We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michelle Leagans a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, appreciate you joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

When I got my college degree in Dance, I never believed it would be my full-time career. I started out dancing in the summer during college at Busch Gardens. I was working to build up my resume for when I was out on my own. Once I graduated, I started teaching at the studio where I grew up and then became a Honeybee for the NBA Charlotte Hornets. Through this experience, I learned how much I loved teaching and really wanted to make that my permanent job. Life then took me to Houston, where I became an NFL Houston Texans Cheerleader. This job opened so many doors for me in a new city. I started teaching more and got into the choreography side as well. This was the moment I realized I could make this full-time. So, I began the process of marketing myself more and learning to use social media platforms to build my brand, I have never worked so hard to create anything in my life. There is so much competition in my industry and I was not sure where I fit in sometimes, Once I settled and realized my strengths and my weaknesses, I was able to move forward and build the career I wanted. I am happy to say that for the past 20 years, my only career has been in the dance industry.

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

My name is Michelle Leagans and I am the owner of Power Intensives and a high school drill team choreographer. I started dancing at the age of 3 and have never looked back. I fell in love right from the beginning and I am so blessed to love dance and my job more every day. I grew up in North Carolina and then went to Oklahoma City University and received my BFA in Dance Performance. I danced at theme parks such as Busch Gardens and Six Flags and then danced professionally with the NBA and NFL. Through these experiences, I learned how much I loved teaching and choreography, so I changed my focus to dance education and stopped performing. It was a tough transition in Houston, because I had only lived here for two years and was not really connected to the dance scene. I quickly realized that my place was in the drill team industry. I taught at studios for years and loved it, but I was craving the ability to work different hours and challenge myself in unique ways. So, I set off into the freelance world and worked hard to get my name and work out there, Then I decided, I wanted to create my own company and began Power Intensives. I felt it was time to push my limits more and create a dance experience for all dancers who might need some extra inspiration. It is truly the project I am the proudest of in my career. This will be our 6th season and now offer 15 intensives throughout the state of Texas each year and have around 1000 dancers that attend. The journey has been long and continues to be challenging every day, but I would not change one moment.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a dance educator is watching the dancers grow and change before your eyes. Maybe it is something so small, but their joy is infectious. Dance is more than trophies and winning. Dance is dedication, determination, strength, and passion. It is different for each and every individual and that is so inspiring to be a part of. I also think the arts brings people together. The relationships I have made over the years are truly everything to me. Dance is a community and I love what I do with all my heart.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal is for dancers to feel inspired and excited. It is so easy for athletes to get burnt out, tired, and stressed from the hours and hours they put into their sport. Dancers are athletes and experience the same type of exhaustion. I hope to bring joy and passion to my events. To show dancers that there is more than winning and that friendships last longer than trophies. Memories are forever! My goal is to bring happiness to as many dancers as I can.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://michelleleaganspowerintensives.com/
• Instagram: @michelleleagans @power_intensives
• Facebook: Michelle Leagans Dance and Choreography
• Youtube: Michelle Leagans

Image Credits
Gilded Sun Photography