Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melissa Estudillo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Melissa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
I’ve always wanted to learn in a dance class growing up but I didn’t know where to go so I never went. I didn’t officially start training in classes until 2018 after I moved to LA for college. I went to a class every week and even when I first moved back to Denver, I still took classes all the time. If I had started training when I was young like I wanted to, I definitely would be a lot better by now. The more classes I take, the faster I improve. Ever since I started teaching my own classes, it has been hard to find time to take classes from other people but I believe the key to improving is to be a student.
Melissa, 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 am a dance instructor at GVM Studios and I also occasionally teach private lessons. I teach Beginner Hip Hop at 7 pm and Beginner Heels at 8:15 pm on Wednesdays. I also teach a Tween Hip Hop class at 5:30 pm on Tuesdays for ages 10-13. Every week is a new dance and I teach each dance slowly in small chunks.
I do my best to make sure everyone, first time dancers and experienced dancers alike, feel welcomed and included in my classes. I always encourage everyone to cheer each other on and I believe that positive energy is what makes my class different from other classes and makes people want to come back.
What do you find most rewarding about being creative?
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Not to say that I have such a high reputation in the Denver dance community, but I believe that if I do have one, it would have came from always making sure my classes bring such a positive energy that makes people want to come back. People will always remember the way they felt about something so having that positive experience has helped bring more students into my class.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dancesbymeli/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Choreo-by-Meli-100257298716486/