We were lucky to catch up with Harmony Varela recently and have shared our conversation below.
Harmony, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
The name came to me during a deeply transformative time in my life. I was nearing the end of a year long recovery program and one night while sitting on the couch in the rehab home I found myself dreaming about opening a dance studio. I had also been exploring different dimensions of consciousness and came across the description of the seventh dimension where one exists in a natural state of ecstasy. That idea resonated deeply with me.
I thought that’s what I want people to feel when they come to dance at my studio. Not just movement but a powerful soul connected experience. A place where people can truly express themselves connect to their deeper essence and feel something magical spiritual even transcendent. To be fully present in the moment to feel the art come alive to let go and become the spirit of who you are.
It’s about experiencing a natural high not through substances but through movement connection and self-expression.
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?
My story from darkness to dance from hopelessness to hope:
I’m a mom of three married to my high school sweetheart – my partner through every chapter of life. Together we’ve experienced the full spectrum: from first love and living our dreams to addiction homelessness and eventually redemption.
At one point our lives were everything we ever dreamed – in love building a family, dancing, creating, thriving. But things spiraled after surgery. I became addicted to painkillers and soon my husband did too. We started with pills which led to heroin and meth. Our lives unraveled. We were in and out of jail. Completely lost and eventually living on the streets. We were no longer living – just surviving trapped in a world of addiction shame and darkness. It broke us. It hurt everyone we loved especially our children.
Then came the bottom. I was in jail sick and withdrawing from heroin when my mom came to visit. I hadn’t seen her in ages. I was pale, weak and ashamed but for the first time I made it through the worst of the withdrawal. I told her I wanted to change to be there for my kids. She gave me the ultimatum: do a year recovery program or lose my children forever. She had taken custody to protect them and I understood why.
When I was released I had nothing but the clothes I’d come in with. I begged a local rehab for help a place for mother’s trying to get their children back. I had no money but I kept showing up, calling, writing letters. Then a miracle happened: a bed opened up and a woman I didn’t even know paid for me to get in. That woman and every person who helped me along the way saved my life.
That year in Santa Barbara changed everything. Through divine grace I found hope. I came to believe that if I could get clean from heroin and meth, I could do anything. Recovery didn’t just save me, it rebirthed me. I surrendered completely. Walking through fear like a child holding the hand of a loving power greater than myself. Every step was guided. Every moment divine.
While in the program I got a job opening a gym at 4:00 AM biking there in the dark. I started teaching belly dance classes again – the art that first awakened me when I was 16 and found a flyer for a class in Ventura. Belly dance was my first dance love, and dance had always been part of my soul.
At 21, years earlier, I moved in behind a pole fitness studio that was just opening. I was a single mom waitressing to survive. I asked if I could teach belly dance and the owner told me she needed a certified pole and burlesque instructor. I got certified in LA and started teaching soon after. Eventually I even had eight poles in my living room. Teaching classes from home. Life was exciting and beautiful – until partying turned into addiction.
Fast forward: towards the end of the recovery program I finally got my kids back. It was the best day of my life. I was still broke, living off minimum wage, and government support but I had my family and my sobriety. I went to my CalWorks social worker and told her I had a dream – to open a pole fitness studio. I just received my tax return and had $3000. She laughed when I asked if the county could help pay for poles if I could find a space. She said if you bring me a lease I’ll ask.
I found a small space and called the landlord. I told him I had $3000 and a vision. He took a chance on me and gave me the keys. I brought the lease to my social worker and she was floored her team approved the pole purchase. She told me nothing like that had ever happened before.
Friends came together to help me build it out – graffiti artists, dancers, supporters – and we threw an opening party for Seventh Dimension Dance. That was eight years ago and here we are still dancing our hearts out.
This isn’t the usual path to opening a business but it’s the story of hope, faith, and what happens when you walk through fear with everything you’ve got, trusting in something greater.
Today I’m surrounded by a beautiful community of students and teachers who light up my life. We create art together, we heal together and we rise together. I believe all things are possible. My story may seem impossible but it’s my truth and I’m so deeply grateful to be living it.
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
At Seventh Dimension Dance building genuine lasting relationships with our students is the heart of everything we do. We don’t just offer classes – we offer a community, a safe space, and a home away from home. That’s what fosters deep loyalty and keeps our clients coming back.
We can stay in touch with our students through a mix of personal connection and consistent communication. We use social media to highlight our students’s achievements, share studio updates, celebrate milestones, and keep our community inspired and engaged. We send out e-mail newsletters with important announcements, upcoming workshops, showcase dates, special promotions, and words of encouragement. In the studio we foster one-on-one relationships – checking in with each student, learning their stories and celebrating their growth. Many of our students become close friends, instructors or collaborators. We’re a family.
To nurture loyalty we offer unique programs like the Sunrise Baddies which deepen commitment and connection through shared goals, journaling and daily training. We host biannual showcases that let students shine, be celebrated and feel like stars. We create a space where everyone feels seen, accepted and empowered – regardless of background age or experience.
The reason our students stay with us, often for years, is because they’re not just learning to dance. They’re becoming part of something bigger, something meaningful. We grow, we sweat, laugh, cry and fly it together. That’s the magic of 7D.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
There have been many moments on this journey that tested my resilience but one stands out clearly. In the early days of Seventh Dimension Dance, I had no business experience, just a vision, a passion for dance, and a deep desire to create a space where people could heal, express and grow. But passion alone didn’t pay the rent. There came a month when I genuinely was afraid I’d lose the studio I poured my heart into. The rent was due and I didn’t have the money.
People around me – friends, mentors, even those who cared about me, suggested I let it go. They told me to get a real job, save up and try again later when it made more financial sense. But that was never an option for me. The studio wasn’t just a business – it was my purpose, my second chance at life and a safe haven for my students. So I dug deep and got resourceful. I started thinking outside the box and within three days launched a series of creative, limited time deals. That campaign brought in just enough to cover what I needed right in the nick of time. It was a at a turning point for me. I realized that resilience isn’t just about pushing through hard times. It’s about staying flexible, getting creative, and trusting your vision.
Since then there have been more challenges, more moments of uncertainty but every setback has been a set up for growth. I’ve failed, learned, and gotten stronger. Each tough moment taught me something valuable and in many ways I now see them as blessings in disguise.
Besides financial challenges another powerful example of resilience was making it through COVID-19 pandemic. Like so many small businesses our studio was deeply impacted. We were forced to shut down, reopened briefly and then shut down again for an extended period. It was one of the most uncertain and stressful times I’ve ever experienced. The future of Seventh Dimension Dance was hanging by a thread and I knew I had to find a solution or risk losing everything we had built. For the first time ever I took out a loan to save the business. With the support of WEV (Women’s Economic Ventures) I was able to secure funding to restart Seventh Dimension Dance in a new location. One that allowed us to get creative with outdoor pole setups and meet the strict COVID safety guidelines. We spaced poles 6 feet apart and found a way to keep our community moving, dancing and connected – even through masks and mandates. It wasn’t easy. It was a full on hustle but I wasn’t alone. My friend and eventual business partner, Jezaira Knight, was instrumental during this time, helping me tackle the paperwork, clean up the back end of the business and get everything in order to qualify for the loan. Her support along with the continued encouragement of our community made it possible for us to pivot and survive.
That chapter taught me a lot about adaptability, resourcefulness and asking for help when you need it. We came out stronger, more focused and more connected than ever before. Resilience isn’t just about holding on – it’s about rising up, reimagining and rebuilding.
Another defining moment of resilience for Seventh Dimension Dance came during a major flood at our studio. Our studio was located in what’s known as the lagoon area – beautiful but prone to flooding. Two years in a row we were hit but the first time was devastating. I was in the middle of teaching a pole class while heavy rain pounded the metal roof above us. The sound of the storm was so intense it echoed over the music. Then one of my students noticed water creeping in through the boutique. Within moments the water began rising rapidly filling the studio floor. When we opened the door to check outside, waves of water came crashing in from the street. The floodwaters were already up to car windows and I soon found myself knee deep. Inside the studio we were rushing to move speakers and equipment to higher ground. The girls called for help while we worked quickly to protect what we could. Most of our students had parked on higher ground but not everyone was so lucky. That day I had to walk home hip deep in water, devastated and unsure of what will come next. The damage was significant. We needed new flooring, new mirrors and extensive cleanup but through it all we did not give up. With the support of insurance, a fiercely loyal community and a lot of hard work we pulled together and got the studio back up and running. Within a month we reopened our doors. That experience reminded me once again that resilience isn’t just about surviving challenges, it’s about rising through them with heart, determination and community by your side. We weathered the storm literally and came out stronger on the other side.
