Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Cliff.
Hi Christine, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I began dancing at the age of 5 at Kay Marie and Carol’s school of dance in Robbinsdale. I danced for 15 years, 10 of them as a competitive dancer. I started choreographing my own solos at the age of 13 and was a choreographer of my high school dance team my junior an senior years. As a young adult, my love of dancing gave me the opportunities of being an assistant instructor at the studio and a coach of a high school dance team. I eventually started teaching at the newest studio that Kay Marie and Carol had opened in Albertville in 1995. The studio had them become known as KMC. I have been teaching there since the doors opened. Kay Marie and Carol retired in 2016 and I took over ownership then.
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?
While there have been struggles, I believe the motto of a sign hanging in my office (given to me by Kay Marie and Carol) It states “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life” The first struggle I found was finding the time to handle all of the new responsibilities/tasks that came with owning a business. I still wanted to teach al the classes that I was accustomed to, because that is my joy. So, finding the right balance of time for teaching classes, taking care of the business tasks, show planning, choreographng and taking care of my family was difficult. I would find pockets of time in the school pick-up line, in between times at my childrens sporting events, waiting in lines at store to tackle small tasks of posting things to social media and returning emails. I eventually established a system where the majority of the business to-do list is tackled 2-3 months ahead of schedule. That has made me feel more in control of the things that happen weekly and the unexpected things.
Figuring out how to manage through COVID was the hardest struggle I hope I ever have to imagine. Trying to teach dance classes (which is a lot of visual learning) took a bit of imagination. Along with regular classes through Zoom, my staff and I did other things to keep the dancers engaged during the week. I sent out BINGO cards and did games over Zoom and then sent prizes in the mail, we did scavenger hunts, Saturday morning stretch sessions and lots of check in sessions. Reimagining how I could make class picture days work, how to change all the protocols in order for the children to get back into the studio, how to make shows work all while financially keeping a small business afloat were all things that noone had done before. I had a plan A,B, C D, sometimes E to make things work. I often look back at that time and realize that if I could figure out how to make that time work, I can figure out anything.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I own a dance studio that teaches recreational and competitive dance classes. We are known for being a family friendly studio with age appropriate music and costuming. I believe in teaching our dancers the imporatnce of giving back. I am a firm believer that if you have a talent, you need to find a way to give it back to the world. I take our competitive dancers to do shows at our local care centers and senior centers during the holiday season. At our annual Holiday show, we have all the dancers bring an item to donate to a local non-profit organization. We ask our dancers to help with many community activities throughout the year. I am proud of that we teach more than just dancing at the studio, I am also very proud of the program that we started about 5 years ago for dancers with special needs. They have class once a week where they are paired with a dance friend who helps them with class and on stage for performances. We have monthly fun nights at the studio called “Wingman” nights. Dancers who volunteer their time to be our “Wingman” coordinate a night for our younger dancers where they come in and do crafts, play games, have snacks and have some bonding time together.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I think the most important lesson that I have learned along the way is even when the days are long, when I am overwhelmed with a to-do list that never ends, when I am spending entire weekends at competitions, when my aging body hurts after teaching all week: I am still lucky. I am so fortunate to get to do what I love every day. So many people go through their lives not enjoying what they do each day, I do. Every day that I teach is rewarding. The smiles of the dancers walking into the studio, seeing a dancer finally achieve a step they have been working to long to get, watching the dancers form relationships, watching the tiny dancers grow into accomplished young adults, these are the things that make all the extraordinary work of a small business owner totally worth it. I have learned that the hard work is always worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kmcdancealbertville.com
- Instagram: kmcdance_albertville
- Facebook: KMC Dance Albertville
