and sticking to them… not always easy though.

@kinerenterprise Remind myself of WHY I’m doing what I’m doing. Remind myself that God has me exactly where I’m supposed to be. Remind myself that I deserve to be happy, & that God gave me this passion for dance for a reason.

@Joshua_Legg:  I embrace the choices I’ve made. Good, bad, indiff., theyve gotten me where I am.

@SaintElasticat:  Realize that Im doing the best that I can…..

When asked “What do you do everyday, to keep yourself on track with your goals/values, and guilt-free?” Here’s what some of our Tweeps had to say:

@kinerenterprise Try to avoid “busy work”, and focus on the things that matter the most, & drive me to reach my goals. Make sure I make time for work, AND for play/family/downtime. Balance is key. No balance = LOTS O’ GUILT

@KarenatashaB: I take it one day at a time, assess things & try to make it better the next day. Thats with everything.  I try not to beat myself up. If Im doing that Im not writing, dancing, or working constructively.

@thedancebuzz: Make a list of goals & keep it nearby

@jordoncloud: One foot in front of the other,being productive w work/school, spending time w family friends & boyfriend.

@mochazina: Try to set daily schedules that align with long term goals Ive planned. Im not always faithful tho.

@5six78: Seek out inspiration by listening to music, watching dance, reading quotes, Pinterest.

@SaintElasticat: Meditate, care for my body/mind/spirit, attempt to self-soothe when down, friends, love, have fun, rest, drink WINE.

@drawplease: Without balance there’s no standing on the balls of ur feet & we know how important that is. Balance is definitely key.
I think what matters most is that you understand very clearly, why you’re doing what you do everyday, what your goals are, and make sure that your actions line up with those goals.

It’s also super important to live a balanced life. When you get out of balance, all sorts of negative feelings will pop up, including guilt. Just remember, when guilt creeps up on you, via your own mind, or other people, quickly eliminate those negative thoughts by asking yourself the questions above, and then give yourself a break!

Focus on all of the wonderful things that you have accomplished, and the positive impact that you’ve made on the lives of those around you. Focus on the positive, and recognize how far you’ve come. You can always make changes, and start fresh. Be inspired! You may not be where you want to be, but thank God that you’re not where you used to be!

What guilty feelings have you struggled with in the past? How did you overcome them?

Please write your comment below. Share this post on Facebook and Twitter, if you found it to be helpful or if you related to it in some way.

It Takes Money To Survive and Thrive As A Dancer! #FinanceYourDance

We can all agree that dancers are very passionate people. We believe in what we do, from the deepest core of our being, and we love it more than anything! It’s that love and passion that keeps us pushing through hard times, broke times, injuries, and other challenges. No matter what we face, we keep pushing through, because we are resilient artists, and individuals.

As a professional dancer/teacher/choreographer/dance entrepreneur, I am extremely passionate about, and dedicated to making significant positive changes in our industry. I’ve struggled so much over the years, and watched my fellow dance friends and colleagues struggle as well, and it’s just not right.

It’s Time For A Change!

What We’re Fighting Against:

- We Are Fighting Against A Life Of Poverty And Financial Struggle For Dancers.

- We Are Fighting Against A Lack Of Funding, Resources, And Job Opportunities For Dancers.

- We Are Fighting Against A Lack Of Knowledge On Successful Branding, Marketing, And Business Strategies For Dancers.

What We’re Fighting For:

- We Are Fighting FOR Your Lifelong Success And Stability As A Dancer, Teacher, Choreographer, Etc.!

- We Are Fighting FOR Your Financial Freedom, Financial Prosperity, And Financial Abundance!

- We Are Fighting FOR Your Education And Empowerment On Branding, Marketing, And The Business Of Dance!

Will You Help Us Win This Fight?

This week I met with several clients of ours who are dance business owners, choreographers, and professional dancers, with incredible business ideas, and a desire to grow their brands and realize their dreams. They all asked me the same questions:

- Where Do I Start?

- How Do I Get The Word Out About My Brand In A Big, Impactful Way?

- How Do I Get People Interested In What I’m Doing?

- How Can I Turn My Passion Into Profit?

- How Can I Earn Money, Increase Revenue, And Get Funding And Financial Support For My Business Or Brand?

Do You Have Similar Questions?

Here’s How You Can Join Us In This Fight:

1. Build Awareness. Our New Movement is called #FinanceYourDance. Let people know that you are now apart of this new initiative that will empower and educate dance artists and entrepreneurs in business, marketing, financing, and branding for your dance company or personal brand.

2. Share Your Knowledge. If you have strategies or resources that have worked for you in your dance career or business, please share them. Leave a comment below with your suggestions, and links to great resources you think we should all know about.

3. Let People Know We’re Here To Help. If you know of someone that has questions, or needs help related to branding, marketing, funding, financing, or the business of dance in general, please send them our way. They can visit our website, leave a comment on our blog, or e-mail us directly at, info@kinerenterprises.com.

4. Spread The Word. If you believe that dancers should not have to struggle financially throughout their careers, nor work multiple jobs, just to support their dance career, then copy and paste any of the statements below, along with the #FinanceYourDance hashtag, on Twitter, and Facebook, to spread the word about this movement. Get dancers fired up about improving the quality of life for dancers, once and for all.

I am a dance artist. I am fierce, talented, & resilient. I deserve nothing but the best! #FinanceYourDance

Just because I’m a dancer, doesn’t mean I have to be broke. I can pursue my passion, and be prosperous. #FinanceYourDance

Knowledge Of Business, Marketing, & Branding are a part of my everyday lifestyle as a dancer. #FinanceYourDance

I am creating a promising & profitable future for dancers worldwide, everyday. I am proud! #FinanceYourDance

I am learning more about biz, marketing, & branding, so that I can be fierce in dance, & in finance! #FinanceYourDance

Being broke doesn’t make you a true artist. Being financially free is for me. #FinanceYourDance

5. Stay Tuned For More Info. We plan to do a LOT around this #FinanceYourDance movement in 2012, which will involve online resources, books, teleseminars, webinars, and live events. If you’re not already on it, join our mailing list to stay in the loop, and join this movement!

You already know what to do right now. Share this post on Facebook and Twitter, and join the movement today!

Photo via Pinterest.com

Last night on our weekly #LetsTalkDance Tweetchat on Twitter, we discussed the business of dance, and we had a live chat where we shared our thoughts and feelings in response to the following questions:

So my question to you is, “What is the value of a dancer? What are we worth?”

Photo Via LovingDancer.Tumblr.com

It’s a tough question to answer, but I have very strong feelings about dancers working for free, and working for less than they’re worth, even though it happens all the time. I would love to see an end to it, in my lifetime. I even wrote an article about it last year called, “Why Dancers Can’t Afford To Work For Free“. Before I answer this question, let’s look at some facts, that are not industry-specific, but that generally come into play, when determining how much a person’s work/service is worth.

High Value/High Cost Services:

• Specialized Training Is Necessary.
• Not Able To Be Done By The Majority Of The Population
• Expensive and Extensive Training and Education Required
• High Risk Work
• High Probability Of Injury
• Ongoing Training/Education Necessary
• Inconsistent Work
• Extensive Preparation Necessary To Perform The Work

So when you look at these factors which ultimately determine the value and cost of someone’s work/services, what industries come to mind? Here are a few…

• Law
• Medicine
• Real Estate
• Construction
• Education

Well, based on the criteria that I listed above, Dance should be included in that list. Why? Because all of the following factors apply to those in the dance field.

So, given all of these factors, why do we continue to work for pay below what we are worth? Where is the return on our time and financial investment in our training and education?

I’m a dancer, so I know all of the obvious answers:

• We Love What We Do, And Would Do It For Free. That’s nice. I know a lot of people who love what they do, but that doesn’t mean they do it for free! Are you crazy? How are you supposed to eat, pay your rent, buy a home, pay for healthcare, etc. with this attitude?  God has blessed you with gifts and talents, not only for your own enjoyment, and that of others, but also as a way for you to sustain yourself, and provide for yourself. If you take those gifts/talents, and give them away for free, or for less than you should, then how will you take care of yourself? And more importantly, who can you blame other than yourself, when you’re constantly struggling financially? We have to do better.

• There Aren’t Enough High-Paying Job Opportunities. There is a lot of truth in this statement. But what do you do, just give up, and say “Oh well”? NO! You start to create your own, high-paying opportunities. You get creative. You seek out ways that you can produce something of your own, that will allow you to change this. The high-paying dance opportunities that do exist, exist for a reason. Look at the factors that have contributed to those jobs being so valuable and use that to create something of your own that can mirror that in some way. Don’t make excuses either. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it!

• It Would Mean Saying ‘No’ Sometimes, And I Don’t Want To Do That. I’ve said it time and time again, when you say ‘No’ to the things that you don’t want, or that are not driving you towards your goals, you say ‘Yes’ to what you DO want. Think of it like this. You don’t want to be like one of those people who’s always in a dead-end relationship, simply because they’re afraid of being alone, and waiting for the RIGHT person to come along. But, when you continue to do work that is below the standard of work that you aspire to do, you decrease your own value, and you end up missing out on those really great opportunities that you’ve always dreamed of, because you’re distracted with the small stuff. You have to say no sometimes, and you have to learn to be selective. Just think, quality vs. quantity.

• It’s Not About The Money, It’s About My Passion For The Art Form. No, it’s not about the money, because if it was, we would’ve all quit a LONG time ago. But money does matter because, it costs money to train/take dance classes, to rent out space for rehearsals, to pay for your dance education, to pay your rent, buy food, pay for physical therapy, etc. So, turns out, it IS about the money, because, you can’t actually dance without money. So, we’ve come full-circle again, and we’re back to, knowing your worth, and not settling for less than you’re worth. We, collectively, need to raise the standards in this industry, to improve our quality of living. We each play an important role in that fight.

• That’s Just The Way It Is. Or should I say, “that’s the way it’s been”, but guess what? That’s not how it has to be in the future, if we take a stand for ourselves. No one is going to do it for us. It starts with me, and it starts with you.

Here Are 12 Powerful Ways To Know Your Worth/Value As A Dancer:

- Calculate The Cost Of Your Dance Training and Education.

- Respect Yourself And Your Craft.

- Create & Produce Your Own Work.

- Create A Business Entity That You Own.

- Read Business Books. Knowledge Is Power!

- Educate Others On Why Your Work Is So Valuable And Ask For What You Deserve.

- Be Selective In The Work That You Choose To Do. Elevate Yourself.

- Have A Personal Mission Statement, And Live By It.

- Know Your Purpose.

- Know What You Want Your Legacy To Be.

- Always Focus On Long-Term Goals, Consequences, and Results, Not Just The Present.

- Don’t Just Think About Yourself, Do What’s Best For The Industry As A Whole.

Have a comment or want to add something to this post? Post it below. I’d love to hear your feedback. Please share this post on Facebook and Twitter and let’s get a discussion going.

Ashani Mfuko (left) with Laurie M. Taylor (right) at The Kiner Hour Radio Show's 1-Yr Anniversary Breast Cancer Charity Event (Oct. 2010)

Tonight on The Kiner Hour Radio Show, Special Guest, Laurie M. Taylor, Professional Dancer, Choreographer, Teacher, Director, and Entrepreneur Plus, a discussion about the business of dance, and how dancers/dance companies can leverage business practices, and social media marketing to build long-term success!!

The live show begins at 7 pm EST on http://mission101broadcasting.com!

Have you ever wondered why some non-profit dance organizations and dance companies flourish, and always manage to get funding, and financial support, while others struggle year after year? Do you think this significant difference between the two groups is solely dependent upon the economy, and other external factors? Do you think that non-profit dance companies and organizations are at the mercy of the consistency of grants, a few private donors, and public donations as their only form of survival?

Well, I have some news for you that may surprise you.

This Is NOT True!

The success/growth/sustainability of your non-profit organization is NOT solely dependent upon outside influences or external factors i.e. the economy, local/state/federal government, etc.

The majority of the power lies in your hands.

Although changes in our economy, and a lack of government funding for the arts have created more obstacles for non-profit arts organizations to flourish, that is no excuse, and no reason for your non-profit to not be receiving the financial support that it needs.

There is LOTS of money out there, and LOTS of people who are willing to donate and support great causes/organizations. It’s just up to you to position yourself in a way that you can reach them, and they can find you.

SO the question becomes…

“How Do I Get Access To More Funding For My Non-Profit Dance Company/Organization?”

And the answer is this.

Get Radical!

“Radical Dreams and Goals Require Radical Changes And Actions.”

I am all for tradition in many ways. But, in other ways, I am hell-bent against it.

“Traditional education can only take you to a traditional place.” ~ Marshawn Evans

Tradition says that we should all go to grade school, go to college, then graduate from college, get a “good job” with a 401K and health benefits, work 9-5, get a couple of raises throughout our working career of about 40 years, then retire. As you can see, there are some traditions that are outdated, and not realistic, especially considering the technology and social media-driven age that we’re living in today.

What does that mean for your non-profit dance organization?

It means that it’s time for you to get serious, and start treating your non-profit like a business. It’s time for you to treat your non-profit like the unique brand that it is, and start using non-traditional, radical, eccentric, and creative methods to get the word out about your organization, tell your brand’s story, and build an international tribe/fan base, that will support you, no matter what’s happening in the economy.

The Top 10 Ways To Increase Funding And Financial Support For Your Non-Profit Dance Company/Organization:

1. Take Ownership Of The Present State Of Your Organization’s Finances, And Accept And Recognize That YOU Have The Power To Change It. Don’t give your power away by placing blame or making excuses, “but the economy”, “but arts funding from the government is…”, “but people don’t have money”, “BUT…”. Stop it! Don’t make excuses. YOU have the power to turn your organization around, and as long as you have control, there is hope and unlimited possibilities for your non-profit dance company or organization to succeed.

2. Accept and Decide That It’s Time To Try Something New, Different, and Scary. If you have really big goals and dreams for your company/organization, and you want to reach higher heights than you’ve ever reached before, you’re going to have to start making some MAJOR changes, and doing something NEW! What you’ve done over the past few years (or longer) has gotten you to exactly the place where you are right now. A place that may have been comfortable, and good enough at one point. But it’s not anymore. It’s time for you to make some major changes, in order to move to a higher level of success, growth, accessibility, and sustainability for your organization. It’s going to take you doing something new, to get new results.

3. Determine What Your Community/Global/Industry Impact Is. Your organization should be having a positive impact on the community that it serves on a local, and possibly even on a global level. What is that impact? What does it look like? How is your organization affecting and improving the lives of those that you serve, and the community/world as a whole? How are you sharing that unique and compelling story with the world, and your target market? This is a major part of what will drive people to support you, and contribute to your organization’s financial needs. If I see a dance company who has really cool choreography, creative concepts, costuming, stage design, and well-trained, passionate dancers, I think, “Wow, very cool!”. I’ll probably share their info on Twitter and Facebook, and check out their Youtube videos, and that’s that. If I see a dance company who has all of those things, but is also involved in their community, volunteers on a regular basis, has video testimonials from kids, teens, etc. on how their organization has impacted their lives, and their community as a whole, I have a different reaction. My reaction to the latter is, “Let me sign up for their mailing list, so I can stay up-to-date on what they’re doing, and support them in any way I can. Maybe I should contact them about coming on as a guest on my radio show. I definitely need to help spread the word about what this organization is doing. How else can I support them?” See the difference?

4. Look At What Other Successful Organizations Are Doing, And Put Your Own Unique Spin On It. There’s a huge difference between being a copycat, and using proven tactics that work in many industries, in your own, unique and innovative way. I would recommend looking at successful organizations OUTSIDE of the dance field, as well as in the dance field, for inspiration and ideas on how you can grow your non-profit, stand out in the marketplace, and build your brand in an impactful, and prosperous way. Read books, blogs, do research, participate in webinars, and see what’s working for others, and apply those techniques to your organization.

5. Connect With Our Hearts, Not Just Our Minds, To Get To Our Wallets. Sorry if that sounds bad. But the point is, people need more than an intellectual, factual justification for giving your organization their hard-earned money. There are soooo many dance companies out there, and soooo many dance organizations. But each of you embody a unique back story and purpose behind what you do. You each offer something so special, and so unique, that it caters to a specific audience. We (the people) need to know what that is, and we don’t just want to read about it on the home page of your website. We want you to pull us in visually, and tap into our emotions in creative and innovative ways. Our cash/check books/credit cards are directly connected to our hearts. We make emotional decisions on how we spend our money every day, so that’s where you need to reach.

6. Do Something Completely Different And Unexpected. You don’t have to continue to do what’s already been done over and over again. Challenge your creativity, and try something completely different. Make it fun, make it interactive, and get people excited about what you’re doing. Make your audience feel like their opinion matters, and like they are an important part of your organization, not just financially, but creatively. Have a contest where your fans/followers get to choose what the theme/title of your next performance/event will be. Let people vote on it, and whoever comes up with the winning title receives complimentary entry to your performance/event, and VIP seating. You can do the same thing with trivia contests about people in your organization. Have fun, and get your patrons/fans interacting and involved with your organization on a regular basis, in ways that have nothing to do with them spending money. That way, when the time comes to solicit donations, they’ll be more obliged to donate, because they’re so used to being actively involved in your organization.

7. Get Help. Let’s face it. No one’s good at everything, and although you may be the creative or organizational genius behind your non-profit, marketing and promotion may not be your forte. That’s not a problem. Just make sure you get help from someone, or from a company who does know how to leverage effective marketing and promotion to build your brand, and reach your financial and organizational goals. Learn more about how we help dance organizations with marketing Here.

8. Build Your Own Audience. You’ve heard the saying, “there’s power in numbers”. Well, it’s true in every sense. The larger the fan base/audience you have, the more likely you are to receive financial support on a regular basis, from that group, and even from private donors. Once you have a large pool of supporters to draw from, you’ll only need a small percentage of your fan base to make financial contributions in order to create the financial stability you need. Be sure to have an e-mail list opt-in form on your website, blog, and Facebook fan page, to encourage people to join your mailing list. That’s where you really get to build your audience, and create a tight-knit community of supporters. I think that non-profits should offer options for their supporters to make donations on a monthly basis, that is automatically withdrawn from their credit/debit card, even if it’s a small amount. That way you can at least have some steady income that you know is coming in, to help manage the resources you need on a regular basis. People who choose this option should of course have VIP access to all that you do, and receive lots of special incentives throughout the year.

9. Connect/Collaborate With Like-Minded Dance Companies/Organizations. I’ll bet you money that there are other creative, talented, passionate, and driven individuals, just like you, who have a non-profit, and are facing the same challenges that you’re facing. Why not collaborate with another dance company or two, to co-host an event or fundraiser, where all of you can benefit, and bring your audiences/fan base together, to reach a bigger financial goal? The more people involved, the better the opportunity for you to raise more funds, and also get access to a new audience that may not even know about you.

10. Leverage Your Social Media Audience. Did you know that your number of fans, followers, subscribers, etc., (your calculated sphere of influence) have financial value? Not only are there millions of people, for example, making loads of money on Youtube (through ad placements during their videos, and on their channels), but companies are willing to invest in organizations and brands, who have a significant influence on a large audience in their niche. Do your Youtube videos get thousands of views regularly? Do you have thousands of fans on your Facebook fan page? Do you have thousands of Twitter followers? Do you have an extensive e-mail subscriber list? If you do, use these numbers (your sphere of influence) to attract sponsors, investors, and donors, in exchange for some sort of advertising spot, on your website, blog, Youtube channel, etc. Remember, there’s power in numbers.

If you’re not satisfied with the amount of funding and financial support that you’re receiving for your non-profit organization, then it is up to YOU to make the (radical) changes necessary to get the results, the funding, and the consistent financial support that you want, and need for your organization.

Do you have more suggestions to add? Do you have questions, or need more help? Post your comment below, and I’ll be happy to help you in any way I can.

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Dance New Amsterdam

Tonight on The Kiner Hour Radio Show, Special Guests, Catherine (Kate) Peila , Executive Director, and Nia Love, Modern Roots Instructor, from Dance New Amsterdam! Plus, a live discussion on your goals for 2012, and what you need to accomplish them.

The live show begins at 7 pm EST on http://mission101broadcasting.com!

Learn more about what’s happening at Dance New Amsterdam, and join our live chat tonight, 7-8 pm EST on http://mission101broadcasting.com!

Learn all about DNA’s:

And Much More!!

Tune in, and call in live at 917-267-8924, and join the party, 7-8 pm EST on http://mission101broadcasting.com!! Please Share!