We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elisa-Marie Alaio. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elisa-Marie below.

Hi Elisa-Marie, thanks for joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I’ve always felt a calling to own my own business and turn all of my creative ideas into a reality some day. However, executing the vision and watching it come to life was something I was afraid of at first. What if I fail? What if people don’t like me? What if they don’t think I’m talented enough to be doing this? But then the pandemic hit and I learned that life is unpredictable, it’s short and i don’t want to spend another day afraid of fulfilling my dreams. I threw fear and insecurities out the door and I started to whole heartedly believe that I could do this!

I put my ideas to paper and started a plan. I had worked at several dance studios, performed with several dance companies and I felt ready to put my talents and passion into high gear. I began teaching classes out of my living room (donation based) to bring light and love to people during a dark time. Dancing makes people happy, releases endorphins and brings us together. My community began to grow. While teaching out of my living room I started renovating a space in Carnegie, PA to open as soon as the green light was given by the CDC. I opened in early July of 2020. As you can imagine, it wasn’t easy.. am I going to make it?

Having the wild idea of opening a brand new business in the midst of a global pandemic sounded crazy to some but to me, there was no better time to start. I hired a small team that I trusted to help build the vision and there were several speed bumps along the way. I learned about the types of people I wanted to surround myself with and realized how much of a team effort this will be. It’s not just about me it’s about the people I bring on board, the clients we attract and the support we give one another.

I wanted it to be a safe space for everyone, affordable and most of all I wanted people to feel seen when they stepped foot into my space. It’s not just for dancers, it’s for anyone whose ever felt interested or called towards dancing. And I wanted people to learn that at my space, you’re never “too old” or “too out of shape” to start. FireWALL is for everyone.. regardless of your gender, shape, age etc.

We were in Carnegie for 2 1/2 years and we pushed through some difficult times. I held a high standard for my team which led to me re creating my team into what I now call, a dream team. I set an even higher standard for myself because I wanted to lead by example. I pushed through the insecurities and self doubt and felt very lucky to have so many people around me that believed in me.

If I never took that leap of faith in 2020 I would have never been able to expand my vision bringing us to a larger space, closer to the city this year of January 2023. I am just getting started on building my brand to be something greater than I ever imagined it would be.

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 have been dancing since I was 3 years old. Born and raised in New York, I had so many wonderful opportunities growing up as a dancer in a city filled with so much art. Once graduating high school, I attended Point Park University, earning a Bachelor of Arts as a dancer. I then continued my training in Los Angeles and when I decided to move back to the east coast, I felt called to return to pittsburgh. It’s a smaller city that was growing and I wanted to be a part of that growth. I began teaching all over the city, traveling to dance and building connections with my community.

I have a lot of discipline and I wasn’t always working for money but for opportunity and connection. I was young and had to prove myself. I took on any opportunity that I felt aligned with my beliefs and that’s truly when I started building my brand. Not even knowing I’d one day take this and create my own business..

FireWALL stemmed from a young woman with a ton of passion for the arts. I’m a hard worker, I never feel above things and I am very humble and appreciative that my mind and body have taken me this far. I wanted to take my talents and work ethic and put it solely towards something I believed in with my entire heart and soul. I navigated my way to a place where I felt ready to grow on my own terms. The pandemic was certainly the final push I needed to step outside my comfort zone and just do it!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I think the best example to illustrate my resilience is that I started a business and kept it afloat during the pandemic. Many people thought I was “crazy” for pursuing a career and business during a financially difficult time for most (especially artists) but I was determined to succeed. Failure wasn’t an option and I kept that mindset throughout. Every obstacle thrown my way, I handled with resilience.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I started building my reputation in the dance industry years before I even thought about building my own brand. I worked at several different studios, performed with different dance companies and built positive relationships with others in the community and supported what others were doing. Sadly, it’s rare to find artists that build a brand supporting others because it’s an extremely competitive field. I knew bringing my fresh perspective of there’s room for many of us at the top would attract those who felt the same way. The work never ends, stay humble, honest and be eager to continuing growing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.firewalldance.com/
• Instagram: Firewalldancetheater