We recently connected with Charlie Fuller and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Charlie, thanks for joining us today. Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?

We were hosting our second annual Rhizome Roots Studio (RRS) Fusion Connection dance weekender, an event focused on cultivating community and bringing together dancers from diverse backgrounds (styles such as zouk, WCS, blues, latin), and we had made it successfully to the final Sunday evening sourire. I had been buzzing about all weekend, but found moments to sit down and connect with our attendees, some of whom had come from the East and West coasts of the US, and even internationally, from Canada. I was speaking with one of our Canadian volunteers, and they became teary-eyed, as they expressed how much this event meant to them. They had a rather unsettling experience at another US dance weekender, and were disheartened by how isolated and unwelcome they had felt at other events. They shared that the Fusion Connection was in such great contrast to their previous dance weekender experiences, that they were overwhelmed by emotion. I was absolutely in awe of this volunteer; to have the courage to continue to put themselves out there, and to travel across a border by themselves; not knowing what the experience would bring. And I was so moved that they felt welcome and appreciated in our Michigan RRS dance community. This is the foundational motivation of RRS, and my personal passion, to bring people together to cultivate wellbeing through movement and the building of community. It is the heart of who we are as people, to feel we belong; that we are accepted and appreciated just for being ourselves. This unexpected honesty from our volunteer was the absolute highlight of the event, and fortified my belief that the endless hours of planning, marketing, and managing events is worth it. Creating a shared space for people to connect, move, and be joyful, is the most humbling and fulfilling experience, and I’m grateful for everyone who is a part of it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Rhizome Roots Studio offers curated events to cultivate wellbeing through mindful movement and community building.

Rhizome Roots Studio is a feeling more than it is a place. Whether you are in the woods foraging for mushrooms, grooving on the dance floor, or flowing on your yoga mat, you are exactly where you want to be. I began Rhizome Roots Studio with that simple idea in mind: There are a million things you have to do in a day and so many places you are obligated to be. I wanted to create an environment where people want to be. I myself have definitely felt that there weren’t enough hours in the day to finish my to-do list. I started working at 14 in a local greenhouse, and haven’t slowed down since. I received my BA and BS from Calvin University while working on ecological research and public health outreach, and my MS and MPH from the University of Michigan while working for NSF-International and then The City of Ann Arbor. I am currently working as a Safety and Wellness Director in higher education, and am a recent homeowner in Ypsilanti Township.

With a robust resume in the health, safety, and wellbeing profession, I adapted the analytical eight aspects of wellness of the SAMHA (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Administration), to outline wellness classes, content, and events. While I have goals of offering opportunities to engage in wellbeing events in all 8 areas, since I am just starting out we are exploring the areas I know best: the woods, the kitchen table, and the studio floor. For 2024 RRS is hosting affordable or free classes on Foraging & Forest Bathing, Cooking Classes, and Dance Classes & Socials, and Yoga & Qigong Flow.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Training is an integral part of being a Wellness Instructor for dance, yoga, foraging, nutrition, or the hundreds of other topics that comprise the idea of ‘wellbeing’, but it is not the only aspect that adds value. Having a sense of self-awareness and knowing who you can rely on are two of the most valuable lessons I have learned in the last couple years. Self-awareness is the understanding of yourself; of your strengths and your weaknesses. In the realm of dance, yoga, and healthy living, there are a tremendous amount of leaders who lead with ego. Leading with ego isn’t inherently wrong, but it can make it that much harder to be self-aware. Awareness of the self is the ability not only to identify the skills you excel at, and the skills you are lacking in, but to make wise decisions around your skillsets for the benefit of your business. It is not always easy to let go when you are ‘in charge’, but it is a little easier when you know who you can rely on for help. Having a group of advisors, friends, volunteers, and even mentors, to rely on when you need advice has been instrumental in creating procedures, programing, and in navigating the choppy waters that you will inevitably encounter. Whether it is asking advise for better marketing strategies, deflating conflict in a safe and resolute way, or simply knowing who you can call when you’re in a pinch to carry 10 boxes with only 2 arms; surrounding yourself with reliable and responsible comrades is invaluable. I am affluent in this regard; having friends, colleagues, and even family supporting and showing up to help make the events a success!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Wellbeing doesn’t mean anything without people, so growing and maintaining clientele is key, Since RRS is in its grassroots stages, most of our marketing has been local and word-of-mouth. One strategy I have employed has been directing attention towards marginalized groups, but in all honesty, its more a passion than a strategy. Having my own roots in the LGBTQIA+, Latin, and neurodivergent communities, I am constantly creating programs that integrate these groups. Hosting Queer-focused classes allows for people to feel safe taking the lead or the follow role, no matter their gender, and begins to dissolve the heteronormativity we’ve constructed around dance. All RRS events are LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent friendly, because our core belief is that everyone deserves to live well. I don’t know if it’s the most effective strategy, but it is certainly rewarding. To bring Bachata dance to the queer community, and to offer wellness classes in Spanish for the Latin community shouldn’t be groundbreaking, but in many ways, it is. Growing clientele from the fringes of the community instead of pulling from the pockets of the main street Populus might not be the most profitable, but its important to me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhizome_roots_studio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rhizomerootsstudio
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyZ7yd1zs_2H5y3vy0u-UDw
• Other: MEETUP https://www.meetup.com/rhizome-roots-studio-wellness-community-classes/

Image Credits
Josh Savalli