Ballroom Dance Chicago Waltzes Into Success with WellnessLiving
Last Updated on 1 September, 2026
Since joining WellnessLiving, Matthew Sove and his staff no longer need to rely on scattered systems to organize their client list and business. With WellnessLiving’s all-in-one software solution doing the heavy lifting, Matthew and his staff are now able to focus on their students.
How Matthew Sove Built Ballroom Dance Chicago Around Passion and Purpose
Matthew Sove started off working for other dance studio owners, which was great for a while. But he had an inkling he could do a better job. “I felt like I could focus on things other than what they were focusing on and have a more successful studio,” Matthew told us when we discussed his studio with him recently. He went on to open Ballroom Dance Chicago in 2008.
Driven by the wedding industry, ballroom dance studios generally have a steady following. But Matthew and his staff are driven by a different kind of passion: “We just have a love for dance and sharing it with people…we approach the whole process.” Matthew aims to inspire his students to appreciate dance as much as he and his staff do.
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When he first opened Ballroom Dance Chicago, Matthew had a single employee and didn’t use any software to manage his business. “My employee used her calendar for her students, and I used my memory for my students, which is madness now that I think back on it.” Soon, Matthew realized that he needed a more long-term solution, so he started using paper records to keep track of business.
For a long time, Matthew and his staff stuck with the classic pen-and-paper method of managing the studio. While the low-tech option was easy to learn, it did not offer any automation or insight for Matthew. Eventually, he moved on to try various software solutions. “We went to Evernote for a little bit, then eventually to Google products. We were using Google Calendar and the whole G-suite line.”
While switching from paper to computer-based record keeping, Matthew realized he had a difficult transition ahead. “We have thousands and thousands and thousands of paper files, and we weren’t reaching out to these people… At some point we just forgot about people because we’re a small business, there’s a limited amount we can focus on.” None of the software that he was using offered enough business management tools. “So we wanted to look for a CRM.”
After reviewing software solution after software solution, Matthew hit a wall. He could not find any software with all the functionalities that Ballroom Dance Chicago needed. He needed to find a company that would work with him to engage his clients and fulfill his business needs.
Finally, a friend of Matthew’s pointed him in the right direction, and he discovered WellnessLiving. “The most important element for me is the functionality of hooking people just by setting up some automated emails and things like that… we like that it’s all in one place. Now we have the calendar in one place, all the student records in one place, we have all of our contacts in one place so we can more easily keep track of who’s who and what they’re doing, what they’re not doing, and that type of stuff.” Matthew had finally found everything he was looking for.
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Matthew and his team were quick to start evolving their management methods with WellnessLiving.
After successfully inputting all their studio and client information, the next step was for everyone to learn how to use the WellnessLiving system. “The learning curve for the staff, I think, was very minimal. I find everything kind of intuitive. I don’t remember there being any issues with staff transferring. Once you get into the system and you use it and you use it regularly, it makes sense.”
With WellnessLiving’s automated marketing system, the staff at Ballroom Dance Chicago are now able to connect with their clients better than ever before. This includes reaching out to students who haven’t shown up in a while by sending them “We miss you!” messages via email and SMS. And best of all, WellnessLiving keeps track of what to send and when. “We definitely had a lot of clients reach out to us after they received one of those automated marketing emails. They would have seriously been forgotten, probably lost forever, if we hadn’t done that.”
On top of reducing churn, Matthew and his team are saving a lot of time and energy on managerial tasks, so they can focus on teaching their students. “I feel like we’re better able to pay attention to the nuances of each client. In the past, it was just running around like chickens with our heads cut off, trying to keep track of stuff. Now we can be a little more focused.”
If you’re ready to take your studio to the next level, find out if WellnessLiving is right for you by booking your own free, no-commitment demo or call us at 1 (888) 668-7728.
Ballroom Dance Studio Management FAQs
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How can dance studios reconnect with inactive students?
Track attendance so you can identify students who have stopped booking lessons. Then, send personalized reminders through email or SMS. Automated campaigns can trigger these messages without requiring manual follow-up. Ballroom Dance Chicago uses this approach to reconnect with former students.
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What information should dance studios keep in a CRM?
Store contact information, attendance history, purchases, memberships, and relevant client notes in one system. Centralized records help instructors understand each student’s history. Staff can also quickly identify clients who may need additional attention. This becomes increasingly valuable as enrollment grows.
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How can dance studios personalize the student experience?
Maintain detailed client records and give instructors easy access to useful information. This helps staff understand individual preferences, activity, and relationships with the studio. Ballroom Dance Chicago found centralized records made focusing on each client’s nuances easier.
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When should a dance studio move away from spreadsheets and paper records?
Consider dedicated software when manual systems make tracking clients, schedules, and communication difficult. Disconnected tools can also create unnecessary administrative work. Ballroom Dance Chicago previously relied on paper, calendars, and several digital platforms. Moving to one system centralized its operations.
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How can dance studio software reduce administrative work?
Software can centralize scheduling, client records, contacts, marketing, and other recurring tasks. Automation further reduces repetitive communication work. Ballroom Dance Chicago reports saving time and energy on managerial responsibilities with WellnessLiving. Staff can dedicate more attention to teaching and students.
