Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Frank.
Hi Crystal, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve known that dancing and sharing my love of dance has been my purpose for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest childhood memories is when I was three years old and I saw ballerinas on a movie that I was watching. I knew instantly that I wanted to dance. At the time, I was in preschool and I would untie my shoelaces and wrap them around my ankle as if I was tying ballet pointe shoes. My preschool teacher would unwrap the laces and tie them correctly. I told her that I was a ballerina and that is the way ballerinas wear their shoes. I just knew that I was destined to dance. My parents enrolled me in ballet, tap, and jazz dance classes at the age of three and as I took dance throughout the years, I loved everything about it. I enjoyed being at the studio, I enjoyed learning new turns and leaps, I enjoyed learning dance vocabulary, I enjoyed the athleticism and discipline that it takes to become a skilled dancer, and I especially loved performing. I felt at home under the spotlight on the stage.
I feel blessed to have known my passion and purpose at such a young age. There is a video that I cherish from when I was seven years old and modeling in a runway show. The announcer says, “Our next model is Crystal. She wants to be a dance teacher when she grows up.” I’m happy that I’ve fulfilled my childhood dreams. As a child, teenager, and young adult, I was a professional dancer, model, and actress. I won many national dance awards for solo and team performances. During college, I majored in business and minored in dance. Dancing under some of the best faculty allowed me to expand my repertoire of genres of dance. I studied and performed ballet, ballet en pointe, jazz, contemporary, musical theatre, modern, hip hop, tap, ballroom, salsa, and many more styles of dance. I was a dancer on my university’s dance team, later promoted to captain and then to Artistic Director. My passion for dance and theatre arts, my gift for teaching, and my love of inspiring others led me to open Elite Performing Arts Conservatory.
Alright, 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?
As a business owner, you have to juggle many things at once and wear many hats, however, I wouldn’t have it any other way. The struggles become learning experiences and make you a stronger and smarter business owner and leader. Building a business can be a daunting task, but I’ve chosen to enjoy every minute of the experience. I’m blessed to have a supportive family. My husband and my three children are my encouragers. I think that business owners need encouragement and support to persevere through the challenges. When I have moments of discouragement, I think about how far I’ve come. I think about three-year-old me wanting to be a dancer.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At Elite Performing Arts Conservatory, I teach more than just dance and theatre arts. I strive to inspire, uplift, encourage and help our students build bonds and friendships. The students learn more than just dance steps. They learn poise and grace. The students build confidence, stage presence, and public speaking skills. These are lessons that will take them far in life beyond their childhood years. I am proud to teach many genres of dance and true dance technique and terminology, as well as theatre arts, stage, film, commercial, and television acting, as well as voice lessons.
I also am the director and choreographer for our dance company teams, which compete each spring in regional and national dance competitions. My studio, Elite Performing Arts Conservatory, offers a place where dancers can take classes recreationally, learning and building their skills, and have two performance opportunities throughout the season. For dancers who would like to take their skills to the competitive level, I offer opportunities to audition for our dance company teams. Our company dancers perform at three dance competitions in the spring, two studio season performances, and they have the opportunity to travel with their team in the summer to perform at some amazing locations. This summer, our company teams will be performing in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry. I am most proud of seeing my students’ growth in their knowledge and skills. It is rewarding as their teacher to see them improve, gain confidence, and shine in the studio and on stage.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I define success by happiness and fulfillment of purpose. I believe that everyone has a purpose in life. If you can truly say that you know that you are doing what you are meant to do in life, fulfilling your purpose, and making the world a better place by doing so, then you are successful.
Pricing:
- $65 per month
Contact Info:
- Email: crystal.frank@elite-performing-arts.com
- Website: elite-performing-arts.com
- Instagram: @elitealedo
- Facebook: facebook.com/elitealedo
- Youtube: Elite Dance Aledo
