Omni is Closing (& What Comes Next)
TLDR
After five years, The Omni Movement is closing at the end of July, as Imaan is focusing on being a father to his newborn and providing for his family. Bachata is sunsetting at the end of June; Swing and Zouk will continue to run until the end of July. A community fundraiser is launching to help pay off the debt that Imaan personally guaranteed in order to keep Omni operational these past few years. Instructors from Swing & Zouk are working towards establishing new independent collectives to keep people dancing after Omni closes at the end of July.
The Longer Story
Five years ago, we set out to build something particular: the partner dance community we wish we had when we started ourselves - one that was serious about learning, being a welcoming community, and making it accessible.
In a lot of ways, we realized this vision. We went from a weekly drop-in Zouk class to a full-fledged school with raving reviews. We created a culture that is unique in the Bay Area.
But the business model that was supposed to sustain it has never quite worked out.
For many years, we operated at a structural disadvantage. We charged below-market rates for classes because we wanted to make the programming accessible. We didn't ask instructors to give us a cut from their private lessons, something that many traditional dance studios do to generate revenue.
At the same time, we weren’t eligible for meaningful grant revenue (needed more years under our belt) and didn’t know how to build the sort of donor infrastructure that maintains sustainable non-profit organizations.
In other words, we tried to run something that straddles the characteristics of a for-profit and nonprofit business, and in doing that, we achieved neither. We just created confusion about what we actually were.
The result: about $35,000 in debt that has accumulated, and that Imaan and his wife, Sharon, are now personally liable for.
A pricing increase in May helped to stabilize things, but it came too late. If we assume the surplus revenue in May were maintained, it would still take several years to pay off this debt.
So we're at a moment where something has to change.
What's Happening
OmniBachata is sunsetting by June 30. We encourage Bachata members to transition to programs that their instructors are teaching elsewhere. Tier 3 membership will reduce from $295 to $245 in July in conjunction with the reduced programming.
OmniSwing and OmniZouk will sunset as Omni programs at the end of July. Instructors in these programs are working towards establishing new independent collectives so that those who want to dance will continue to have a place to dance after Omni closes.
The last date to request any refunds from the past will be July 25th. At the end of July, Omni systems will begin to shut-off.
After years of leading Omni, Imaan is resigning as CEO and taking a break. His priorities will be supporting his family, generating stable income, and pursuing his own dance career again. He, Sharon, and their newborn, Kairos, will be moving out of the Bay to be closer to family in Sacramento and reduce expenses.
The Debt and the Ask
Imaan personally guaranteed Omni’s debt to the bank. That's about $35,000 that he and his family are now responsible for, even though the decision-making regarding financial matters was distributed.
A fundraising campaign is launching to reduce the debt burden, with the main event being a silent donation party hosted later this month (details TBA). More will be shared in the next week regarding this event and the fundraising campaign. We encourage you to contribute what you can and share it with your network.
In Conclusion
We know this is a big change. We recognize that some of you may have questions, and we have our anonymous feedback form available still. Relevant feedback will be shared with those organizing the new collectives.
We also want to express gratitude - if you've invested time or money in Omni over the years, thank you. This community wouldn't have been built without your support.
