Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsey Geddis.
Hi Chelsey, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up, I had a huge passion for music and dance. I grew up taking dance lessons but eventually had to take a little break due to financial reasons. Once in high school, I became a part of the dance program. Around this same time, I got a job and was able to begin paying for my own dance lessons. Junior year in high school, we had a project where we had to pick a career, and I chose the career path of a dance studio owner. Little did I know the success of my presentation would lead to an internship at my local dance studio in exchange for credits at school. During the internship, I worked in all aspects of the business from front desk to assistant teaching and even to cleaning the studio. I put in more time than required in exchange for taking more dance classes and gaining more knowledge. I was eventually hired at the studio and other local studios right out of high school.
I continued my own dance education by dancing in college and performing professionally. Eventually, I ended up teaching for the city. Starting with 40 dancers I was able to build my program to over 200 dancers. When I was 24, one of the recreation centers closed down, and I knew it was time to take the leap. My husband and I decided to open A Step Above Dance Studio. I wanted to have a space working with other teachers to make my students the best they could be. During my time teaching, I had come across teachers using explicit lyrics and having dancers wear costumes and perform moves that I deemed inappropriate for their age. I believed the Lord had a calling on my life to offer something different and to have another option for people who felt the same as I did. Lastly, I wanted to be able to offer quality of instruction at an affordable price.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting the company was a big undertaking, but we were young and had the time needed to give it everything we had. It was incredibly rewarding seeing the studio get to a place where I could distribute more responsibilities. Between our talented teaching staff and those working the front end to help with customers, billing, and the everyday ins and outs, we had built an amazing team. I was able to teach less and become a mom, all while still living my dream. But then, Covid hit. Covid was definitely the hardest time for our studio, and I know most business owners would agree. It was a time where we had to put in the same amount of energy as we did at the start. A time that had us thinking up new ideas, switching to Zoom, and buying new gear to have digital options. We could see that so many families needed this and we did feel it was important for the dancers to still feel a sense of community during that very isolating time. Although some stayed, dance was also hard on Zoom. Many students fell off, and we saw our enrollment drop by about half. It was extremely important to us to keep all our staff despite the dip. People really are the most important to us, especially in scary times like that. Even though that was a hard time, I am so grateful to my team and the way we all supported each other and the students through it. I am beyond glad and grateful that the studio made it through.
As you know, we’re big fans of A Step Above Dance Studio. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
We named it A Step Above because we planned to stand out in the best possible way. I felt God gave me a purpose to provide a safe and positive atmosphere where a kid could be a kid. A space where parents don’t have to worry about music played, costumes worn, or inappropriate movements. It is important to us that every kid is seen and feels important as we foster a love for dance and movement. We really care about creating a home away from home for our families. It is a community, and you can really sense that. We have been around for 15 years, and some of old students have even become teachers.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
When it come to our standards for music, moves, and costume appropriateness we definitely will be standing our ground no matter the trends.
I think COVID taught us that yes you can dance online and there is benefits of that, but in my opinion, nothing beats dancing and growing consistently with others in class.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.asadancestudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astepabovedancestudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASA.Dance.Studio
Image Credits
Holly Ireland Photography
Gabbie Seabrook
Alexandria Sepulveda
