Here's what we've done with our dance. It was a calculated risk/leap of faith. We gave notice verbally by announcements at the dance for a few weeks before it started, plus email and Facebook notices. Facebook comments were very positive and several folks said this would make the dance available to them once more.

http://mondaycontras.com/pages/you-pick-admission.php

Attendance is up so far vs. prior periods and pay for performers is up significantly, on average. Limited sample to date - we began just this calendar year. Anecdotally approximately 60% pay the suggested amount, 30% pay the higher figure and 10% or fewer lower. We don't turn away people at any amount (anything over cost is gravy). Some people are also giving us donations when they have it - with the knowledge it is all going to the talent. We're a unique dance - running 45-90 people weekly - a sort of weekly-community dance hybrid, where folks value the connection and are invested in keeping it going.

This approach makes the door sitter job pretty easy/finite and we're getting better statistics than before (I'll share a later post on how that's been achieved - once I find some time to write it up).

-Don


On Sun, Feb 5, 2017 at 3:42 PM, Emily Addison via Organizers <organizers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hi fellow organizers,

Following up from some discussion in December about low attendance, here in Ottawa we're working on 'recovering' from a surprising attendance drop this year.   We're having a major strategy session later in the month which includes talking publicity, programming, finances etc.   

I'd love to hear about any ****innovative ideas you have for door pricing****

Our current system:
$12 regular, $10 members and students, 16 and under free
Membership is $30 start of year, $20 in January.  People who want to be generous and buy a sustaining membership can pay $50.

Possible options currently on the table:
The easiest solution which would be the default is to raise the price for all by $2 which some feel is a fair price compared to a movie.  However, others think paying $12-$14 every two weeks will be not only hard on those with low incomes but also a psychological be a turn off for others.

Ideas I'm wondering about:
  • $10/12 base, adding sliding scale up to $15... hopeful that people would contribute more.
  •  Also communicating effectively (we don't do this at all now) on the cost of running a dance.  This would mean exposing what the average cost of talent and sound but I think if people knew where money was going and how little talent actually get paid for their efforts, they'd be more generous.
Your ideas??????
Any thoughts on the ideas above and in particular, anyone doing a great job of communicating costs to their dancers?
Any other brilliant thoughts?  Maybe different donor levels? Donation jars (but how to do well)?
Other?

With much thanks!
Emily Addison in Ottawa

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