We recently connected with Stephanie Dana George and have shared our conversation below.

Stephanie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

The risk for me was starting my dance and fitness studio in the first place. My husband and I thought long and hard about taking this dream and making it come true. We decided together to take the risk, take out a loan and put all of our trust in starting a business. We gathered together everything in our grasp and we did it! We found a great location, hired amazing instructors and opened our doors. We are still only a year old and trying to build our Dance Company family, but it’s happening and we’re proud of where we are.

Stephanie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Stephanie Dana George. I am the owner/director at The SG Dance Company in Cottonwood Heights, UT. I have been dancing since the age of 3 and teaching since the age of 16. I have studied jazz, ballet, Pointe, tap, contemporary, ballroom, hip-hop, drill, tumbling, yoga, music, etc. I danced through college and have continued in my adult life, taking classes and learning all I can to share with my students. Dance is 100% my lifeblood. I am at home here in the studio. I wanted to bring that joy and passion to as many dancers as possible. After teaching and choreographing for many studios, schools, and theaters… I decided it was time to open my own studio and give the gift of dance through my own fingertips, heart, soul, and ideas.

The SG Dance Company is a dance, fitness and Martial Arts studio in Cottonwood Heights. We offer classes for ages 2 to 102, no joke! We offer classes in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, musical theater, ballroom, vinyasa yoga, buti yoga, dirty fit, body barre, sound bath, heels, Martial Arts, etc.

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

The SG Dance Company has only been in business for a year, but I believe we are starting to gain a reputation.

Our mission is to instill love of dance, while inspiring confidence, discipline and respect of the performing arts. We provide a technical foundation for the developing dancer. The SG Dance Company will strive to give each individual dancer the tools they need to take dance as far as they dream to take it. We believe if you can dream it, you can achieve it! We believe each dancer has the ability to increase their physical, emotional, and intellectual well-being through our dance program.

We appreciate that the heart of a dancer is born into many different bodies and the love of dance can take on many different styles. We will urge each dancer to strive daily for their personal best, as well as to support one another, teaching the importance of teamwork and friendship.

We believe that the discipline, focus and artistic enlightenment of dance creates success in all aspects of life. Dance contributes to the development of responsible, dedicated, determined, and creative adults in society.

The SG Dance Company is dedicated to our studio families. We believe open communication and encouragement both at home and within the dance studio will promote a stronger self-worth within each dancer. The success of each dancer is a result of great teamwork between the dance studio and our dance studio families.

As said best by Mikhail Baryshnikov:

“I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to to dance better than myself.”

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I believe every single day as a business owner is hard. It can be challenging to be the owner, teacher, boss, dance mom everyone expects you to be and continue to train yourself… let alone run the finances and business part of the whole thing. I have days when I wonder why I opened my own studio, but honestly, that feeling melts away the moment I step foot on the dance floor and begin teaching these incredible dancers.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thesgdancecompany.com/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesgdancecompany/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSGDanceCompany/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpDHRTrgPpaC5k0WcXlR_dw
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-sg-dance-company-cottonwood-heights

Image Credits
Aubrie Tolman  & Photos By Stephanie