Dance SWOT Windfall Dancers: Marketing and SWOT

Dance SWOT

Windfall Dancers: Marketing and SWOT Analyses

Mission and Vision

The mission statement of Windfall Dancers, In., is "to ignite a passion for dance in the community by providing quality instruction, engaging performances, innovative community outreach, and an environment for creative expression" (Facebook 2011). Essentially, the company exists to make modern dance and other modes of physical and performance expression available to audiences and participants in the Bloomington, Indiana area, and its mission consists of fulfilling this purpose of existence. The company's vision is guided by the belief that everyone can enjoy and benefit from exposure to dance and the arts, so the company strives to make such opportunities available, affordable, and truly accessible in all conceivable ways (Windfall 2011; Facebook 2011).

PEEST Analysis

The political forces facing Windfall Dance, Inc. are relatively minimal. The company is registered as a 501©3 not-for-profit organization, giving it certain legal constraints but also imbuing it with certain financial freedoms (Windfall 2011; IRS 2011). Due to the limited scope of operations as well as the non-profit status of the company and its operations, there is very little if any meaningful government pressure or contact, and the company receives the support of the local government in much the same manner as most local arts organizations receive such support -- with some recognition, but little funding or control (Windfall 2011; BAAC 2011). There is no discernable non-governmental political pressure exerted on the group.

Economically, the Windfall dance company is doing fairly well, managing to operate with a budget surplus even during the economic downturn -- something that is not easily done for a small, non-profit arts organization (Windfall 990EZ 2009). The economic situation as a whole appears to be improving, which should be a good thing for dance studios as the services they provide are definitely a part of discretionary spending (DSO 2011). Windfall Dancers, Inc., provides both lessons to dancers of varying ages and levels as well as performances for which it charges admission, and both of these sources of income are important for the company (Windfall 2011; Windfall 990EZ 2009). As the economy improves, it is likely that more and more people will feel that they have the time and money both to attend dance shows put on by the company and to take lessons themselves, and this will of course lead to increases in revenue and operating budget (DSO 2011).

Although Windfall Dancers, Inc., operates as a licensed not-for-profit organization, it does have several employees -- primarily instructors, but also a clerical position and several other miscellaneous and irregular employment costs (Windfall 2011; Windfall 990EZ 2009). Still, these employment costs and needs are not really significant enough for macroeconomic features to have an impact on the company, and the dance instructors that make up the bulk of the company's employment costs are paid based on the classes taught -- when there aren't enough students to make the class profitable, there are no employment costs incurred (Windfall 2011). Interest rates and inflation thus have little influence on the company.

The community in Bloomington, Indiana is overwhelmingly white, and with almost half of the population falling between the ages of fifteen and thirty-four (Bloomington 2011). This should provide strong audiences and interest levels in the specific style of dance and expression that the company specializes in -- that is, modern dance -- which is especially popular in these demographics (DSO 2011). As a fairly typical town located in the Midwest of the United States, the social and cultural forces at work in the community represent rather moderate political sensibilities, with a slight emphasis on certain conservative views regarding family values (Bloomington 2011). This could have some degree backlash for an art form that is expressed purely physically and might be considered "immodest."

Technological forces have very little to do with the day-to-day operations of Windfall Dancers, Inc., yet they can be very important features in the company's ultimate success. The website operated by the company is now its main portal of communication with the Bloomington, Indiana community, and also serves as a point of contact, a way to purchase tickets and lessons, and a variety of other ways of interfacing between the company and the public (Windfall 2011). A web presence can be vital for businesses and organizations of all stripes, and can be especially useful for small and community-supported institutions like dance companies (DSO 2011). There are also changes developing in lighting and other technology for the performing arts, which could have an impact on the operating costs and performance capabilities of the company in the future (USITT 2011).

Competitor/Collaborative/Stakeholder Analysis

As a not-for-profit arts company, Windfall Dancers, Inc., does not really have any direct formal competitors, as such competitors cannot be said to exist in the arts world (especially the not-for-profit arts world) (DSO 2011). The company is instead highly collaborative with other similar and related endeavors in the larger Bloomington, Indiana arts community, and works with other entities and organizations to cross-promote and create more effective opportunities for all concerned (Windfall 2011; BAAC 2011). The stakeholders in the company essentially consist of this community as a whole, with audiences and performers alike benefiting from the success of the organization and the boosting of the arts community as a whole, which reduces competitiveness still further (Windfall 2011).

SWOT Analysis

Windfall Dancers, Inc., is the oldest modern-dance focused community entity in the Bloomington, Indiana area, and its length of establishment and continued reputation for excellence and as a stalwart member of the community are its greatest strengths (Windfall 2011). The company also offers a diversity of programs for dancers of all ages and levels, broadening its appeal (Windfall 2011). At the same time, the limited focus of the company on modern dance exclusively is a potential weakness as the dance community diversifies and progresses, and many younger individuals especially might be seeking instruction in and exposure to other types of dance (Windfall 2011; DSO 2011). The growing population of youngsters could present a problem (Bloomington 2011).