Using AI and ChatGPT to Bring Where To Dance to Life

Published on January 22nd 2024, 5:15PM Last modified on January 22nd 2024, 5:16PM

A Vision 10 Years in the Making

"Where To Dance" was conceived more than 10 years ago, born from the realization that dance information was often broken, missing, or outdated. In my own dance journey, I frequently encountered events that were no longer happening or had changed dates. I was determined to make a change, as I noticed such experiences could easily discourage others, finding it too hard or confusing. Thus, the idea for "Where To Dance" was born – a platform allowing people to easily find information online about dance-related events, workshops, classes, performances, and more.

Where To Dance Nashville was Born

I created the "Where To Dance Nashville" website as a test bed, hoping to eventually take this concept national. However, the limitations and complexities of developing such a website soon became apparent. Using Joomla as a CMS, I managed to create wheretodancenashville.com. Yet, due to limitations in controlling key aspects and integration challenges, scaling to a national level was complex and daunting. Despite being well-received, the project was on a path to obsolescence.

Where to Dance Concept Realization with Generative AI and ChatGPT

In March 2023, I experimented with ChatGPT and quickly realized its potential. Convinced of its capabilities, I saw an opportunity to use ChatGPT to build the national "Where To Dance" website, incorporating lessons learned from the Nashville project. This was a thrilling prospect – a chance to finally bring to life the full vision of "Where To Dance."

A Custom CMS Built with the Help of ChatGPT

Drawing on my past experience, I set out to create a custom CMS, moving away from open-source solutions. The goal was to combine the best features of platforms like WordPress and Joomla. Starting from scratch, I began building the CMS layer by layer. It took over 7 months, but with the assistance of ChatGPT, I was able to construct a CMS from the ground up, code by code.

The Limitations of ChatGPT

Building something so complex required breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable chunks. Over time, and problem by problem, I constructed a CMS that, with the coding solutions provided by ChatGPT, laid a solid foundation for "Where To Dance." This CMS rivals, if not surpasses, WordPress or Joomla in terms of customization.

The Custom CMS is Like a Game Engine for Websites and Applications

This foundational layer enables the building of various applications on top of the new CMS. It also facilitates communication through an API layer, allowing integration with other applications, such as mobile apps on iOS and Google Play. This paves the way for accessing any required information via an API.

This development sets the stage to bring "Where To Dance" to reality.

Author

Samuel Newton

Co-founder of WhereToDance

Samuel Newton has gracefully moved to the rhythms of Salsa, Bachata, Swing, and Ballroom, cherishing every step and turn. His love for dance extends beyond the dance floor – it's in the laughter shared during a dance lesson, the applause after a performance, and the connections made in a dance hall.

Recognizing the vibrancy and potential of the dance community, Samuel, along with Sarah Hamilton, co-founded both WhereToDanceNashville.com and WhereToDance. Their vision was simple yet profound: to cultivate a platform where dancers, both novices and veterans, could connect, learn, and grow. Samuel's dedication is not just about mastering dance steps; it's about fostering a community where every dancer feels at home.

When he's not dancing or working on Where To Dance, Samuel can be found attending dance events, immersing himself in the ever-evolving world of dance, and continuously seeking avenues to help the dance community flourish.

Website: Where To Dance

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Where to Dance is adopting a paid model to ensure accountability and maintain a high-quality platform for the dance community. The platform has implemented geolocation features, allowing users to find dance teachers, studios, and events within a specific radius. By introducing a monthly fee, Where to Dance aims to instill a sense of responsibility among users, leading to a more reliable and consistent service. The fee structure supports infrastructure costs and provides a collective marketing budget. Benefits for dance teachers include simplified booking and payments, flexible scheduling, and automatic handling of fees, making it easier to focus on teaching. A beta program offers 200 free lifetime memberships, providing a unique opportunity to engage with the platform's new features.

Checking In: Update Progress Report 2-12-24

Where to Dance is making steady progress on key features, including the highly anticipated dance teacher listings. Our dedicated team is working hard behind the scenes to develop a platform that truly serves the dance community. Despite the challenges of taking on such a complex project, we remain passionate and committed to creating a world-class experience for dancers, teachers, and enthusiasts alike. Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming limited beta program for dance teacher listings, and be sure to sign up for our mailing list to get first access. Your support means the world to us as we continue to innovate and grow.