Hello Everyone,
Well, this year is a first for me! It is the first Holiday Season in my 37 years of teaching dance that I have not had a holiday party. And I miss this opportunity more than I thought. I thought I would enjoy this down time, which is not the case. I thought I would be relieved that I had time to focus on my studies, but the distractions of not having a dance party overwhelmed my idle time. So I chalk this moment as a place to stop, listen to the music, and dance on with plans for the future of my studio work.
This year presented lots of change and learning for me. And with all the clichés that can be stated like ‘Every dark cloud has a silver lining’ and ‘Wipe the slate clean’ that have been offered by many of you, I thank you. I appreciate all the words of wisdom, sincere wishes, thoughts to how to rid the past and the general positive pushes for growth that many of you have given me during this change and learning experience.
What I take from this change is the actual ‘learning’ that has and is taking place while I rebuild the business from ground up. From the ground up is the perfect place for me at this time. While it may seem like it’s easier to take things already existing and re-piece a plan together, in my case, there are very few pieces, if any, to pick from. Therefore I look at this as an opportunity to build as opposed to re-build.
Building what is ‘true’ to me in dance is a great segue in the choreography of my dance business. With the last adventure (which was supposed to enlarge Gotta Dance 2) took on roles and plans that, needless to say, were not able to successfully grow with the growth compound available at the time. The struggle to ‘keep on truckin’ became a focus, but a focus not on dance, but on the venue’s survival.
It’s the classes, students, dance parties, and joy of movement that fuels my dancing feet and heart. The honesty and awareness that I was working far too much and too hard on a product that was not producing the mirage of classes and events to promote social dancing and dance education in our community was where the music stopped. And stopped it did, fast and abrupt. Instead of gliding to a beautiful line at the end of a waltz routine, the music just stopped.
And as Martha Stewart says ‘It’s a good thing.”
Now I will be taking the time to choreograph a new dance business, one I will be proud of, one with opportunities to learn the dance traditions of the past as well as experience some new ways to express movement from your head to your toes and deep into and from your heart.
I want to be known as a dance teacher, not a venue owner, not a wedding coordinator, but a dance teacher - a dance teacher that fosters new growth in the minds and hearts of young dancers and one who reminds those experienced dancers of their past lives in dance that has taken them on a journey of great memories with more memories to come.
And that brings me to a Fairy Tale Happy Ending where everyone gets to dance – hard and loud!
So I am taking this opportunity to send you a Holiday Greeting, full of dancing energy, holiday music vibrations and gratitude for your continued support in my life as a dance teacher.
With the Love of Dance & Respect for your Love of Dance and Music,
Laurence!
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