Awesome dancers receive the button.  Awesome people give it away.

To realize all that The Dance Button Project is about, you need to experience what it's like to tell another dancer that they are awesome.  You need to make another dancer feel as special as you felt the day you received your button, and the only way for that to happen is for you to give your button to someone else.

It's tough.  We know it's really tough, but you need to do it.  And when you do give your button away, then you'll know what The Dance Button Project is all about.

Here's what to do:

1. Prepare your note to accompany your button.  This is REALLY important.  Click here for a fill-in-the-blank note that you can print.
2. At your next competition or workshop, find another awesome dancer.  You alone get to decide what makes them awesome.
3. Introduce yourself to that dancer, tell them about The Dance Button Project, and give them the button and the note.  As great as you felt when you received your button, we guarantee you'll feel even better giving it away!
4. Show the other dancer the button number, and encourage them to visit www.DanceButton.com.
5. Encourage them to wear the button.  Maybe even pose for a photo together.
6. As soon as you get home, write your own note about the experience of giving away the button.

We've learned a few lessons about how best to give away "Awesome Dancer" buttons, and we want to share those lessons with you and your dancers.

Explain the program

Before sending your dancers out to give away "Awesome Dancer" buttons, be sure to explain to them why your studio is participating.  We suggest you hold a dance team meeting for dancers and parents where you can explain The Dance Button Project.

Make a list of your dancers and their button numbers

The experience of giving away an "Awesome Dance" button is an exciting one.  Add to that all the activity that is already part of a dance workshop or competition and it's very possible that your dancers will forget the numbers of the buttons they gave away -- and once the buttons are gone, they're gone.  In order to write a message on DanceButton.com your dancers will need to know the numbers of the buttons they gave away.  We suggest that an adult take responsibility for creating a list of which of your students has which button.  When you get back to your studio you can post the list on a bulletin board or on your web site.

Print the communication forms

This is probably the most important item of all.  Dancers are usually very surprised to be approached at competitions by dancers they don't know, so they often don't fully understand what The Dance Button Project is all about.  If they don't understand what it's about, they usually don't visit DanceButton.com to leave a note, and chances are their button will go no further.  We have found that dancers respond at a much higher rate if they receive a note explaining The Dance Button Project.  They usually read the note as soon as they have a few minutes to relax, and they usually share it with their parents and teachers.  With that reinforcement, they are then much more likely to write a note on DanceButton.com, and much more likely to pass their button along.  Please don't short change this step.  It makes a huge difference in your results.