We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Debbora Childress and Kellie Nichols. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Debbora Childress and below.

Debbora and Kellie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most meaningful things we have done is to remain open during this pandemic.

We had been in our current location for a little more than one year when the pandemic hit. Although in business for many years prior, we had recently made the move from public to private, Then WHAM, the unexpected occurred…a world-wide pandemic. Navigating this was new territory for everyone!

In this profession we work toward an annual performance goal, ordering costumes early enough to receive them in time for a show; starting dances early enough for students to feel confident and performance ready; providing families with the opportunity to see their children shine on a stage! With 30 successful shows behind us, we were not about to disappoint our students by not completing what we started!

Pandemic restrictions required our business to close for months. We maintained contact via Zoom, teaching content and checking on our students weekly on an emotional level. As soon as restrictions relaxed a bit, we resumed in person classes. We spaced our students six feet apart, maintained a strict cleaning process, wore masks and restricted the number of students we allowed inside at one time. We were extremely happy to get back to in-person classes, offering our students a sense of “normal,” and a place to safely gather with like minded friends doing something we all love – DANCE!

Although our usual “June” show was pushed into August, and pandemic restrictions kept us from following our “usual” show format, we successfully offered a PARKING LOT RECITAL!

We drew chalk circles six feet apart on the ground, where families could stand together to watch their children perform. Our students wore their beautiful costumes complete with neutral colored face masks, and shined on our outdoor stage! We performed our dances, one class at a time, for only immediate family members and friends. We spaced dances 30 minutes apart to give families enough time to enter and exit without running into crowds. Our show lasted all day long, offering one class-dance every half hour. SUCCESS! We pulled off our annual event – although different – in a safe outdoor environment! This show was the bright spot in so many months of fear and uncertainty. The constant was our faith that we would find a way to provide our dancers and their families this annual tradition. We feel extremely blessed to have made it happen!

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 background and context?

Ms. Debbora’s School of Dance is owned and operated by a Mother-Daughter team – Debbora Childress and Kellie Nichols – both lifetime, trained dancers. We offer community based, non-competitive dance classes in Parent & Me, Pre-Dance/Tumble, Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Acrobatics and Stage Production, serving ages 18 months through Adult. We are based in the city of Poway for more than 33 years – instructing literally thousands of local youth in the art of dance and movement. We have been awarded “Best Dance Studio” for all of North Inland San Diego County by a readers poll for all three years we have been in our new, independent location! Such an honor!

We are extremely proud to be teaching the children of previous dancers who studied with us as children themselves. Some of these families have been with us for more than 30 years! This warms our hearts and validates our content – knowing we are so supported!

During the pandemic, we did not receive any special funds from state or federal sources – not for lack of trying! . We did, however, receive financial support in the form of donations from past and present dance families. This allowed us to pay half of our monthly lease payments through our mandated closure. This generosity gave us the strength and faith to continue through lean times, and get to the other side of this crisis.

We hold fast to our mission of providing another inclusive “home” for our students, where friendships are established and nurtured – and dance is perceived as something to enjoy for a lifetime! We fully embrace our motto, “Ms. Debbora’s School of Dance, where every dancer is a star!”

Our approach to creating amazing, talented, happy performers without the stress and financial strain of competition sets us apart from other dance schools. Teaching excellent technique, focusing on the sheer joy of dance while providing performance/production opportunities, allows our students to succeed and thrive! Our dancers can also participate in other enrichment activities–such as Girl Scouts, horseback riding, art and drama class, etc. Studying only one subject is not right for everyone.

What do you find most rewarding about being creative?

Creativity is essential to who we are as a people and as teachers. I don’t remember a time when either of us was not watching a musical, creating one in the backyard with a sheet as a backdrop, or even now – still watching and creating these things! We each studied dance, visual arts, writing and child development – all things that have come together in this career path. We teach “children” of all ages to dance in multiple disciplines, imagine up content/choreography, paint “on-stage” pictures with costumes, create props, programs, Facebook posts, ads and communications, Each and every interest or path of study has come to play in this field. What could be more life affirming?

The chance to make a difference in the lives of students propels us forward. A meaningful line of work, a chance to touch lives, a chance to instill self-confidence, offer another place of belonging. Providing opportunities for students to learn, grow, shine, feel pride and a sense of accomplishment, to feel celebrated, appreciated, befriended, and beloved. These are things that matter most.

Creative thinking allows us to see the many shades of gray that surround all the black-and-white of the world. Our desire to pass along the ability to think outside to box, develop creative talents, invest in creative endeavors and appreciate the arts runs deep.

Putting on a show requires flexibility, inclusiveness, creativity, drama, teamwork, using all the talents we possess and wish to impart to our students. It is an amazing process. We are incredibly lucky to do this meaningful work.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

We have each been fortunate to have learned from some amazing teachers in our lifetimes. These creative, talented humans imparted such a passionate desire to continue down the dance-path, that here we are – MANY years later, still pursuing it! We felt cared for, appreciated, talented, and so much more! These teachers gifted us with things we have treasured for a lifetime. We plan to continue the cycle of “paying it forward” to the next generation of performers who we are privileged to influence.

Offering a safe, comfortable space where students feel a sense of belonging is always a goal. This space where lifetime friendships are cultivated, dance steps are learned and performed with success, where a sense of value, accomplishment and appreciation is nurtured – this is our mission.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.msdebborasdanceforchildren.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msdebborasschoolofdance/

Image Credits
DaSilva Studio Photography Ms. Debbora’s School of Dance