The Story of the Studio

Hello there! Don't mind me... I'm just here with my right knee propped up on pillows, wrapped in a neon pink (uh, duh) sports bandage, icing my swollen joint.  No kidding, its the size of a softball.  Not attractive and it doesn't feel like rainbows either.  I don't do well when doctors say words like "rest" and "take it easy" and "stay off it".  Uh... okay.  But while I am just sitting here and can't dance, I figured I do something else I love... to write. 

I love my studio and I constantly have to work hard at it every single day.  Owning your own business is a monster yall... but it's a monster, I'll happily take on.  My #ldptribe pretty much knows about my story but I just wanted to let the readers of our blog know a little about it too.

I've danced my whole life and have taught about half my life now. Whew!  I love teaching the littles, the bigs, the in-betweens and sharing my knowledge and passion of dance with all.  I always knew I loved to dance.  I performed with my studio as a competition kid growing up and danced on my high school and college dance teams.  I graduated with a Dance Performance Degree from East Carolina University and have danced and performed in New York City, New Jersey, and across the nation.

I've been that struggling dancer in the back not getting a step and getting frustrated.  I have been the underdog having to fight my way to the front line.  I have been the dancer that took private lessons just to further my ballet education.  I was the one who loved hip hop and tap and suffered through my technique classes.  I have been so proud when I made the audition or tryout!  And I have also been so disappointed when I didn't get the gig or wasn't on the list.  I've been told "You're not flexible enough", "You were our first pick", "You need more ballet", "You've been accepted", "You're just not tall enough", and probably anything else from the good, to the bad, to the ugly.  And let me tell you, I feel it tenfold for my students.  I KNOW how hard they work and how bad they want to be successful because I've been there.  And now more than ever with my own little girly, twirly, twinkling tutu wearing toddler, I see dance in a whole new perspective.  It's fun, engaging, and empowering.  My hope for my daughter, like it is for all my students, is that dance brings her some joy, some confidence, and some salvation from a very cruel world that's hard to understand and to explain.

Before I started my own studio, I witnessed a wide array of situations in the industry:  Instructors playing favorites, studio owners lacking knowledge in this field, teachers giving exceptions to rules and regulations for particular students, and even teachers just not teaching or copying other choreographers' work.  It seemed weird to witness parents paying for dance  education (which we all know dance isn't a cheap after school activity) and seeing the end result.  It also seemed strange to see children and kids who loved to dance but were shoved to the back to be scenery just because they were on a different level, in terms of technique, than other dancers in their age/grade.  But was that fair?  I didn't think so.  So these little thought buds were planted in my brain and later they developed into policies at my own studio. Like how at Legacy we place children in levels, not necessarily classes corresponding with their age and grade... like how we stay motivated as educators with a syllabus, meetings, and still continuing our own education... like how we strive to keep class size small so every child gets to feel valued, appreciated, and progressing. 

Our students have gone on to do many wonderful things... I've had core dancers take the leap into the concentrated company program... I have former students that are now on university dance teams, dancing in collegiate programs and students that earn amazing awards like dance scholarships.  I even have some dancers that have aspirations to be teachers themselves.  MOST IMPORTANTLY, I hope my dancers gain a sense of appreciation for the art, understand everything worth having requires extremely hard work and intense focus, and go on to use the life lessons learned in dance to help them achieve whatever it is that they want.

It was a scary thing to have faith and believe I had something to offer to kids in Goldsboro.  I mean, let's face it...  I don't have family here... its just me and my husband and my little ballerina. I didn't get a business and/or studio handed down to me.  Nothing was already built up for me and there was nothing to build upon, as far as a reputation.  This is and still will be my ultimate underdog moment.  So I posed myself this question... When will I feel successful?  And honestly, I already do.  My terms of success may not be the same as other studio owners and that's okay.  I don't (won't) have 20+ students in a class, I don't (won't) put on 4 shows a year, and I don't (won't) focus on our trophies and medals.  If my students feel a boost in self-esteem, have enough confidence to go for their dance dreams, and becoming decent human beings that have a good work ethic behind them... then by all means, I'm successful... and so are they.

So that's my story in a nutshell.  I hope you can see my passion for dance runs deep and all I want is to share it with every dancer that walks through the doors.  I want to give inspired teachers a dance home where they too can keep expanding their desire for dance.  I want my students to feel proud at the fact that they worked hard no matter the end result because at least they'll be able to say "I came and I tried my very best". 

I hope your dancer will at some point get to experience the Legacy difference.  Summer at studio is great way to see what were all about it.  More summer info will be released very soon and we can't wait.  To make sure you are in the know with Legacy updates contact us here or like our Facebook page here.  We CAN'T WAIT to get started dancing with you.

Until next time...

Megan Hoyle

LDP

#dancelife is my life and it's awesome

It's my birthday! Waaahooo and I'll give you three guesses as to what I'll be doing at some point today... You'd be right if you said

1. Eating sushi

2. Catching up on some of my DVR shows

aaaand...

3. DANCING, TEACHING, AND CHOREOGRAPHING!

As far back as I can remember, I've looooved the #dancelife.  And for more reasons I can probably count.  As we grow, the things we hold near and dear to our hearts take on a new role or new meaning in our life.  Dance was fun and cool in the beginning then it was interesting and let me be self-expressive.  There were times when it was a challenge and inspiring but was always my most reliable outlet and tool.  Tool? Yes. I often say the most important lesson you learn when you are dedicated to dance isn't dance steps at all but rather they are life skills.  Here are the lessons I consider that the #dancelife has taught me:

1.  NO ONE CARES. haha. Inspiring right?  As a tween and teenager, I think there is a lot that your peers judge you on... your clothes, what brand they are, what you drive, what part of the neighborhood you live in, what your parents do for a living, so on and so forth.  I loved being in an activity where none of that really mattered.  My dance teacher never cared about those things nor did my dance mates.  And ultimately I learned whatever I considered a "disadvantage" in life didn't really have room to fit in my dance bag with me.  As I got older, I realized the ONLY things that were going to help me excel in dance (or whatever my personal goal is at the time) was my focus during my classes and leaving whatever drama I had going on elsewhere outside the studio.  I think that can be applied everyday.  Most of the things we complain about or let ruin our day don't have a whole lot of merit in the big picture of things.

2. IF IT'S WORTH DOING... DO IT BIG.  There was many times in my life when I was lukewarm about something.  Sorta' there, sorta not.  A tale as old as time with any tweenager right?  But as a dancer, once I realized, "Ok, this is what I want", nothing or nobody could stop me.  I was determined to win convention scholarships.  Did I receive them all? No.  Did I get some? Yes.  I was determined to place in overalls with my solos.  Did that happen every competition? No.  Did it happen sometimes? Yes.  I was determined to dance on the ECU Dance Team and Major in Dance Performance.  Was it easy? Never. Was it worth it? Definitely.  My point is this... I applied the "go big or go home" aspect in all areas in my life and as an adult I landed jobs more, reached goals, and use my time wisely.  And I always find even if things didn't work out my way, the work I put in was awesome.  I learned something.  I was better prepared for my next goal.  I learned how to humbly accept defeat and graciously accept earned rewards. 

3. BEING FLEXIBLE.  Ok, not what you think.  Metaphorically speaking, I think dancers are the most flexible, pliable people ever.  To live out the dream to perform on stage is a wonderful one but it's not always smooth sailing.   There are have been times when I was staring a a 12 by 12 platform stage trying to figure out how this was going to work.  There have been times when the power has went out in the middle of a performance but the show must go on so it did.  There were times when the music didn't start till 3 counts of 8 into a song and yet everything went off without a hitch.  I remember finishing school projects in the nick of time because I had been at dance all week.  Dance helps you think fast on your toes (the pun is intended haha).  And as a dance instructor, I think I make more split decisions to benefit a child's dance experience and education than a brain surgeon.  Ok that might be an exaggeration.

4. IT'S OK TO GET MAD.  Do it.  Get mad.  Get mad with yourself for not being able to do a move.  Get mad that you had wanted to be in the front and center but instead you are in the back corner (been there, done that!)  Get mad!  Then use that as motivation, not a crutch.  My students always know what I ask them when they get off stage and I can always tell on their face if they are happy with their performance.  Case Study #211 haha.  I have a student that is a beautiful dancer... elegant, poised, always keeps her cool... At the first competition of last year, she wasn't up to par.  And she knew it.  Her turns were wobbly, her tricks weren't on solid ground, and half way through I could see it in her confidence that she had thrown in the towel.  After she took her halfhearted bow she went off stage, eyes glaring at the floor, walked right past me and I knew to just leave her alone.  She was beyond mad.  She was disappointed in herself because she knew what she was really capable of doing.  She came back dressed in her 2nd costume for her tap solo.  I asked if she was ok and she responded with a quick and sharp yea.  I then asked "Are you mad?".  She then said "YES, I am mad.  Did you see that? Ugh" with such disgust.  I said "Then use that! Go and redeem yourself".  She was 2nd overall with her tap solo.  And you best bet if she ever felt like that after a test, a breakup, or any disappointing situation... she will pick herself up with the same gumption and remember that feeling.

5. DOING WHAT YOU LOVE, DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN YOU'LL LOVE DOING IT.  Say wha? Do me a favor and ask your dancer, "Raise your hand if you like ballet class?".  Did you see how that hand never moved? haha As a dance instructor, I am always going to say that ballet is the foundation of all dance and that will help you grow as a dancer 10 fold.  As a dance studio owner, do I like doing the books?  Nope.  But I do it because it helps me do what I love!  I love my 2 year old to the moon and back.  Do I like it when she's throwing a fit in the middle of the grocery store because she can't eat cookies right then.  Nope.  I hear a lot of dancers moan and groan at the aspect of improv, or ballet, or core work, or floor work, or partnering work (do you see a pattern of work being a key word haha) but I'm here to tell you, you don't have to like what you are doing right now, just do it, because I promise it will help you to do what you love later.  Enjoy it.

I hope you've enjoyed this read and let me know what #dancelifelessons have stuck with you. 

Until next time

Megan

PS just for fun... this was our first mannequin challenge at the studio...