Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Janet Bentley-Ewers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dr. Janet, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I have always had a love and passion for everything creative, even as a young child. I remember being in
kindergarten at five years old and winning a district contest for one of my drawings as well as several instances of winning awards for poems written while in grade school. During this time, drawing and writing poetry was just something to not only pass the time but to also express myself in an environment that was less than ideal- moving often and my family being homeless at times due to economic instability. No matter what, God was always by my side and as I grew from a child to an adult, the passion for other arts such as dance and social media expression came to the forefront. For the past 16 years, dance has been an important part of my life, starting with praise dance in church, ballet in the dance studio, and integrating other genres such as contemporary, jazz and African dance. Being a member of several dance companies under different choreographers and leaders, coupled with being a leader/co-leader for several praise dance groups for 15 years and on several dance boards gave me rare insight into the dynamics of dance, working with dancers and teams and the business side. I got the opportunity in 2024 to embark on a new challenge by taking over and re-branding an existing dance studio in the Atlanta area- the new studio called “Metro Atlanta Dance” where I serve as President/Executive Director, has been a labor of love- with tremendous amounts of time and energy spent to not only re-brand and open but to also solidify it as a beacon of dance in the community. In our first year, I do feel as if we are succeeding in building our brand and becoming that beacon- God has always been on my side throughout my life and continues to guide me throughout my creative and artistic path today. My social media platform “Level Up with Janet E.!” explores my journey to find my God-given purpose and has garnered several industry awards since its inception in 2020.
Dr. Janet, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am the President/Executive Director of Metro Atlanta Dance Studio in Roswell, GA, a 501c3 non-profit organization that offers all genres of dance for young children, teens and adults, including classes and companies in jazz, tap, hip-hop, contemporary, musical theater and ballet. We have been open since 2024 and growing rapidly with over 100 students currently. Our environment is one of inclusion, with dancers of all ages, levels and sizes welcomed within our companies and for performance opportunities. While we are very technique-focused, we offer an environment of openness, love and striving to be great dancer AND human being. What we are most proud of is the positive dance community we have for all of our dancers from children, teens and adults- we don’t tolerate bullying, “bad behavior” or disrespect in our dance studio and stress open and positive communication. We also have offerings for senior citizens through our Silver Sneakers program, our employer benefit Prime program and through the ClassPass platform.
For my “Level Up with Janet E.!’ social media platform (YT: Level Up with Janet E.!), subscribers and followers go through the journey with me for us to find our God-given purposes, through quotes, scriptures and content. We are currently on Facebook and YouTube, with approximately 40,000 followers and subscribers. The platform has been the recipient of 2024 “Dave Award” and 2024 “Communicator Award” for social media content.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
As I have discussed before, my creative journey has been rooted in my foundation with God and the plans He has for my life to influence others and the world. Jeremiah 29:11 states “I know the plans I have for you- plans for a hope and a future.” This has been one of the scriptures I stand on when I think about my goals and mission as everything is founded in God providing the burden, the calling and the press forward- this is what helps me not only figure out what my goal is and the path to follow but how to achieve it as well. Seeking God’s wisdom and knowledge during my goals and mission is key.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
In 2022, I almost had an incident that ended my dance career. While practicing for an upcoming show, I broke my ankle and had to have 2 surgeries, 12 weeks in a boot and months of physical therapy to eventually dance again. While it was one of the most difficult times for me because I couldn’t do what I most love-dance- it taught me that with God by my side, I can overcome any obstacle and not only come back the same but come back stronger, more resilient, than I was before.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.metroatlantadance.com
- Facebook: @levelupwithjanete
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-janet-bentley-ewers-03b73959
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxVYgxecl8pd4SXuXbe04dA
