Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellyn Kile.
Hi Ellyn, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Hello! My name is Ellyn Kile and I live in Fort Worth with my husband and our two children. I grew up in a small town near Fort Worth where I fell in love with all things dance. I took my first dance class at the age of three and haven’t stopped dancing since. I loved the music, the movement, the discipline, the unity, the rehearsals, the thrill of performing – all of it. And by the time I could truly appreciate dance, my dream was to share its joy wherever and however I could.
Life carried me through different career paths from a veterinary technician to a marketing analyst. But dance played a constant role in my journey. I taught dance part-time in the evenings and weekends at local studios throughout my teenage and young adult years. However, once I had my daughter in 2016, I felt inspired to pursue my dream full-time, and Raise the Barre Dance Academy was created.
I started out small by working with the City of North Richland Hills and offering a few dance classes a week. Soon the class offerings doubled than tripled in order to keep up with public interest. Raise the Barre continued to grow and eventually expanded to the City of Saginaw. Each year seems to be better than the last and we love being an active part in the community whether it’s performing at festivals or taking part in holiday parades.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting and running a small business while raising a family is definitely not for the weary. Especially when that business operates mostly during after-school hours. However, I am so thankful for the support of my husband. He helps in any way he can and has a heart of gold. I have a great family and have surrounded myself with a circle of women who truly want to support and help each other grow and succeed. Having such a positive, supportive, and honest community truly makes a difference not only in your business but also in life.
Of course, 2020 came with its own challenges. Everyone had to navigate and work through life during a pandemic, and that was hard. My heart was broken when we hit the pause button on Raise the Barre during that time, but our top priority is the safety of our students and their families. So, we did what was necessary to keep everyone safe.
I took that time to reevaluate Raise the Barre Dance Academy and what business would look like post-lockdown. I spent that time revising and creating a unique and engaging curriculum to improve efficiency. I studied our business finances and the cost of materials to keep our business running while also being mindful of families struggling during a recession.
Raise the Barre Dance Academy came back in full swing in 2021 and has been dancing joyfully ever since. We have successfully been able to keep costs down while still providing that same exciting quality dance instruction our families have come to expect. Our studio maintains a positive and encouraging atmosphere, and our students are thriving!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Raise the Barre Dance Academy is a recreational dance studio that teaches proper dance technique and terminology in a safe and encouraging environment. Our uniquely designed curriculum uses play-based learning to guide our students into becoming their personal best inside and outside the dance room.
By working with local government facilities such as recreation and community centers, we are able to offer quality dance instruction for a fraction of the cost. Raise the Barre Dance Academy provides a positive dance experience that one would expect from a brick-and-mortar studio. Our dance year is broken into two 12-week sessions with each session ending with a celebratory dance recital. We are professional knowledgeable, and have a passion for sharing the joy of dance with our community and the wonderful families that reside in them.
Through engaging games and activities, our students are able to explore and appreciate the pure joy that dance has to offer. In a Raise the Barre classroom our students are practicing valuable life skills such as confidence, teamwork, discipline, work ethic, communication, socialization, and so much more.
One of my favorite aspects of what Raise the Barre encompasses is the relationships that are built and nurtured in the dance room. Our students come in as strangers and leave as best friends by the end of the first class. Throughout our sessions we practice unity, how to be a good teammate, how to encourage one another, as well as working on social/emotional skills. Our mission is exercised in each class, and at the end of each session, our dance families are thrilled to witness their child’s growth inside and outside the dance room.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Never stop learning – keep up with the industry of choice. Immerse yourself in information from podcasts to what and who you follow on social platforms. Even the littlest tidbit of information could be a game-changer for your business.
Network – Surround yourself with others whom you admire and look up to. Seek their advice and wisdom but also have something to offer in return.
Do your research – Learn about your community and the key facts in your area as they apply to you. Do your market research and plan ahead. Think about and prepare for every possible outcome.
Do not fear failure – If at first you don’t succeed, find out why. Failure means there is room for growth and learning, and how marvelous is that?
Contact Info:
- Website: RaiseTheBarreDanceAca
demy.com - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/ raisethebarredanceacademy/?hl= en - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/ raisethebarredanceacademy
Image Credits
Staci Seaman
Sweet Pea Studio, LLC
Ellyn Kile
Raise the Barre Dance Academy, LLC
