Exposing the “Gap” in Your Studio: Turning “I Wish” Into “We Can”

Every dance teacher or studio leader has whispered one of these at some point:“I wish my competition parents were more supportive.”“I wish my dancers were more respectful.”“I wish my teachers communicated better.”

Those little “I wish” statements are gold, not guilt. They reveal the gap between where your studio is and where it has the potential to grow.

1. Identify the Gap

Start by getting honest. What’s the thing that’s quietly draining your energy? What situation makes you think, “If this could just improve, everything would flow better”?That’s your gap. Write it down.

2. Look Beneath the Surface

Most gaps aren’t really about the surface problem. “Parents aren’t supportive” might actually mean they don’t understand what support looks like.“Dancers aren’t respectful” might mean they haven’t been taught how to show gratitude yet.

When you name the root cause, you take the power back.

3. Create a Bridge

Once you see the gap clearly, you can build a bridge instead of a wall. Here’s what that might look like:

• If the gap is communication: Start a monthly “Parent Peek” email sharing what students are learning and how families can cheer them on.

• If the gap is mindset: Host a five-minute team huddle before class focused on gratitude or goal-setting.

• If the gap is burnout: Schedule inte

  ntional reset weeks for teachers and students alike.

Small, consistent action bridges big gaps.

4. Shift the Language

Change “I wish” into “We can.”

“I wish parents were more supportive” → “We can create ways for parents to feel included.”“I wish dancers had better teamwork” → “We can start teaching teamwork like a skill, not an expectation.”

That shift in language turns hope into leadership.

5. Celebrate the Change

When something improves, acknowledge it.Thank your parents for showing up differently.Notice when your dancers use new habits.Let your staff see that growth is happening.Celebration cements transformation.

Every studio has gaps. Great leaders don’t hide them — they use them as opportunities to create culture, communication, and confidence.

Your “I wish” moment is the start of your “we did it.”