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

Jennifer, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Our mission is to provide high-quality dance instruction in a loving, faith-based environment that prioritizes excellence in both heart and dance. We recognize that it is often assumed the quality of instruction or performance might be lesser in a faith-based setting, but we firmly believe that faith and excellence go hand in hand. Our commitment is to break that stereotype by fostering an environment where technical mastery, artistic expression, and personal growth are cultivated to the highest standards. We strive to demonstrate that faith-based values can inspire and elevate the pursuit of excellence in every aspect of dance.

The arts can communicate things that we cannot put into words. I love that we get to provide a safe space for dancers to process feelings, feel loved and worship our God. Teens in this generation are inundated with so many messages that spark insecurity and low levels of self-confidence. Dance can be an outlet and counteract those messages as dancers build confidence on and off stage through perseverance and hard work. I grew up watching so many friends struggle with eating disorders and other hard things in their families. My favorite part of this job is watching people heal from these things and go on to become the best versions of themselves. Dance lessons really do translate to life lessons.

Jennifer, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started my studio in 2018 after realizing there wasn’t anything around that fit the bill for for what I wanted for my daughter. I knew I wanted her to recieve high quality dance training but in an environment that was loving, encouraging and would point her to Jesus. The current culture has created an expectation for dance studio conduct that has normalized music and costuming that is not age appropriate. This is an area I did not want to compromise. I knew if I felt this void, others must as well!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The most classic pivot scenario for everyone was the spring of 2020! I was just 1.5 years into my new business and had to rally on the fly to create a way for my dancers to continue dancing, but then also have a place for them to perform in the early summer that was safe, but still allowed for an audience. I ended up hosting online classes, as many other in person businesses did, but then I booked a wedding venue that had been canceled and hosted 1 class at a time performances with small groups and a spaced out audience. The families loved having an opportunity for something like this and the dancers still got to perform!

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Something I didn’t realize I was passionate about until I had built a team under me was creating a space for them to thrive within my business structure. I had to learn how to empower people, make them feel trusted and safe while still normalizing an environment of feedback. I always believe the best about people first and usually, they rise to the occasion, as they feel this rather than constant negativity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.makersdance.com
• Instagram: @makersdanceco

Image Credits

liza photo