Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Davis.
Hi Emily, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up dancing since I could walk. The story goes that my playdates, as a toddler, included me bossing my friends around showing them what to do with my choreography. I then entered dance classes & all of a sudden I became shy. The staff allowed my mom enter class & bribe me with M&M’s to do the Teacher’s steps. Maybe I had my own agenda as a young child. The ironic thing is I would never allow that in my class to happen! Ha ! But I never stopped taking classes once I started them. By the time I was in 4th grade, I choreographed my first dance for my friends for our Elementary’s talent show. I absolutely loved it. I have never stopped dreaming nor choreographing when I hear music play. It’s in my system, just like the air I breathe. By middle school, I was taking every style of dance you could sign up for. I was also fortunate to work at my studio as a demonstrator in order to help pay for my tuition all through high school. When I entered college, I really did not know what I was going to study, so I started taking dance classes and my passion continued. I even pursued my Masters in it at TWU ! Along the way , I used the art of dance to work with non -profits such as an educational program in DFW taking lesson plans and helping elementary kids learn their studies through movement. I was also able to travel overseas to places like Guatemala, Japan, and Spain use movement to teach English. There’s nothing like the power of movement & music to bond people from different countries. Another bond formed was using dance in a women’s prison center in Indianapolis to help inmates express themselves in a healthy manner. I learned how powerful and unique Dance is to this world. When my sister moved to a small town called Pilot Point , I wanted to know where she was going to take my nieces and nephews for dance lessons ( hint hint for her). When I learned she would have to travel a good distance to a major city, she along with my mom, Lynn challenged me with the idea of opening up a dance studio in small town. This was never on my radar, but my mom and I decided to partner up. We remember that day distinctively back in 2017 when we felt this peaceful feeling, visiting Pilot Point, from God assuring us this is where we should be right now… using dance to bring joy to students all around the area. Teaching, choreographing and creating fun memories for our students has been such a highlight! And there’s nothing like watching some of our dancers make the journey of discovering the discipline of dance and pouring their heart and hours over years of time growing into beautiful dancers. I see myself in them and can’t help but smile thinking back on my journey. (No M&M’s needed ).
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Sometimes the struggle was just believing in myself on whether or not I could handle running a studio. I am not going to lie, I watched some episodes of “Dance Moms” back in the day ( insert chuckle) and thought , I do not want any of that kind of hysterics for a career. But after working at a studio in Mansfield Tx, I began to see my boss Rachel as a mentor and I started asking a lot of questions. She believed in me and after watching her run things with a smile and in a calm collect manner , I was encouraged. I knew what mattered to me was developing relationships along the way in my studio. I just didn’t want customers, whether a parent or child, to come and go as strangers, I wanted them to feel important and that they belong, and that we have a safe place to dance and express themselves. My dance studio was my second home and I want our studios to feel that as well.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We teach classes for ages 2 and Up starting in Ballet and Tap. As kids get older, they are eligible to take other styles such as Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Contemporary and we just started our Pre – Pointe class! I am most proud of the relationships we build. I love our little community that not only the dancers form in class, but also the parents in the lobby. We watch friendships form and continue beyond. Watching kids talk and hang out catching up in the lobby is a lot of fun. Our studio caters to many small neighboring towns therefore , the majority of our students do not attend the same school. So bringing kids together from all over and creating a new kind of arts family is very dear to us. And we try to be accessible to our students and so every now and then , we will receive a video from a parent showing us what their child is working on at home!
We also offer fun summer camps that offer dance and lots of arts and crafts that the kids love.
We enjoy performing for the local festivals and especially resident homes for the elderly.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Norman Roscoe in Denton. Two guys who have a screen print shop for tees and that offer nostalgia attire including classic vintage shirts!
They have printed our shirts with our logo on them and print more!
Very fun eclectic store in Downtown Denton!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.davisdancetx.com/
- Facebook: Davis Dance, Texas
Image Credits
Love Harvey Photography / Lindsay Campbell Thurman
