We recently connected with Alanna Gorham and have shared our conversation below.

Alanna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?

When Justin first joined Move With Lanna over a year ago, he brought with him a deeply inspiring story of resilience and recovery. During our initial consultation, Justin shared parts of his life’s journey, including his triumphant battle against addiction and his dedication to giving back to the community as a sponsor and mentor. He expressed a strong desire to return to dancing, not only for fun but also for his physical and mental well-being.

In the beginning, Justin attended classes sporadically. Despite his enthusiasm, he was often his own harshest critic. He would sometimes overthink the choreography, losing sight of the fact that he had joined the class to enjoy himself. As a result, he occasionally struggled to fully immerse himself in the experience.

However, over the first few months, a noticeable transformation began to take place. Justin started attending classes more regularly. With each session, his confidence grew. He began to internalize the choreography, focusing less on perfection and more on the joy of dancing. It was evident that Justin was starting to embrace the class’s primary goal: having fun.

His growth has been truly remarkable. Over time, Justin has significantly built up his stamina and has found a safe haven in our classes where he can momentarily detach from life’s responsibilities. This one-hour escape has become a vital part of his routine, allowing him to release stress and find joy.

Justin now attends class with an infectious positive spirit and an eager willingness to learn. He approaches each session determined to do his best but, most importantly, to enjoy the process. This aligns perfectly with Move With Lanna’s motto: “where fitness meets fun.” Our diverse range of students embody this mindset, and Justin has become a shining example.

Today, Justin is our most loyal student. He is consistently present, whether the class is full or it’s just the two of us. His unwavering support since his first class has been invaluable, especially as Move With Lanna is still in its beginning stages.

Justin’s story is not just one of personal growth but also one of community and mutual support. His journey from a hesitant beginner to a confident, enthusiastic dancer is a testament to the transformative power of our classes. It highlights the meaningful impact Move With Lanna can have on an individual’s life, both physically and mentally.

Through dedication and a positive mindset, Justin has achieved remarkable results, and his journey continues to inspire both his peers and myself as his instructor. His success story is a powerful reminder of why Move With Lanna exists and the profound difference we aim to make in our students’ lives.

Alanna, 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?

Hello! My name is Alanna Gorham, and I am the proud owner and founder of Move With Lanna. At 29 years old, I’ve had the privilege of turning my lifelong passion for dance and fitness into a vibrant community-focused business. My journey with dance began in elementary school and continued through college, where I immersed myself in various dance forms and performances. However, after my first year of college, I decided to pause my collegiate journey and took a step back from dancing regularly, only choreographing and performing at church and community events.

Life took me into different industries, including retail and corporate healthcare, where I currently work as an HR professional. While these roles provided valuable experiences, they didn’t ignite my passion or bring me the transparent happiness that dancing did. I longed to return to the world of dance and fitness, so I began taking dance classes in the city whenever I could. My involvement with the dance ministry at church further fueled my desire to reconnect with dance.

Through my personal fitness journey, I discovered a newfound love for group fitness and training classes. This passion led me to pursue and obtain my group fitness certification. In October 2022, I taught my first Move With Lanna class, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter.

After teaching in the city, I noticed that many of my students were commuting from Long Island. Their dedication inspired me to find a more convenient location for them, prompting me to search for a studio in Long Island. I quickly realized that there was a significant need for adult dance and fitness classes in Long Island, as most options required traveling to the city.

Today, Move With Lanna offers a wide range of dance classes, including hip-hop, tap, and jazz, as well as group fitness classes such as HIIT, Dance Fitness, and Dance Step Aerobics, all tailored for adults of all levels. Our motto, “where fitness meets fun,” perfectly encapsulates our mission. We aim to build a community where individuals can improve their physical and mental well-being through the joy of dance and fitness.

What sets Move With Lanna apart is our commitment to creating a safe space for adults to be themselves, release their inner child, and escape from life’s responsibilities during class. We pride ourselves on serving a diverse range of students, providing a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

I am most proud of the community we’ve built—a community where people can come together, support each other, and celebrate their progress. Watching my students grow in confidence, fitness, and happiness is the most rewarding part of my work.

For those who may be considering joining us, I want you to know that Move With Lanna is more than just a place to work out; it’s a place to find joy, connection, and a renewed sense of self. Whether you’re looking to dance, get fit, or simply have fun, you’ll find a welcoming home here.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about me and Move With Lanna. I look forward to dancing and growing with you!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

In the early stages of building Move With Lanna, student registration was often low and inconsistent. There were many classes with few or no registrants, leading to moments of disappointment and doubt. Initially, my response to these low turnout days was to cancel classes, feeling disheartened and questioning the purpose of showing up when attendance was sparse.

However, this approach was not in alignment with the core mission of Move With Lanna: to create a consistent, welcoming space for individuals to improve their physical and mental well-being through dance and fitness. I realized that if I wanted my students to be consistent and committed, I needed to lead by example.

The lesson I had to unlearn was equating low attendance with a lack of progress or purpose. I needed to shift my perspective from focusing on immediate outcomes to valuing the process and commitment to the mission. Canceling classes due to low attendance undermined the very foundation of what I aimed to build—a reliable, dedicated community space where every individual matters.

One pivotal moment was when a class had only one registrant. Instead of canceling, I decided to go ahead with the session. What transpired was a deeply personal and rewarding experience, where I could provide undivided attention and tailored instruction. This 1:1 interaction reinforced the importance of every single student and the value of staying true to the mission, regardless of the numbers.

By committing to hold classes consistently, whether at full capacity or with just one student, I demonstrated the dedication and perseverance that I hoped to inspire in my students. This approach not only reinforced my own commitment but also showed my students that their presence was valued, and that the journey of growth and learning was ongoing and inclusive.

Now, I am at peace whether a class is packed or it’s an intimate session. I understand that each step, no matter how small, contributes to the overall growth and success of Move With Lanna. Consistency and dedication in the face of uncertainty are crucial, and I am confident that these efforts will lead to greater stability and growth in the future.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Juggling multiple responsibilities has been a defining challenge on my journey to building Move With Lanna. In addition to running my burgeoning dance and fitness business, I continue to work a demanding 9-5 job in Human Resources within the corporate healthcare sector. My role in HR is not just a job; it’s a career that requires significant time, energy, and dedication. Recently, this balancing act was put to the test in a particularly trying way.

One day, my leadership team called me in for a conversation. They expressed their concerns about my ability to balance my HR responsibilities with my entrepreneurial pursuits. Their expectation was clear: my HR role should be my primary career focus. This conversation was difficult, but I assured them of my unwavering commitment to my HR duties while also passionately pursuing my dreams with Move With Lanna. Despite their reservations, I believed in my ability to excel in both areas.

My life, however, is a complex tapestry of roles. Alongside my corporate job and my small business, I also hold two other part-time roles and am a full-time student. Balancing these responsibilities is no small feat, and there are moments when the workload feels overwhelming. But it is in these moments that my resilience shines brightest.

One particularly memorable instance of this resilience occurred during a week that seemed impossibly demanding. My HR job was experiencing a peak period, requiring extra hours and intense focus. Simultaneously, Move With Lanna had an important event that I had been planning for weeks, and my academic deadlines were fast approaching. Each responsibility was critical, and failure in any area was not an option.

To manage, I meticulously planned my days, often waking up before dawn and going to bed long after midnight. My mornings began with HR duties, handling complex employee relations issues and strategizing with senior leadership. Afternoons and evenings were dedicated to Move With Lanna, preparing for classes, marketing the event, and ensuring every detail was perfect. Late nights were reserved for my studies, diving into coursework and preparing for exams.

The week culminated in the successful execution of the Move With Lanna event. Despite the exhaustion, the joy and fulfillment of seeing my students energized and happy made every effort worthwhile. I also managed to meet my HR deadlines and perform well in my academic responsibilities. This week was a testament to my ability to persevere and remain committed to all my roles, no matter how challenging the circumstances.

This story is not just about time management or hard work; it’s about the deep-seated resilience that drives me. It’s about believing in the vision of Move With Lanna and staying true to my commitments, even when the path is steep and the obstacles many.

My resilience is fueled by the passion for my business and the desire to create a space where fitness meets fun, providing a safe haven for adults to release stress and find joy. While the journey is tough, and balancing all my roles can be incredibly demanding, I remain steadfast. Each challenge strengthens my resolve and brings me one step closer to fully transitioning into a full-time dance teacher and group fitness instructor.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.movewithlanna.com
• Instagram: movewithlanna
• Facebook: Movewithlanna
• Linkedin: Alanna Gorham
• Youtube: movewithlanna
• Other: TikTok: Movewithlanna