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

Ashley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

Jumping right in the deep end… I was a 33 year old, single mom of two beautiful girls, jobless, and practically homeless. I felt like my life’s purpose had just been extinguished. Every thing I’ve worked so hard for and sacrificed family time for was just *poof*- gone. I had a fallen out with friends where I was living. I just had myself, my children, and the few items I owned. I sucked up my pride and moved in with my mom an hour away in Garner NC. I hadn’t lived with my mom since I was 18 years old and coming back home (in a sense) just felt like a death sentence. And, it was. I’ll forever be for grateful for that death.

After moving in with my mom, I fortunately had a few friends/associates in the dance industry in the area that helped me get a part time job as a substitute teacher at CC & Co and I’m so grateful for just that simple gesture of kindness. Especially since I was in such a low place mentally and emotionally. I also waitressed and bartended at a local restaurant. But I spent every night crying myself to sleep. There were several mornings where I literally woke myself up crying. My mom felt she didn’t know how to handle seeing me at such a low point let alone how to comfort me. But she really did one of the best things anyone could’ve ever done. She reminded me of who I was, who I am, and where I came from.

I come from a family full of strong, independent, boss bitches that literally don’t take ish from anyone. The women in my family are assertive in a way that when they walk into a room or speak, it’s always from a respectful yet assertive way. I can’t continue speaking of the women in my family without mentioning the strong men who helped raised us strong women. My granddaddy, the business owner, had an 11th grade education. In his younger years, he looked like Popeye and was actually in the Navy. One of my favorite stories of him while he was in the Navy was standing up to a bully in the Navy. This bully was a highly ranked boxer for the Navy and grandaddy told him “I don’t care who you are. You’re fixin’ to be knocked into the China Sea.” At my Grandmommy’s funeral, Pastor Dave (amazing soul), made a joke how my Grandmommy never took “no” for an answer. She would always find a way and created her own way to get what she wanted out of life. My dad has always made sure I knew to think for myself, sometimes I think he regrets teaching me to, “march to the beat of my own drum.” Family, where I come from, who raised me, and the lessons they have taught me play such a huge role in that pivotal risk taking moment in my life. So I decided to allow everything that I had experienced go, all my fears go, all of my regrets go, and I took the metaphorical jump off the cliff. I ran off that cliff like some psychopathic gladiator.

It was about 2am and my mom was in bed. I had just gotten home from a shift bartending. I opened her door and said, “I’m opening a dance studio.” I have this rule about my life. If I make a decision and I feel calm and a sense of peace after speaking the words out loud, it’s what was right. If I still have a pit in my stomach, wrong choice. I closed her door, went to go take a shower, and went to bed. Best night’s sleep I’d had in months.

When I woke up the next morning, my mom already had a realtor on the phone texting back and forth. I honestly thought that it would be so easy. Just find a property, set up shop, work’s done. Biggest joke. Our realtor was amazing! The process though, absolutely stressful and felt like it dragged out forever. We started in March searching for a property. We didn’t find one until May. The lease negotiations were an absolute nightmare. So much back and forth. It really made me question if I had made the right decision. I had the sense of peace when making the decision but this process was anything but peaceful. During the time of negotiations, my brother said maybe I should just get a regular 9-5 job and the disgust I felt in my gut at those words- revolting. So I knew I just needed to persevere. I want to clarify that at the time he said those words, I was enraged and hurt with him and by his words, but I knew his intentions came from a place of love. He just wanted me to find my independence again and just be happy. Dance made and makes me happy. So I persevered and we signed the lease May 29th of 2019. The next day, I went to my grandma Mary’s funeral. So it was bittersweet moment in time.

Over the course of the following months, I spent working 12-18 hour days seven days a week. I managed to only have anywhere from $2 in my checking account to sometimes $50. My dad and my stepdad contributed to the studio by providing the deposit to just get me in the building. My Grandmommy bought the studio mirrors. I laid the dance floors myself, by myself-usually around 2am after a shift bartending. I began advertising on Facebook and Instagram. I had no clue how to advertise for myself and struggled with text and showcasing what I had to offer the community. A community I had zero ties to. Almost every studio owner I’ve ever known works at a dance studio in the area then opens up their own studio in or near the area they’ve already established relationships with. Anyone can do that and easily have clients coming to their doors. Not knocking it, business wise it’s SMART. However for me, I felt that I didn’t want to do the same.

So here I was, in a community where I felt like I didn’t fit in the usual mold. I didn’t and don’t look or act like a normal studio owner. I don’t have perfect hair, perfect white pageant smile teeth, clean cut, nice car, nice clothes, beautiful studio. I have tattoos and would get a face tattoo if I could decide on one, I have piercings and plan to get more, I hardly ever wear makeup, I cuss like a sailor (obviously not in classes or around children), I love the color black, and my studio looked like I had ordered it off of Wish. But, I was authentic. If there’s one thing that I want to leave this world with about myself is that I lived authentically, fiercely, organically, and unapologetically. So what did I want my brand to be? Well, me. And that’s exactly how I figured out how to market myself, my brand, and my studio. Inclusion, diversity, acceptance, your authentic self is more than enough. Come as you are. I don’t care about your background, I don’t care about how you look, I don’t care about what you believe in. I care about how dance changes lives and how it can change your life. I care about creating a new culture of dance in a dance studio setting that I never experienced. All while teaching students proper technique, creating artists, and offering opportunities that I was never afforded. Making a difference with showing my authentic self and attract and make a safe space for others to be celebrated as well.

My first month in business I had 2 students- my kids. The next month, I had 7 students. At Christmas, I finally had 17 students! I had hit double digits. If a studio owner were to be reading this, they’d understand that 17 students isn’t enough to even pay the rent let alone any other bills. So I continued working as a bartender and managed my business as well as taught every class every day. My competitive team, Dance Ascension Dance Company (DADC), consisted of 4 dancers. Fortunately, I had a very understanding management team where I worked as a bartender/waitress. They worked with my class schedule and traveling schedule with my DADC competitive schedule. Then it happened. COVID. Government mandated shutdown of every business like mine.

When I got this news, I had just started dating my now husband. I remember just crying in his condo. My checking account was in the negative, I had rent to pay, bills to pay, kids to support. I stopped crying and just became quiet. I remember he and I were watching a movie. He was watching a movie, I was planning on how I could continue to keep my studio open. Then, it clicked for me. Problem solved but it wouldn’t be a piece of cake. It would be time consuming, draining, and I knew it would be worth every moment. I set up online zoom classes for my students. Not a YouTube link for them to watch. Not them sending me videos of them dancing and I send back feedback. No. I would teach classes through zoom. I would offer real time critiques. I would provide the same attention to each student just as if they were taking classes in person.

I watched how all over the world (literally), studio owners were losing their students and having to close their studios. It was a real fear of mine. But, I didn’t lose any students. I gained students. We even had an in-studio recital with costumes. I turned lemons into lemonade with a splash of grenadine. During a time of COVID, I tripled my student base. I worked my ass off. But I couldn’t have done this without the support of my oldest kiddo, Hayden, who was my personal assistant in every class. She demonstrated every dance step and routine while I watched students on my computer screen. She even assisted on my Facebook and Instagram lives where I offered free dance classes to my surrounding community to just make people happy. My now husband helped set up my cameras and livestreams so this was possible.

Coming out of COVID as a studio owner felt like I had just survived an astroid hitting Earth and my hair and clothes were singed and I was walking with one shoe on. Navigating the new and ever changing COVID rules was incredibly exhausting. The political turmoil also affected the studio because I now had this new thing that created another diversity between my clients. I had to not only follow fluid COVID regulations but also how to keep the negative divisiveness out of my studio. I was a new studio owner and no where in my experience as a teacher did this prepare me on how to navigate this. Truthfully, it was nice that I knew I wasn’t the only one in this situation. Every studio owner experienced this. I was on year 2 of as a studio owner. They don’t make a manual or business model or business classes that would’ve prepared me on opening a business 6 months before COVID and how to survive it. I was expecting NORMAL studio ownership issues. Not this. But, there I was. Thriving in adversity. How? Ya’ll I don’t know. I can just tell you it was God, the support of my family, the support of my students and their families, and how I was raised to never give up. My family molded me into the person I am and how I lead, cultivate this branding, and lead classes as well as how I train my staff to lead their classes.

From starting in May 2019 with 2 students to now in December 2022 at 105 students, I’m incredibly grateful. I’m still very small in comparison to surrounding studios. But each year, I’ve doubled or tripled my student base. I offer a different studio experience to my community. I know I do. I don’t want the cookie cutter dance family or student. I want students and dance families that like me, feel or felt out of place currently or at some point in their lives. I want them to know they are seen, they are heard, and they are loved. They don’t have to be perfect because that doesn’t exist. I want to celebrate their authenticity. I know every single one of my student’s names-even if they aren’t in one of my classes. I say hey to each one of them every time they walk into the studio and I say bye when they leave. I take my experiences as a student growing up in the dance world and make the changes that I wish were made when I was a dancer. My branding is unique because being like everyone else is absolutely boring.

I don’t pay myself as a business owner. Crazy, right?! I reinvest into the studio and my students. Its about them. It’s about giving to them and creating the best experiences for them. My studio offers ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, acrobatics, tumbling, and musical theatre. I also offer a preschool program similar to parent’s morning out. This season, I continued with our Celebrity Guest Artist Tour series. In October, I brought in Emmy Award Winning choreographer Tyce Diorio who also choreographs for Taylor Swift. In November, I teamed up again with Liberate Artists with bringing in Eva Igo from NBC’s World of Dance and Deion Muse. In December, I brought in MJ who tours as a teaching artist with Revive and Adrenaline dance conventions and is also on staff at Julliard. I want and will always continue this series to bring the BEST experiences to my students. All of my students are able to take these classes and have these opportunities. In the spring, I’m finally able to offer Dance Cirque which incorporates aerial silks, Lyra (aerial hoop), and more.

I decided to run and jump off this impossibly high cliff and rose up as a Phoenix reigniting myself and stepping into my truth. Then COVID happened and I became a Phoenix again. Reinventing ways to not only survive but to thrive. So, I am a Phoenix. I’m not scared of change. I thrive in adversity. Taking risks can be scary. But if you allow yourself to just let go of the voices in your head that tell you you’re not good enough, you can’t do it, etc- you are literally capable of anything you want. Don’t take NO for an answer. Find the way to get your YES. Don’t ask for permission. Do what you believe in and don’t apologize for being authentic. Authenticity doesn’t hurt people. It brings people together and creates space for understanding, compassion, and growth.

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

I wouldn’t be surprised if people haven’t heard of me. I wasn’t raised in this area and I didn’t dance or teach in this area previously. But I was crazy or brave enough to open a studio in an unfamiliar area. I literally still have to use GPS to get to places. I use a lot of social media platforms to get the word out about my studio and it seems to be working and gaining traction.

My intention wasn’t to be a studio owner. I was very comfortable just remaining a dance teacher. But with comfort, in certain cases, there’s no growth. There’s stagnation. At the time, I didn’t realize that. Opening my own studio was inspired by my oldest daughter. I wanted her to dance however much she wanted. But what she wanted, I couldn’t financially provide. It actually made more sense financially to open a studio. I thought I was opening up a studio for just her. I didn’t realize it was for me too as well as other dancers in my community and how much this studio would mean to all of us.

As a dancer, I never really felt seen. I was just a body in the room. I wasn’t a favorite of any teacher. I actually think my mom had to beg for one of my teachers to choreograph a solo for me, which we never finished. It wasn’t until a new teacher came on staff showed interest in my dancing and actually cared and took the time (I mean hours) to spend with me and never charged me for any private lessons (thank you Shiloh)! She choreographed a solo for me and with this solo, I competed and won a scholarship through Dance Spirit Magazine and I got to have a small feature in it as their scholarship recipient. Shiloh made me feel seen. She’s now one of my best friends and one of my longest friendships.

I didn’t go to college for dance or dance education. I just took as many dance classes as I possibly could. I attended so many master classes, conventions, workshops- you name it, I attended them. My first boss (who was also my dance teacher in later years of high school) helped me become certified through Dance Masters of America, Inc and Dance Masters of NC, Inc in Ballet and Acrobatics. I’m also certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT). When I graduated from high school, I wasn’t given the tools I needed to find success in the dance world. It felt kind of like, “thanks for paying your tuition. Good luck.” I wanted to be a dancer and a choreographer. But I was given no direction on where to start, how to start, etc. But, I was given the opportunity to teach straight out of high school which I am grateful for! It set me on a path that has helped me reach so many others. My experiences as a dancer in a dance studio is what drives my branding and how I have decided to change the dance studio experience for dancers and their families. I have created and cultivated a space and culture where regardless of your background, appearance, beliefs, etc all dancers and families are seen, heard, loved, and appreciated.

Looking around at other studios all over the nation, you find studios that fit a certain shape, mold, or characteristic. Dancers who look alike or similar, dance families who have the same backgrounds, etc. Most clients that come to me, share stories of feeling out of place based on their experiences which resemble my own. I also have clients that come from marginalized communities and groups where they are made to feel unwanted, underrepresented, or out of place. My branding is kind of like a deconstructing of the branding of the typical dance studio experience. I tear down walls and barriers where people feel separated from other groups or excluded and instead, we have inclusion. I’m not a typical business owner, I don’t conduct my business as a typical business owner, and I don’t want any of my students or their families feeling like they are just a number or that they have to fit into this ideal dancer in order to be seen.

Regardless of a dancer’s background they are all offered the same type of technical training, opportunities, and experiences. My staff and I treat every dancer as if they may want to pursue dance as a career. Regardless of the trajectory of their life path, I feel it’s crucial for every dancer to be awarded the same opportunities as the dancer beside them. Last year, I started our Celebrity Guest Artist Tour series which was absolutely amazing! We continued it this season by having Emmy Award Winning choreographer Tyce Diorio who also works with Taylor Swift, we teamed up again with Liberate Artists in bringing Eva Igo from NBC’s World of Dance and Deion Muse, and we also had MJ who is a teaching artist that tours with Revive and Adrenaline dance conventions as well as on faculty at Julliard. I want to offer the BEST I possibly can for my students. But more so, I’m helping them build connections in the dance world because while the dance world seems so massive, it’s not. It’s rather small. So helping our students who want to pursue dance as a career establish and build connections is vital to me.

I’m proud of establishing my branding within the dance community and I hope that others follow suit. The dance world can be incredibly toxic and a lot of us teachers and business owners grew up in toxic environments. Why would we perpetuate that toxicity instead of changing. “Be the change you wish to see in the world”- Ghandi quote is tattooed down my spine and I mean it with my core. I’m so proud of where I started back in 2019 (6 months prior to COVID) with a studio that looked like I ordered it off of Wish to having now moved into a new studio. My husband and I literally hung the walls, painted them, laid the floors, hung the mirror, etc (also with the help of family and friends). Every ounce of myself is in this studio’s DNA. I wanted to change the world and I feel like I am one moment at a time.

My studio is a family setting for all of my students. Even with my unconventional ways and personality. My studio offers ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, acrobatics, and musical theatre. We also offer a dance class called, United We Dance which is for dancers in our community that have special needs but it is open to dancers of all abilities as it coincides with my belief in inclusion.

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

I love the saying, “the proof is in the pudding.” It’s a fact. I want my dancers to be trained well technically and also push them to develop their own artistry. Myself and my staff do annual continued educational training and certification.

But I also feel what each student and their family experience when they walk into my studio is unique. We don’t have the picture perfect, magazine looking studio. But we have a sense of genuineness when we meet someone new or speak with any of our current dancers or family members. When we speak to our students or families, it comes from a genuine place. Each day I walk into a class, I ask all of my students, “how was your day?” I had a former boss who really said something that impacted the way I thought as a teacher and now a business owner. You never know what someone or student has gone through when they walk through those doors. By simply asking how their day was, it makes a big impact on their day. I have taken that piece of advice to heart because dance was for so many years (and still is) my therapy. It’s a way for me to express my feelings without having to speak. I shared this with my staff and I love how they cherish that piece of advice as well.

So in creating this safe space for dancers, I feel that it has impacted the way my studio is viewed not just from a dance performance viewpoint but also as an experience. While I’m continuously working to provide the best training and opportunities for my students which has it’s value, the impact of creating a sense of community, compassion and understanding within these walls has equal value to me.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

I view myself as a team member/player as well. I team captain if you will. I lead by example. I can’t expect my staff to work hard if I don’t. I’m so enthusiastic about teaching kids dance and I’m a lot like that crazy Super Bowl fan sitting in the stadiums cheering on my students and teachers. I check in with my team every day. Like I do with my students, I ask them how their day was. Everyone can have crappy days and sometimes they just need to know that we’re all in this together. I have a syllabus I’ve created over the years of teaching that each teacher has access to and follows. But I encourage them to be themselves in class too. Its a balance between maintaining my branding but also using their own natural skills to step into their own as teachers.

Every meeting we have, I open up with the following:
1.) How’s everyone doing today?
2.) How are classes going?
3.) What can I do to help you in your classes?
4.) Where do you feel we need to focus on to help our students reach their milestones?

From there, we just create an open dialogue where I listen to what they have to say. I take in what they say and take notes. I make sure I tell my staff where they are excelling at every meeting (as well as through texts outside of classes/meetings). I also share with my staff each meeting that I’m proud of the work they’re doing and what our next step is to continue to improve our program. I also feed my staff lol. Sharing a meal with them is nice and brings in a sense of camaraderie.

I feel it’s vital that they know I have their back. I always tell them that if a parent confronts them with an issue and they feel uncomfortable with the confrontation, send the parent to me. I always want to hear about anything positive or negative that happens in their class from them first. I value their perspective and I value them. No one wants to work somewhere where they feel undervalued.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.danceascension.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dance_ascension/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063526054359
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0EwYcZx4tQxQm0kinLqfEg
• Other: TikTok: @danceascension

Image Credits
Professional Photography: Four Tiny Stars Photography Timeless Photography NC Liberate Artists Always Enough Foundation