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

Alright, Natalie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My mission is to create a space for kids to come and feel welcomed, loved and challenged to be the best version of themselves. We are a dance studio but our focus spans far beyond that. I hope that when our time together is up, my dancers know that they can do anything if they work hard enough and stay focused. I think dance studios put a lot of emphasis on things that may not serve young kids in the long wrong… winning competitions, extreme training practices, unbalanced schedules that do not allow kids to be kids. It is easy to slip into wanting to get the best result dance wise you can get by implementing things that have the dancer in mind, but not the child. Our goal is to create and keep a balance where we know that we are teaching life skills and dance is the catalyst. I grew up at the studio that I now own and it was such a different time. I want to create a space that they know is safe and they can turn to when the world outside becomes challenging.

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?

My name is Natalie Brum-Frazier and I am the owner of Ballet Elite Dance Studio in Coconut Creek Fl. I began dancing at this studio when I was 8 years old. After training through high school I got the opportunity to begin teaching at the studio. From there I grew our dance program and became a choreographer and director. I was given the opportunity to become a partner and then became full owner just before the Covid-19 pandemic. Like many business owners, I have been in survival mode for the last two years. I have learned a lot about myself, my staff and my clients. What I have learned most is that kids just need a place to be themselves and a place they can go and be accepted. They also need to be challenged and held accountable for their work ethic and ability to work together as a team. We pivoted to online learning when the world shut down and that was a true testament to the resilience of these kids. They logged on everyday to see their instructors and their classmates. They attempted to take dance class in their kitchens, and backyards… It was then that I knew that this is more than a dance studio. We have to stay open and we have to keep moving because so many people depend on it. We train dancers but we also love, protect and nurture these kids. I am happy to say we are here and we are thriving. We have met so many new dance families along the way and I welcome them to what is now Ballet Elite’s 20th season of dance.

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

I think just being authentic and transparent has helped build my reputation as well as build trust with my clients. My business caters to children and that is a parents first priority. It is important that they know my intentions and my heart when making decisions. It takes a lot of trust to run a business properly and with excellence. I try very hard to listen and understand the needs of my team as well as my students and parents. Like anyone I make mistakes a long the way. Some major, some minor… I once printed 150 shirts that read “Decembrer” as the date and with a little laughter and grace, we wore them anyway. The misspelling made it past me, my team and the T-shirt company before it was printed. That’s the thing about being a business owner… everything is your fault & it should be. Whether you didn’t read the final draft closely, hired the wrong employee that misrepresented you, or lost a client because of something you didn’t personally do, it is my fault and I try to grow from it. Like any great dancer I have learned to pivot when necessary and to stay humble because I am learning everyday.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I do not have a co-founder or business partner currently but I did buy the studio from my very first Ballet teacher, Ms. Dana Williams. She trained me and gave me the opportunity to direct and then own the studio she founded. Without her I would not be where I am. Through my time as an instructor at the studio I met my current General Manager, Heather Leutzinger. Her daughter danced at the studio her entire life and she slowly became a part of the B.E. Staff. When her daughter graduated she stayed with us and became our General Manager when the studio began to expand. She is absolutely brilliant in what she does. She manages, she creates processes, she looks at the big picture and pushes my business towards success any chance she gets. It is a dream to have someone like her by my side. She also loves me and our team tremendously which allows her to see us for who we are and finds ways to reach everyone in their own way. She means business and she is a rock for mine. I also have an incredible Assistant Director, Natalie Gonzalez. She was a student of mine, then an apprentice working under me for several years as I taught, directed and choreographed. Natalie has since then become a pillar in our studio and has far exceeded anything I have ever taught her with her own natural curiosity, work ethic, creativity and ability to evolve. She understands the culture of B.E. (Ballet Elite) and I have no doubt that she is the one to help me run this studio. She is now an award winning choreographer and a student favorite here at the studio teaching several classes which are thriving.

Contact Info:

• Website: BalletElite.Com
• Instagram: @balletelite
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BalletEliteDanceStudio

Image Credits
DQ Films Media Hope Spears Photography