We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chelsey Geddis. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chelsey below.

Chelsey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s something crazy on unexpected that’s happened to you or your business

I’ve never been keen on expanding. My husband, also my business partner, had the desire, but I always declined. Then, a local dance studio in a nearby town contacted us about expanding since they were closing down. Despite my initial reluctance, I decided to entertain the idea.

The building caught my eye immediately—it was industrial, which meant a cheaper price per square foot. This location had the added benefits of a conditional use permit, ample street parking, and no noise concerns.

It was the perfect spot. Close enough to attract new customers but not too far from our current location. With a great price and barres, mirrors and floors included, it seemed like a dream expansion opportunity.

Despite my prayers for clarirty and closed doors if it wasn’t for us, all we encountered were open ones. We decided to take the leap, trusting that God has a plan. We’re set to open this spring, eager to offer more dancers our unique studio experience of age-appropriate moves, costumes, and music in a supportive, positive, and challenging environment.

We truly feel what we are doing is important for the commuity and far greater than us.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Growing up in a church environment, I was taught the importance of wholesome music. When I began teaching dance, this influenced my approach, especially in hip hop and jazz, where finding suitable songs was a challenge. I prioritized maintaining a balance between trendiness and decency, allowing for expression without crossing boundaries. For jazz, it meant capturing sassiness without being suggestive. While teaching hip hop, I was able to teach fundamentals while creating fun, hard-hitting routines without resorting to booty popping or explicit music. My aim was to nurture creativity while upholding moral integrity in my classes.

I also knew the dance world could be harsh and cruel, feeling anything but inclusive, leading to trauma that follows some dancers through adulthood. I wanted everyone to feel welcome, seen, appreciated, and have the opportunity to be truly supported and encouraged while in class.

I realized quickly that what I was doing wasn’t the norm and while teaching at the City of Oceanside, my classes continued to grow in popularity. I ended up starting with a couple of classes and 20 students and growing to over 25 classes with over 200 students. When they closed one of the recreation centers I worked at, I knew I had built something really special and that there was definitely a space in the dance world for what I was trying to do.

With the help of my husband, we decided to open A Step Above Dance Studio. This was an opportunity for me to continue teaching but add more like-minded instructors to help me in my mission.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Maintaining a clear mission and staying true to that is extremly important to us. A good portion of our growth in the community is through word-of-mouth recommendations. Time and again, we hear stories of individuals who have discovered us through friends or family members eager to share their own positive experiences. These personal endorsements are truly encouraging and make us excited that families enjoy the studio enough to tell others. They affirm that families are resonating with the mission and that our positive family friendly approach is leaving a lasting impression.

One of the most rewarding aspects of what we do is witnessing the journey of our students from toddlers to high school seniors. Take, for instance, one of our current seniors began her dance education with us at the age of three. It’s incredibly special to witness the growth and to have the opportunity to positively influence their lives over the years.

It’s truly heartwarming when former students, now adults, start families of their own and choose to bring their children to our studio for dance classes. It’s a full-circle moment and a testament to the trust and connection we’ve built over the years leading them to choose the same experience for their own child. For me, this epitomizes fulfillment – knowing that our efforts have left a lasting impression, inspiring the next generation to embark on their own journey of creativity and self-expression through dance. We couldn’t feel more honored to be a part of the next generations journey.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

I think for me it comes down to mutual respect. I truly appreciate and respect my staff. I think the way you treat people matters and I believe we are like a family and take care of and support each other. I make it a goal to be a leader who believes in their ability and encourages them creating a collaborative space where every voice is heard.

Making sure everyone understands and supports the vision is extremely important. We make our mission clear and our teachers and staff really come alongside and make that vision a reality.  They have a real passion for the dancers and families and for what the studio provides for the community.

I remember when I started teaching right out of highschool.  I had interned at the studio and she loved my jazz and hip hop choreography.  She also had me assisting in little kids classes and even running little shows for them at local venues.  Despite my strengths of contemporary, jazz and hip hop and also my passion for teaching little ones, the studio owner instead gave me an older kids tap class to teach.  I could teach tap class for littles but that’s as far as my knowledge went.  When I mentioned my concern she dismissed it and wanted me to figure it out.  It was so defeating and wasn’t what was best for the students nor did it put me in a position to thrive.

Due to my past experience, I strongly believe in creating a supportive environment where teachers feel confident in what they teach. This not only benefits them but also enhances the learning experience for students. Additionally, I’m committed to helping teachers grow by challenging them to step outside their comfort zones when I see potential that even they may not yet see. However, I always provide them with the necessary support to succeed. By doing so, I aim to foster a culture of continuous improvement and development.  I truly feel as a teacher you should constantly be learning and growing.

I feel to this day so lucky to have worked beside such incredible teachers. Hiring talented instructors that inspire me with passion and knowledge is extremely important to me. Teachers that have a commitment to encouraging and caring for the dancers.  Also, I love to hire impressive students who have grown up in the culture of ASA and are passionate about carrying on the importance of our mission.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.asadancestudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astepabovedancestudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASA.Dance.Studio/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/a-step-above-dance-studio-vista

Image Credits
I am gonna need to email you the rest of the images. It isn’t allowing me to load some into this