IN THE three years Chee Ee Kyn studied Latin dance, the former travel agent spent RM10,000 on lessons and costumes.
Currently taking a year-long break from the rat race, Chee, 25, reveals that she has foregone luxuries such as shopping. Despite her decision to live the frugal life, the one thing she declares she will never give up is her dancing lessons.
“Dancing has always been my dream,” says Chee, who recently walked away as champion in the Latin novice category at the 10th National Balllroom Dancing Championship and the World Dance Council All-Asia City Open Championships held in Penang earlier this year.
Enthusiastic students like Chee are the cogs that keep the wheels turning for MY Dance Studio in Ipoh.
While many think the beauty of dance should sell itself, in a small town where some 10 studios have to compete for market share, a studio has to have something extra.
What makes MY Dance Studio unique is its founder Michael Yeap, who opened the dancing floor in 1999. The 65-year-old stroke survivor is perhaps one of the unique few who have continued to take an active part in the daily running of such a physically demanding business though the left side of his body has been affected by his condition.
“I may have had a stroke, but I still have the ability to head a battalion of a 1,000 men,” says Yeap, who has the advantage of experience as a former sales manager with a gas company and later owner of a construction firm.
The main criterion in keeping a business running, says this seasoned businessman, is a sense of perseverance.
To ensure classes continued after his stroke in 2001, Yeap formed a “battalion” of three trusty “generals” — daughter Yen Chin, 34, the studio principal, her dance partner Yong Chun Wai, 30, and son Derek, 28.
Though they have taken over the dance classes, Yeap still takes on the technical sessions for advanced students, which he conducts sitting down.
On how he has succeeded in keeping his studio relevant for the past 14 years, Yeap stresses it is not enough for a dance studio to offer lessons, it has to stand out.
Revealing marketing strategies, Yeap says the studio, which brings in between RM11,000 and RM12,000 a month in lesson fees, has numerous outreach programmes throughout the year.
Case in point are Latin dance performances at the Ipoh International Starwalk since 2011 and organising events, such as the upcoming Second Ipoh Dancesport Championships next month. The budget for this event is expected to touch the RM100,000 mark with ticket sales per table ranging between RM1,000 and RM2,000.
Yeap has targeted sales of 60 tables, a conservative figure which he is confident of surpassing. Incidentally, the studio is the first to organise a dance event that involves the participation of other Asian countries in the small but lively town.
The effort to promote the studio had always been an ongoing one, but the real test of Yeap’s ability came after he recovered from stroke. The choice was his to retire and stay home or to get up and keep going.
Having cut his teeth in Ipoh’s dancing scene at age 15, where friends would treat him with ice balls for showing them how to do the cha cha, he was simply not the stay-at-home type. This came coupled with the fact that the studio needed attention after a three-month absence for his recovery.
“From past work experiences, I established a lot of contacts. The first plan of action was to use these links to promote the studio,” says Yeap, who reports that current enrollment for MY Dance Studio now stands at 300 students.
He explains the surface function of having a prospect list of hotels, event managers and clubs is simply to offer entertainment at their annual events.
“Sometimes, I don’t even promote my show. I just call with the intention to chat, to keep in touch. But I have landed some of my biggest clients this way. Once I closed a deal for RM30,000!” says Yeap.
Offering dance performances has a two-fold objective, he explains. One is to allow his students a chance to show off their skills in public so they will be motivated to advance to higher levels. This also translates to revenue for the studio.
While beginner sessions may cost as little as RM35 a month and advanced sessions can come up to RM55, serious dancers may see the need to book private lessons to sharpen their skills for as high as RM100 an hour. Also, students and their parents see the chance to perform as a highlight in their social calendar. A studio that can provide such avenues is always regarded favourably.
Events also act as platforms to advertise dance lessons.
“Things sometimes work in a roundabout way. We perform at a company’s annual dinner; people see how beautiful the dance is and they call us to give them lessons. We often received calls from my clients’ friends and employees expressing an interest to learn after seeing my students perform,” reveals Yeap.
And ties to international Hollywood stars definitely help when it comes to promoting a dance studio.
In Yeap’s case, it came in the form of Anna and The King, the 1999 film directed by Andy Tennant which featured Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat.
“Tennant found me though the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing where I had taken an examination earlier. His first choice was an instructor from Singapore, but as filming was going to be done in Ipoh, it was too troublesome. So he called me. The first thing he asked was if I would be interested to teach a film star how to dance,” recalls Yeap.
Though Yeap had yet to build his studio, he secured the deal by impressing Tennant with his theatrical experience. In his Anglo Chinese School days, Yeap took part in many Shakespearean plays.
Though enthusiastic, he also made sure Tennant paid him his asking price — US$100 an hour (RM327).
The deal saw Yeap teaching not only Foster and Chow for two hours every day for six months, but choreographing a dance scene for a cast of 80 children and 10 couples.
Of the studio’s brush with Hollywood, Yeap’s most vivid memory was the difference in height between Chow, a six-footer and Yen Chin, then 19 whose petite frame left her staring at Chow’s chest instead of his well-known face.
To keep fans and press at bay, Yeap kept their enrollment under close wraps until shooting was over. But once the veil of secrecy was lifted, he wasted no time in telling the world!
Making a superstar of the studio principal also helped win students’ confidence.
To prepare Yen Chin for the role of dance instructor, Yeap initially invested RM5,000 in lessons. Then came the competitions. Yen Chin and her partner, Yong, have participated in no less than 15 international dance competitions including some held in Blackpool, England and events organised by the International Dance Sport Federation.
Readying for these events, Yen Chin and Yong had to look for teachers from as far asThailand, China, Hong Kong and England. The cost of teaching a champion, says Yen Chin, may range anywhere between RM250 to RM1,000 an hour. In total, a dance couple may spend some RM10,000 in dance lessons and air fare to prepare for competitions with foreign teachers.
This does not include the loss of income, usually totalling RM3,000 to RM4,000 a month, from not being able to teach when they are away.
“That is because I make it a point to do replacement lessons when I return. If not, the figure is much higher. But it can be very tough as replacing lessons can really tax a schedule. At times, I have to do up to nine lessons a day. At the end of the day, my voice is reduced to a mere whisper,” says Yen Chin.
The prize money barely makes up for it as the highest they have received was only between US$600 and US$800 which does not even cover some of Yen Chin’s costumes which can come up to RM6,500 apiece.
But making it worthwhile are the bragging rights and prestige for the dance studio. Since 2008, Yean Chin has been the Malaysian Dance Association’s representative for the country in Asian dance competitions. This year, she was also slotted to lecture at the Asian Dance Congress at Chulalongkorn University Sports Center in Bangkok.
Yeap reminds one must not forget quality.
“We are known for producing competition dancers, which is a feat in such a small town like Ipoh. You have to consider, out of 100 students only 30% are inclined for competitions,” says Yeap.
At last count, he proudly reveals a name list submitted for a recent competition recorded some 20 couples from the studio.
Dancing to a profitable tune
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét