Photos add an interesting visual to a bulletin board that can more effectively catch the eye of the passing dance student than simple written literature can. The photos selected are ones that highlight dancers or whole dance classes and reflect them in a positive light. Choose favorite photographs from past recitals and competitions to display. You could also take photos of randomly selected dance classes throughout the week to display. Another option is to rotate through the individual professional photos taken at the end of the year of each dancer in costume.
Give the dancers something to strive for by selecting a "dancer of the week" each week and posting the announcement on the bulletin board. Relay the reasons a dancer may be selected as the studio's highlighted dancer to the students. This could be an act of generosity or kindness, such as volunteering to assist a child ballet class or staying after a class to help a fellow dancer learn a combination. It could also reflect a student who overcame hurdles, such as a dancer who is out sick learning a new dance quickly. You could also select a student who has a significant achievement, such as winning a competition. Display a photo of the selected dancer each week as well as a write-up as to why she was chosen. Students will be excited to see who is highlighted each week.
Dancers are judged individually as well as in groups. Similar to the dancer of the week idea, you could also display a class of the week or dance of the week. At the conclusion of each week, consider the events of the classes. Ask yourself if a particular class stood out by the level of their improvement, their hard work or their performance and choose the class that comes to mind as the highlighted group of the week. You could also select a specific dance number to honor on the bulletin board. If a particular dance wins a competition and wins rave reviews from a recital, choose that dance number to highlight. Post photos from the dance performance or the class on the bulletin board.
The dance bulletin board can also serve as an ideal way to keep students and parents informed of upcoming events. Display a calendar page of the month you are in and write all of the upcoming events on the calendar. This can include dates for photos and rehearsals, performance or competition dates and information on special classes or dance functions. You could also post relevant photos, such as a professional shot of a dancer to reflect a date for photo-taking or a picture of a past competition to represent an upcoming one. News clippings regarding the dance studio as well as fliers advertising upcoming performances can also enhance the bulletin board.