Twinkle Toes

Throwing way back today to the early aughts, high school and my first ever business and teaching studio.

After coming to the sad realization that I had absolutely no coordination for any sport involving a ball, my dad dismantled the basketball hoop in our driveway, and converted the spare room above the garage into a dance studio for me.

Ever resourceful, he built a set of ballet barres from some spare lumber in the barn, sourced some castoff second hand mirrors from one of his window cleaning clients, and I was in heaven.

Not long after my best friend and I decided we should start a summer business teaching dance lessons to the neighborhood kids - and thus, Studio One Dance was born.

We started the summer after grade 9, and while my best friend was not able to keep teaching beyond that point, I kept growing the business until I graduated high school.

Every summer I would offer weekly classes over an eight week period, culminating in an end of summer recital, complete with costumes (usually at least partially sewn and created by my poor mom), choreographed dances, programs, tickets, videographer and a little reception afterwards.

Even though it was on a small scale, those four summers taught me how to be teach, run a business, communicate with people, get out of my comfort zone, and bring a creative idea to life.

I will forever be grateful to my mom and dad for all their help and support, the neighborhood kids for taking classes, and to their parents for driving them to class, and trusting a kid with their kids :)