Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Janet Nevel. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Janet thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I have been involved in dance since I was 3 years old. I loved taking classes. I loved learning about the different art forms that dance could offer. It was a safe space for me to express myself without judgement. When I started teaching in 2011, this is what I wanted for my students as well. To share my passion. In 2014, 2 out of the 3 studios I was teaching at decided to close their doors. I wasn’t sure I could handle the idea of owning my own business or running my own studio, but I decided to give it a try. Each studio I taught at ran their businesses a little differently so I took all of the ideas I thought would work best and created my own studio, Live Love Dance Studio, LLC. This year is our 10-year anniversary. I am so proud of what my business has become, and I hope to continue to spread the love for dance to students young and old for many years to come.

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

Janet resides with her husband, Tony, son, Owen, and daughter, Evie in Shavertown, PA. She earned a B.A. in Communications with minors in Business and Theatre from the University of Scranton, where she was a dancer/choreographer for the University of Scranton Dance Team and a member of the stage crew for the University of Scranton Players. She has been studying dance for thirty-eight years, music throughout her formative years, and has been teaching dance since 2011. She studied dance with the Abington Heights Civic League Dance Academy, Cristina Sohns-Williams Studio of Dance, Broadway Dance Center in NYC and has attended various dance workshops throughout PA. She has also taught and choreographed for local theatres and schools and still performs at numerous benefits and events in our area.
Janet taught dance for local companies including Abington Heights Civic League Dance Academy in Clarks Summit, Dance Contours in Wilkes-Barre, and for Cristina Sohns-Williams Studio of Dance in Hamlin, PA. She is trained in numerous areas of dance including Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Acro and Ballroom. She has been the Owner of Live Love Dance Studio since 2014 and has participated in many programs, parades and events in the area. Dance has always been a huge part of her life and she feels honored to be able to share her passion with students young and old every day.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

In March of 2020 we almost had to close our doors for good due to the Covid-19 shut down. Our dance year was interrupted when we found out that there was a global pandemic upon us. I was in shock when I received the news that we wouldn’t be able to re-open our doors. Thankfully we were able to finish out our dance year online with the help of Zoom. We were physically closed for 5 months. That was 5 months of income lost. Each day my staff and I tried to come up with ideas to keep our students and their families engaged. It was a struggle to build my business back up to where it was but each year we are getting bigger and stronger.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Word of mouth. I believe word of mouth is the best form of marketing out there for my business. As a mother of 2 young children myself, I know the importance of taking recommendations from my family and close friends when trying out something new.

Contact Info:

• Website: Facebook.com/lldstudio.com
• Facebook: Facebook.com/lldstudio.com

Image Credits
Isabelle Navy Photography, Lisa Lee Photography, ACD Creative