We recently connected with Chelsea Seward and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Chelsea thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I started dancing when I was 11 years old in Maple Ridge, B.C. Throughout my years in BC, Alberta, then finally Ontario, I really tried to fit in with other dancers and groups, but honestly never really found my place. I was made to feel like I needed to “fit in”, in order to stand out, and this never seemed to work for me.

There was one group in Edmonton, however, that really embraced uniqueness and those ladies became some of my lifelong friends. They really showed me that it was possible to be the intense, colourful, dance addicted chick I was, and be celebrated for it. In this group as well though, there was still something missing for me.

Fast forward to 2015 in Toronto.. I finally meet a brilliant choreographer who sees my fire, my potential, resonates with my intensity, and we began a really incredible friendship. He hired me for my first job in Toronto, and many more to follow, and we spent many weeks and months talking about our deepest passion for dance and all we dream of for the dance community. After a year of working together, we decided to bring all of our passion, skills and dreams to life, and Badass Babes Dance was born. Our goal was for this company to be a home where dancers could be celebrated for their uniqueness, take up space, discover their dancer identities and be BIG energies in a room while training with the best of the best. The “non-negotiable” we still have today, was that our space has to remain a judgment-free, inclusive and welcoming environment at all times. At this point in time I remember feeling HIGH ON LIFE because I was finally going to be creating the community I had always wish I found, the dance friends I dreamed of, and the space where STANDING OUT was now seen as “fitting in”.

I remember telling the dancers in our pre-show group huddle in Season 1 (and haven’t stopped since), that I never found a group where I felt like I belonged…so I made my own. Until today, I tell them that they are my Dream Come True, and I hope they always feel like they have a home with us. “Once a Babe, always a Babe”!

Stay strong to who you are, fight for what you love, stick to what you believe in, and the rest will fall into place!

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?

I am a kid from a small town who had a deep rooted passion for dance, a desire to escape my everyday life, and a dream to belong. I got into my industry because I only had a Plan A, and never created a plan B. There was no “if dance doesnt work out”. Dance kept me focused, kept me mostly out of trouble, was my safe space and happy place. In my opinion to success in this industry, and make your mark, you have to LOVE dance, not like it. You sacrifice for the art, fight to be your best, never stop growing, and always remain confident yet humble. My quote to my dancers who want longevity,
“Stay happy, stay healthy, stay humble, stay hard-working”.

Our mission is to inspire, uplift, and transform lives through the art of dance.

Badass Babes Dance was created as a result of many years of feeling misunderstood, and misguided, in our own dance journeys. As dancers, we felt the constant need to fit in, in order to stand out, so after years of exploration of our own we created a community that encourages uniqueness and diversity. We have upwards of a 90% return rate, and the consistent reason for return is that dancers finally feel like they’re safe to grow, make mistakes, have fun and learn to love themselves all while feeling worthy and celebrated. “A true dance family.” (melts my heart!)

In our community, we aim to nurture our dancers in a safe, inspiring, and judgement-free environment, where Babes are encouraged to stand out, stand tall, and dream big. If you have injuries, or limitations (physical or mental), we will do our best to work WITH you so you can feel ENCOURAGED to be a Babe, and never DISCOURAGED. This is also another area where dancers feel safe, and empowered, with us.

We offer ADULT ONLY dance programs and workshops, where some programs include a live performance at the end, and a professional video of the end-of-season routine. In our shows, we have raised over $22,000 for local charities, and only continue to GROW our community of Badass Babes.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

That I was too intense when it came to dance. Since I can remember I was always one to focus in class, ask questions, want to practice outside of class, clean details of the details, dive into studying what I needed to study, sacrifice a lot to be at rehearsals (and I expected the same from others).

I was told in many different dance groups that “it’s not that serious” when I would offer to help correct mistakes, or want to practice on the sidelines with others. After a while I definitely started to downplay how I really felt about dance, because I wanted to try to fit in and not be seen as the “teachers pet”, so to speak.

Eventually, as the years went on and I matured, I realized that the issue wasn’t my deep love and passion for dance, it was that I assumed everyone should feel/act the same when they were dancing. I assumed that in classes, rehearsals, on the job etc. everyone should have the same work ethic and drive as I did / do. That was incorrect, and definitely puts you in some interesting positions.

SO, I had to UNLEARN that I was “too intense”, but instead learn that my intensity has to be presented, and delivered in different forms, depending on the situation. I needed to know my role, understand my surroundings, learn knew communication styles, and never lose my intensity! I just needed to learn to package my energy and enthusiasm accordingly. :)

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

July 24th, 2020 my Mom unexpectedly died, and I didn’t just survive, I thrived.
Let me explain…
My mom was my best friend, my biggest cheerleader, my PUSH with dance when I felt lost. She was my morning text, my 500 calls during the day and the last person I called before bed. She shared every accomplishment and bragged to every person who would listen. She shared in my biggest dream of getting my 01 Visa and moving to LA.

When she died I completely lost who I was as a human, a dancer, a daughter, a wife, and no one would understand that unless they’ve lost a mother. I didnt want to do anything with myself or my life. I didnt want to be a dancer, or have any job at all…I remember asking myself “so you just want to stare at a wall all day?” I had no answers. I literally was a shell of human, and the Chelsea I knew for 31 years was gone forever.

The biggest example that shows my resiliency, is that I hit a moment very shortly after her death where I told myself that this death is either going to MAKE ME or BREAK ME….and if I want to really live again I had to make a move, fast. So I leaned into what I knew how to do best, dance and teach.

It was only 4 months after her death I started an online program called 
“High Heals Dance Journey”, where I combined heels dance training and mindset healing through an online portal, for dancers around the world. I focused on deep mental health topics with journal prompt questions, as well as dance training tutorials and exercises, leading to a 4 hour online Zoom call each week to discuss and dance. Eventually I created two levels of this workshop, and within a year of running sessions, was contacted by a team of psychologists who wanted to collaborate with me because they recognized my programs were helping their clients. THAT WAS HUGE FOR ME. These programs last a full year, and eventually I felt like it was time for me to spread my wings and retire the program.

The moral of this story, that I reflect on when I start to feel moments of weakness, is that I had the strength to take the darkest, scariest, most depressing part of my world, and manufacture it into a light that shone so bright, through the darkest part of me, it changed people entire lives for the better. Imagine having to genuinely admit that my moms death was the sole reason I was able to change the lives of many, in the ways I did, for the better? 
Thats some heavy stuff, and isn’t easy lol. I still dont know how I did it… but I did. Since then I’ve had many people reach out after losing their loved ones, sharing that they know they’ll be okay one day because I showed them that life after death is possible. (makes me cry to reflect on!)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.badassbabesdance.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelseaseward_/
• Facebook: Chelsea Seward
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BadassBabesDance

Image Credits

Tempest Photo
Captive Camera
Zynth Entertainment