What does it take to build a successful performing arts school in another country?
Cameron Hall is the founder of Baila con Cameron, a performing arts school based in Valencia, Spain. What started with an adult jazz class attended by 35 people has grown into a community of almost 400 students from 25 different countries.
In this episode of the Ultimate Dance Business Podcast, Cameron talks to Deborah Laws about his journey from performer and West End choreographer to running his own performing arts school and entertainment production company in Spain.
He shares how Baila con Cameron grew during lockdown, why outdoor classes became an important part of the school's identity, and how he went from renting a small studio to creating a much larger space with multiple studios, a theatre space, music rooms and more.
Cameron also talks about bringing British-style pantomime to Valencia. Now in its fifth year, his productions have sold out every year and attract audiences from across the region, including people travelling more than two hours to attend.
But perhaps the biggest lesson from Cameron's approach is his philosophy towards running a dance school.
“I don’t run a performing arts school. I run a community.”
For Cameron, Baila con Cameron is about creating somewhere people can make friends, build confidence, achieve things and feel that they belong. He explains why he thinks about what students can do together rather than simply focusing on retention, and why the experience someone takes away from a class can be more important than technical perfection.
There is also plenty to take from Cameron's approach to social media. He talks about why dance schools need to stop making social media for themselves, why perfect photos and graphics aren't necessarily what people care about, and why showing more of the real person behind the school can make such a difference.
Cameron Hall is the founder of Baila con Cameron and also works as a performer, choreographer and entertainment producer in Valencia. Alongside his work with the school, he performs as Dame Dolly.
Find out more about Baila con Cameron at https://bailaconcameron.com
Find Baila con Cameron on social media at:
https://www.instagram.com/bailaconcameron
https://www.facebook.com/bailaconcameron/
Book an evolution call with Deborah https://go.dancebusinesslab.com/dance-school-success-plan
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This episode is sponsored by Dance Studio Marketing.
You can find out more about Dance Studio Marketing and how you can work with Sally to supercharge your dance business at https://dancebusinesssolutions.com/social-media-for-dance-businesses/
This podcast is produced by Creative Content Studio
