The Brief
The Brief
Openhouse is a Bangalore-based edtech company helping students build confidence through learning experiences beyond school. In late 2023, they reached out with a specific problem: the dance category was struggling.
Across centers, enrollments were low. Internally, there were murmurs about whether the category should be shut down altogether.
Given our team’s shared love for both education and the performing arts, this was a project that felt personal. And we knew from the start the story wasn’t over just yet.
Openhouse is a Bangalore-based edtech company helping students build confidence through learning experiences beyond school. In late 2023, they reached out with a specific problem: the dance category was struggling.
Across centers, enrollments were low. Internally, there were murmurs about whether the category should be shut down altogether.
Given our team’s shared love for both education and the performing arts, this was a project that felt personal. And we knew from the start the story wasn’t over just yet.
The Challenge
The Challenge
This wasn’t a surface-level issue. The product was fundamentally misaligned with what the audience wanted and how the brand was pitching it.
Low enrollments across all centers
Parents saw dance as fitness, not a life skill.
Hip-hop as the default style wasn’t resonating; it felt too raw, especially for younger kids.
Internal teams didn’t have a clear positioning strategy.
Acquisition efforts were disconnected from the actual classroom experience.
The question we asked ourselves early on was, is this a product problem or a positioning problem?
Turns out, it was a bit of both.
This wasn’t a surface-level issue. The product was fundamentally misaligned with what the audience wanted and how the brand was pitching it.
Low enrollments across all centers
Parents saw dance as fitness, not a life skill.
Hip-hop as the default style wasn’t resonating; it felt too raw, especially for younger kids.
Internal teams didn’t have a clear positioning strategy.
Acquisition efforts were disconnected from the actual classroom experience.
The question we asked ourselves early on was, is this a product problem or a positioning problem?
Turns out, it was a bit of both.
The Approach
The Approach
We ran a 4-month project in two clear phases with the goal of reviving the dance category with structure, substance, and soul.
Phase 1: Diagnosis
Over the first 2 months, we observed classes, interviewed teachers, and spoke to parents. Our insight? The potential was there, but it needed a complete rethinking. Curriculum, communication, positioning—all of it.
Phase 2: Design + Intervention
Armed with research and stakeholder inputs, we worked closely with the Openhouse team to rebuild the program.
Dance Style Reset
Hip-hop was deprioritized in favor of a broader performing arts approach, including jazz, contemporary, Bollywood, and more structured choreography.Curriculum & Class Structure
We recommended grouping students by skill, not just age, introduced quarterly showcases, and started building certification pathways to signal credibility.Teacher Persona & Hiring
We outlined the ideal teacher profile, created briefing docs for both teachers and the central team, and supported hiring. Clear expectations were set on everything from class discipline to parent communication.Marketing & Parent Communication
We shifted the brand narrative from fitness to performance and stage readiness. A dedicated Dance at Openhouse Instagram page was recommended by us, and teachers were encouraged to share real classroom moments.Operational Changes
We recommended for the trial classes to be consolidated to one day per week for energy and conversions. We also recommended standardizing uniforms, and teacher motivation was tracked in a more structured way.
We ran a 4-month project in two clear phases with the goal of reviving the dance category with structure, substance, and soul.
Phase 1: Diagnosis
Over the first 2 months, we observed classes, interviewed teachers, and spoke to parents. Our insight? The potential was there, but it needed a complete rethinking. Curriculum, communication, positioning—all of it.
Phase 2: Design + Intervention
Armed with research and stakeholder inputs, we worked closely with the Openhouse team to rebuild the program.
Dance Style Reset
Hip-hop was deprioritized in favor of a broader performing arts approach, including jazz, contemporary, Bollywood, and more structured choreography.Curriculum & Class Structure
We recommended grouping students by skill, not just age, introduced quarterly showcases, and started building certification pathways to signal credibility.Teacher Persona & Hiring
We outlined the ideal teacher profile, created briefing docs for both teachers and the central team, and supported hiring. Clear expectations were set on everything from class discipline to parent communication.Marketing & Parent Communication
We shifted the brand narrative from fitness to performance and stage readiness. A dedicated Dance at Openhouse Instagram page was recommended by us, and teachers were encouraged to share real classroom moments.Operational Changes
We recommended for the trial classes to be consolidated to one day per week for energy and conversions. We also recommended standardizing uniforms, and teacher motivation was tracked in a more structured way.
The Outcome
The Outcome
The team at Openhouse and the teachers had a lot of clarity about what they were doing and what they were trying to achieve. This made a huge difference and resulted in consistent expectation setting.
Enrollments started picking up just weeks after implementation, not from massive marketing pushes, but from positioning clarity and realignment with what parents and students actually valued.
The program didn’t just survive; it found new direction. The team at Openhouse now has systems, documentation, and a replicable structure to scale the dance category across centers.
The team at Openhouse and the teachers had a lot of clarity about what they were doing and what they were trying to achieve. This made a huge difference and resulted in consistent expectation setting.
Enrollments started picking up just weeks after implementation, not from massive marketing pushes, but from positioning clarity and realignment with what parents and students actually valued.
The program didn’t just survive; it found new direction. The team at Openhouse now has systems, documentation, and a replicable structure to scale the dance category across centers.
What’s Next?
What’s Next?
While our formal engagement has wrapped, the work lives on. Openhouse continues to run the dance program with confidence, and the systems we put in place now serve as a blueprint for how other extracurricular categories can grow with thoughtfulness, clarity, and structure.
While our formal engagement has wrapped, the work lives on. Openhouse continues to run the dance program with confidence, and the systems we put in place now serve as a blueprint for how other extracurricular categories can grow with thoughtfulness, clarity, and structure.
Let's bring your vision to life.
Let's bring your vision to life.
Let's bring your vision to life.