YMCA Competitive Dance Team Graphic

[ about ]

Competitive dance did not enjoy nationwide saturation among YMCAs, unlike swimming and gymnastics. Somerset Hills YMCA had a competitive dance team. There were rarely other Ys at regional or national dance competitions. The team’s name, “Somerset Hills YMCA Dance Team,” was a mouthful to shout out during competition award ceremonies, leaving the team feeling out of place among the other dance studios.

APPROACH & OUTCOME

Nationwide research was conducted to identify potential other competitive dance teams at YMCAs. A new name for the team that was both Y brand-compliant and suitable for the competitive dance scene was developed.

The new name, “Studio 140 Dance Academy at Somerset Hills YMCA,” checked all the boxes. The full name was Y compliant, and the easy-to-shout “Studio 140” was right at home on the competition awards stage. Next, the team’s graphic identity was developed in collaboration with the studio director and team head coach. The end solution ultimately provided the team with a more appropriate studio name when competing against traditional dance studios—boosting team pride.

This project is an example of the player-coach role I pivoted into while at Greater Somerset County YMCA as the organization recovered from impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including significantly reduced staffing levels in areas like marketing, finance, and HR.

MY ROLE

Graphic Design

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & TOOLS

• Strategy: Audience Insights | Brand Compliance | Brand Differentiation | Brand Stewardship | Creative Problem-Solving | Customer-Centric Mindset | Nonprofit Marketing
• Creative & Production: Apparel Graphics | Color Theory | Garment Decoration | Graphic Design | Screen Printing | Typography | Vector Graphics
• Tools: Adobe Illustrator