Today we’d like to introduce you to Darcy Fagerwold.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Darcy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Dance has been my passion since I started dance lessons at age 8. As I grew up and began to teach, I dreamed of creating a place where every child would be celebrated and know that they mattered. Through 20 years of teaching dance, I had seen first hand the difference that dance can make in a child’s life. Dance lessons can build confidence, help kids feel strong in their bodies, and provide an anchor during troubled times, especially for adolescent girls.
On June 12th, 2010 as I was driving home from a dance recital for one of the studios I taught for at the time I felt a strong impression that it was time to stop saying “someday I’d like to own a studio” and actually do something about it. I went home that night and told my husband I was going to open my own studio, I didn’t know how, but I was going to quit teaching and figure it out.
Once I made the decision and started taking action things just fell into place – in truly miraculous ways. The people and resources that I needed to help me on my journey came into my life. I had no business plan and no money saved, but 6 months later I started Expressions. I rented the dance room at Lakeside Middle School one day a week. We opened on January 12th, 2011 with 65 students in 5 classes.
That summer we started the build-out at our current location and began classes there in September 2011. Since then the studio has continued to grow, and so have I! I am constantly trying to look for ways to improve and it has been amazing to see my dream and passion become a reality!
Great, 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?
I think entrepreneurship is always a challenge. When you start out there are always naysayers, so many people who will tell you why it can’t be done, why your dreams or ideas are not realistic. I knew in my heart that the studio could powerfully impact the lives of kids and that vision gave me the strength to push forward in the face of criticism and doubt. Another interesting lesson of entrepreneurship is that your business is basically a reflection of you. If there is a problem with the business that means there is something I need to learn, something I need to improve.
Owning a business has been a crash course in self-improvement. Although there have been some really difficult times I am so thankful for the lessons I have learned and the way that owning the studio has made me a better person. It makes me look at my weaknesses every day and face the fact that if I want the studio to grow I need to be better. If I want to make a difference in the lives of more kids I need to get out of the way by taking an honest look at myself and doing what’s necessary to turn those weaknesses into strengths.
I have 3 kids, when I opened the studio they were 5, 8, and 11 years old. Opening the studio was like having another child… but one that didn’t live at my house and needed constant care. Learning how to balance business ownership and family life has been an ongoing struggle. I could never have done it without the constant support and love of my husband, Steve, who has shared all the parental responsibilities and worked alongside me to figure it all out. It seems that when we put family first other things work out as well.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Expressions Dance & Movement Center – what should we know?
Expressions offers dance classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Musical Theater, Contemporary, Lyrical, and Acro-tumbling for ages 2-adult.
Every Child Matters, Age Appropriateness, Dance Lessons Teach Life Lessons. As a staff, we are constantly talking about how we can make every person feel like they are important at Expressions. We want to celebrate all children, whether they have tons of natural ability or are just looking for a fun way to exercise. It’s not just about dance, it’s about what dance does for kids. My mentor, Misty Lown, has said it best- “We don’t teach kids to make great dancers, we teach dance to make great kids.” We are best known for our family values and age-appropriate costumes, choreography, and music.
I also think we are known for our involvement in the community and our positive family-friendly atmosphere. We put the child at the center of all that we do. It’s about what is best for the child. It’s about letting them be kids, and not pushing things on them which are not age-appropriate. In the dance world, it is easy for teachers and choreographers to be so focused on what they want, or on their “artistic vision”, or their need to live vicariously through their students, that they lose sight of the way the class experience and choreography can shape the child.
I believe our community involvement also sets us apart. I sit on the board of directors for the Santee Chamber of Commerce. We have worked with the city, the chamber, and the local schools to give back and also share our love of dance in the community. We are currently working with 2 non-profits, Drea’s Dream and Darby’s Dancers, to provide dance therapy for kids with special needs in the school district and to provide class free of charge to kids with special needs at the studio. Children in our Darby’s Dancers class have all their tuition, costumes, dancewear, and dance shoes provided to them at no cost.
We also participate in “Dancin’spiration” each year – a benefit dance concert where we have helped raise money for the Monarch School(serving homeless children in San Diego) and A Night to Remember(providing a prom to local kids with Special Needs). We provide many unique opportunities to learn and grow outside of regular classes. In addition to our Winter and Spring Recitals, our students perform annually at the Santee Street Fair, The San Diego County Fair, and Disneyland. We provide multiple masterclasses each year with cast members from the touring Broadway shows that come through San Diego. Our students have performed with the Spirit of America Dance team in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
We are a host studio for the Moscow Ballet’s Dance With Us program which allows our students to perform in the children’s roles alongside the Moscow Ballet Company when they come to San Diego to perform their Great Russian Nutcracker. I’m always looking for ways to open our kids’ eyes to all that is available to them through dance. We are constantly educating ourselves and growing. We are a More Than Just Great Dancing affiliated studio which connects us to other like-minded studios all over the country, provides us with ongoing coaching, and helps us align ourselves with best practices for dance studios.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Honestly, my faith in God. I don’t know if you want to print that in your magazine. But learning how to recognize promptings that come through the Spirit and then act on them is the “secret to my success”, although it seems strange to say it that way. The night I decided to open the studio I was praying out loud in my car when I received the distinct impression that it was time to make my dream of opening a studio a reality. I believe that dreams are planted in us for a reason, they tell us about what we’re meant to do; what our unique gifts, talents, and strengths are. When I began to take action things began to fall into place.
Another day I was praying and felt “it’s time to start looking for space to rent” I said “I can’t look for space- I don’t have enough money to pay the rent!” but the impression wouldn’t leave. I started looking for space to rent and signed up to attend a class about negotiating leases. That’s where I met the tenant rep broker who helped me find our current space and negotiated my lease with 3 months free rent up front so I could get my feet under me… and so it went and so it has gone all along the way. When I feel discouraged, overwhelmed, and under-qualified I go back to my knees where I remember that this studio only exists because of the Lord’s direction and He must have a work for me to do through it. It will exist and grow as long as He still has work to do in it.
With the exception of two non-denominational “lyrical praise” classes we do not talk about God or religion in our classes but these values underlie everything that happens at the studio. I would be remiss if I didn’t give credit where credit was due, even if you don’t print it. If you want my secular answer I would say clarity of Vision and Integrity. The studio has been built on certain values, we, as a staff, work continuously to ensure that what happens in the studio is a reflection of those values. We have been clear about our core values from the beginning and have attracted many wonderful families who embrace those same values. I stay open to feedback and course correct as quickly as possible when we slip up.
Pricing:
- Dance classes starting at just $31/month!
Contact Info:
- Address: 9225 Carlton Hills Blvd. , Suite 28 Santee, CA 92071
- Website: www.expressionsdanceandmovement.com
- Phone: 619-596-3362
- Email: info@expressionsdanceandmovement.com
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