Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Hawkins.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jennifer. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
As a toddler I only wanted to dress up I never knew the dances. When I got to age 12 something clicked… why was I not in classes with my friends? Oh, they actually were getting good and I wasn’t. So, over the summer I practiced like crazy and I got moved up two dance levels and was dancing with High School girls and became a teaching assistant and from there I realized dance is my passion.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No way! if your not the skinny girl you have to work extra hard and that has been my life story too much muscle, but I always kicked the highest, jumped the highest, and either kept up or surpassed others.
Palace Dance Center – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Palace Dance Center is the place that I promise you is a true dance studio. I grew up in some great studio’s and I am proud to say I carry on the same traditions I grew up with. I don’t have time to pick favorites, I need all the dancers to learn. Palace Dance Center is a dance studio full of love, and we have Jazz, Tap, Clogging, Lyrical, Ballet, Modern, Pointe’, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Drill Team, Pom, Competition, Performance, and Musical Theater.
Our dancers range from 1-100 and everyone says it: that their studio is a family, but we are the ones that can prove we are a family with open arms.
I’m known for being Miss Mansfield Texas 2011 International but I am the Owner and Director of Palace Dance Center. The dancers would say I specialize in coming up with crazy ideas to make a performance cool, but I would say I specialize in just doing what I am supposed to do which at the end of the day is everything.
I am most proud that the dancers get who I am. I’m not their friend or their Mom, I am their Director and Teacher, and I know I have a responsibility to take these kids and turn them into leaders of whatever road they take. I’m here to inspire.
What sets us apart from others is: We don’t want to be like others, we are honest, we are a true family, we have trust for each other, we work together, and most importantly we give back to the community every weekend giving our dances over 125 hours of community service per year.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success as… turning the lights on to my building every day. That is step one for success building the dream and its there for any dancer that wants to be a dream come true person. When my seniors go off to college and they come to the studio just to say Hi or say wow everything you taught me is helping me in college, or I see what you were talking about when you tried to tell me about certain people. That is a success! When those lights come on its time for me to work and the dancers know its time to learn… That’s success.
My criteria is lack of local support, a lot of people turn their nose up at us because we don’t look a certain way or because we haven’t been around as long as business down the street… but I say, my dancers get more for their buck with Palace Dance Center, my dancers have zero injuries, my dancers are excited, and my dancers are Royalty.
My biggest goal is always to take negative energy, pray, and make it a positive. I love when my dancers say… How do you always fix everything, I usually leave them with a wink on that hahaha!
Pricing:
- Registration open 365 days $25.00/year
- Basic Subjects $70.00/month
- Adding a Subject $35.00/month
- Choreography $1.00 per min
Contact Info:
- Address: 2909 Turner Warnell
Arlington, Tx. 76001 - Website: www.PalaceDanceCenter.com
- Phone: 817-291-4711
- Instagram: Palace Dance Center
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
