Today we’d like to introduce you to Cristin Caulfield.
Cristin, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Well, I have danced basically my whole life, so the dancing stuff started young. I was in a company and drill team in high school and then was a Dallas Mavericks Dancer straight out of high school. I worked all kinds of dance jobs in Dallas from go dancing, to dancing in shows at the Granada theater and even corporate events including one for Home Depot that was especially hilarious (think dancing to life is a Highway in jeans and orange work vests omg hahaaaa) before I decided to make a move to LA to try to dance professionally. I was there almost five years auditioning, bartending and booking jobs here and there, the coolest of which was getting to assist in choreographing two numbers for Britney Spears’ Onyx Hotel Tour with my friend Roger, and started getting really into fitness by taking Barry’s Bootcamp religiously at his first location when there was only one. I loved it! Eventually, I moved back to Dallas, taught a few times a week and was working at my dad’ ‘s bar part time and at a retail shop part time. I loved it but missed doing more dance/fitness stuff and then I found Flywheel. I ended up auditioning and teaching indoor cycling there full time quick. I worked there for just over three years. I then moved away for what we will call a “vacation” to Australia haha (really moved for a boy, total night mare, back way too fast and mortified for the short version) but I had sold most everything I owned including my car and ended up back here at 37 having to stay with my dad and kind of rebuild and start over. Luckily I found Zyn22 who hired me on to teach cycling and create their sculpt program, so that was the spring board into this! I missed dancing so badly and knew I wanted to make this happen, so I started planning for it and three years later, I made it happen. Mid construction I was being sued for using the original name I chose so I had to scramble to make a change, so I went with my family name as a throwback to what my parents were up to in the 80’ my dad owned a restaurant on Greenville Ave called Caulfield’s. My mom taught aerobics so it seemed fitting. So yeah, the studio is open, it’s 90 % dance based fitness classes and we do choreography classes at night for adults, we offer kids movement classes and daycare and do all types of private parties and it’s a total blast!
Has it been a smooth road?
Nooooooooo it has not! Well, the name change situation for one which I spoke of in the last answer, but also the funding part, was tricky to be completely honest. I originally had a friend who wanted to partner up on the concept and then had to opt out which is 100% fine cause if I did have a partner I wanted them to be as passionate about the project as I was. I also had some investors fall through after that, so I ended up doing it solo, which in the end is probably the best cause I can make all the decisions and not worry about having to run them by anyone else. Other than that the main struggle is running the place basically on my own teaching 18 classes a week and having enough energy to sustain my new schedule. Oh also when to eat and wash your hair while teaching, that much is a big struggle to trust me.
Tell us more about the business.
We are a dance fitness studio, so all things here are based on some dance. Our main focus is dance cardio and sculpt (light weights, resistance bands used in a still dance vibes toning class) but we also offer choreography classes for adults such as hip hop, contemporary, jazz funk, heels, etc. where you come in and actually learn a routine. All of our classes are for all types of people and all levels YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A DANCER TO DANCE HERE!!!!!!!! We offer $10 kids movement classes and child care a few times weekly as well so you can workout and we help with the kiddos and do all types of private parties (kid and adult birthdays, bachelorette, girls nights, etc.), so we are booking tons of those now! I am most proud of the community we are creating over here first off! My staff is so amazing and I love how anyone can walk in here and not be intimidated and leave having had the best time! I also love that people don’t want to leave and stay to hang out after classes cause its such good vibes in here. I am also super proud of my branding, which I think is pretty rad and makes the space really different from any other in town. What sets me apart is the dance cardio concept as a whole. Some places offer it once or twice a week, but there is nowhere in Dallas doing it as a full concept the way we do, so I love that!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Well, sadly I do see lots of people are moving toward more online work out at home formats, but I think people will start to miss the sense of community and want to be back in a class environment after a while, so my hope is it trends back in that direction. I also think about dancing. It’s just soooooo different being in a class, so people will continue to lean towards that instead of dancing alone in their living rooms.
Pricing:
- $10 intro class
- $110 5 class pack (3 month expiration)
- $200 10 class pack (3 month expiration)
- $360 20 class pack (6 month expiration)
- $25 single class
- $195 month unlimited
- $10 kids movement class
- $10 childcare
Contact Info:
- Address: 9440 Garland Road Suite 186
Dallas, TX 75218 - Website: www.caulfieldsdancefitness.com
- Phone: 469-726-2367
- Email: info@caulfieldsdancefitness.com
- Instagram: @caulfieldsdancefit
- Facebook: Caulfield’s Dance Fitness
Image Credit:
Will Graham, Lara Davis, Michelle Dick and Megan Fletcher
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