Faith In A Bollywood Dance Studio

Hey friends. Today's blog is a bit of off from my usual style. I want to take you back to the beginning when I first started the studio. Man, I had no idea what I was getting into! When I first started, I was fueled by a love for dance and a knack for teaching, but the studio life brought a whole new set of challenges I wasn't quite prepared for. And you know what? It's probably a good thing I didn't know all the twists and turns that lay ahead – the challenges, the tough times, and the curveballs like the one and only COVID.

Let's face it, growth is never a straightforward, linear path. I initially tried to do it all by myself, taking on way too much, too soon, and taking things super personally.The growth and success of the studio became an idol. I saw some success but at the expense of being burnt out Then, along came COVID, and I decided it was time to let go. We went fully online for over a year. I'm not gonna lie; online classes just weren't cutting it. Dance is all about that in-person vibe experience. But soon I had to make a big decision – whether to bring back in-person classes.

So, I took the month of June 2021 to really think about it. We already had three locations before Covid, and I was feeling overwhelmed. I missed having FUN with dance, and that's what I wanted to get back to. That whole month, I prayed about it. We didn't even know if COVID was really over, and did I want to take a chance on opening up in-person classes with the risk of no one showing up? But one thing kept ringing in my ears: "Don't give up, keep going." Whether it was God, my own desire, or a bit of both, I knew what our next step was. It felt like a new beginning.

So, we downsized from three locations to renting a space just one day a week. And you know what? I was content. This time around, I was determined to inject some fun (for me) back into this studio that I started. I mean, that's what it's all about, right? I know what dance did for me growing up, and even as an adult, and I wanted a piece of that back in my life. So, we kicked off in-person classes again, but with a different mindset. I detached myself from the result and was just happy to see our students back in the studio, soaking up that normalcy again.

Each week, I'd sit in on classes and genuinely enjoy watching our dance instructors do their thing and our students soaking it all in. It became the highlight of my week. And you know what happened? Slowly but surely, people started trickling through the doors. More folks started asking about classes, workshops, tutorials – you name it. Our team of instructors grew, with interest coming from unexpected places. It was like a whole new start, a new beginning for us.

Of course, we had our fair share of challenges, like the winter show cancellation due to the delta strain, and discovering a student had COVID after our next show. Tough situations, right? But here's the kicker – four things made all the difference this time around.

Firstly, we started small. Just one studio for a few hours, keeping it simple. We focused on our core classes with returning students. No bells and whistles, just quality instruction and solid support for our instructors.

Secondly, our back-end team became rockstars. Success is never a solo journey. Our studio manager is seriously the best in the biz. It started with just her and me managing the behind-the-scenes chaos. It was a lot, but we did it together. And let me tell you, having amazing instructors join us, who genuinely cared about their students and wanted to make a positive impact, made all the difference.

Thirdly, I was on a mission to have fun with it. I mean, what's the point of having a dance studio if it's not fun, right? So, in addition to teaching classes, I started taking them too. I just wanted to dance again. It's crazy – the very thing I needed was right in front of me, and I wasn't taking advantage of it. I fell in love with dance and our community all over again.

Lastly, faith played a massive role. I'm a believer, and you often hear the saying "let go and let God." Well, this time around, I truly lived it. I let go of all expectations, numbers, goals, and desires. Trust me, that was tough for someone as goal-oriented as me. But this was a different season. I had to let go of the result, detach myself from the emotional rollercoaster, and just enjoy the ride.

That doesn't mean we weren't growing. I'm a firm believer that if you're not growing, you're dying. But growth doesn't always mean chasing specific goals. Sometimes, it's about watering the seeds you've already planted and focusing on what's in front of you. COVID taught us that tomorrow is uncertain. It was a season of nurturing those seeds, not knowing where it would take us. I let go of all vision, expectation, and goals, trusting that the desire for the studio was planted in my heart for a reason, even at a young age.

And now, 2.5 years later, we've grown to over 100 students and just opened a second location. I'm not sharing this to brag; this isn't my achievement alone. I genuinely believe that the dream was planted in my heart for a reason, and I was just the spark to ignite it. We've been blessed with incredible people coming into the studio and a community that practically built itself.

The future? Well, I've got a few goals and visions floating around, but the best thing was to keep going.