Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Harris.
Hi Jesse, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in a small city called Albany, Georgia. Everyone knew each other, but the city needed to provide what I wanted. As I aged and perfected my craft, my expertise needed to be in higher demand to flourish. After getting married and having three kids, I was depressed due to working a 12 hr. job and living like a robot. One day my older brother Jamil told me to look for what I wanted to do in a location I’ve always wanted to live in. As a kid, I visited Florida and was hooked on Disneyland, the Sea World, and the beaches. I went to indeed.com, and luckily there was a position for a ballroom dance instructor. I had never had any experience in a ballroom, but I was determined to change my life and go for what I wanted. On one of my off days, I received a phone call from the Arthur Murray Dance Studio owner in Lake Mary, Florida. When asked, I expressed my passion for dance and teaching others. She was impressed and said let’s set up an interview & I made arrangements to stay a few days to learn the training and how dedicated I was. After two days of practice and honing my skills, they asked when I would move to be a resident. I said it might be a while because of my job and family. The owner, Kimberley, stated she would pay for my move because she believed in me. I was elated. Within two months, I searched Craigslist and found a room for rent. This is the first time I’ve heard of anyone renting a room at someone else’s establishment. I was used to apartments and houses. When I arrived, I was at a guy’s trailer, but I didn’t care as long as I got to live out my dream as a dancer. Although my background was HipHop, I dived into the history and basic steps of these dance styles. I began learning the Bachata, Merengue, Waltz, Rumba, Salsa, Cha-Cha, Tango, Hustle, Swing, and Samba. After learning the techniques, I began learning how to instruct the males and females on their roles in partner dancing. As I spent years teaching Ballroom, I slowly brought HipHop into the studio, and they weren’t used to that in a ballroom setting. Most of my colleagues were Russians, and they didn’t get my jokes or dance style.
After two years at Arthur Murray, my dad and I had a conversation that would change my life. I expressed that I loved my job, but with a family of five, it wasn’t paying me what I thought I deserved. It didn’t help that my wife wasn’t working at the time either. We were fairly new to the area, and we had little kids. My father did some research and created an opportunity with the Afterschool program. He wrote up a contract of what I was taught and what I could offer. I looked up the contact person over the program and made a call. I interviewed a lady name, Camielle Shepherd. She looked like me and informed me of how the program worked, how much I could charge per lesson, and how often I could teach classes in their after-school care. I was so happy to finally teach what I’ve been doing back in my hometown. I gave my two weeks’ notice, and the owner was devastated. I mentioned that I wanted to grow, and it was time to leave the nest.
Slowly I started to gather all that I needed to run my very own dance business. I came up with the name Perfect Dancing. It was perfect & I instructed individuals to dance, so the name seemed fitting. My wife bought me a Bluetooth speaker to accommodate the music I played. It had to be clean music, and I had to teach kids from 3:30-5:30 at a different elementary school Monday through Friday. I set my prices, and I’ve been blessed. I teach at nursing homes, birthday parties, elementary schools, middle schools, wedding dances, events, dance studios, and the Ymca. I provide dance aerobics and private lessons. After a year with my business, I’ve also created my website. www.perfectdancing.wixsite.com/home
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road for me or my business. There were bumps and still are hoops to go through today. Due to miscommunication, I’ve had clients quit, had bad business deals, and even lost opportunities. As I grow, so does my knowledge of how to run a successful business. I use my failures to strengthen my understanding of the dos and don’ts. There are times when I don’t get paid for months, and there are times when I would receive $125 an hour. As a black male in this industry, the chances of getting stereotyped are at an all-time high. There aren’t many men of color that instruct ballroom dance in my area. Though it’s been a difficult journey, I have learned so much throughout this process, and I’m glad to have learned these valuable lessons.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a dance instructor, I consider myself an artist. Not only do I teach men how to lead, but I also teach a woman how to trust and follow their partners. Partner dancing consists of two individuals moving together simultaneously. Only one can lead, and the other must follow for the dance to be successful. A woman will find it difficult to follow a man that can’t lead and doesn’t know what he’s doing. That’s where I come in. I provide hands-on instructions on how to move with your partner and give life lessons along the way. Holding hands with your partner allows you to gaze into their eyes and do something fun as a couple. Partner dancing also gives you an experience like nothing else can by allowing you to learn something new together. Perfect Dancing will provide you with all the necessary tools to make dancing easy and enjoyable, whether you have two left feet or are simply too shy to dance at all. I will help build your self-confidence, which sets me apart from any other instructor.
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I define success as a goal that has been obtained. No matter your goal, take the necessary steps to succeed and set a new goal to supersede your original expectation. Do the impossible. Success is winning at all costs. The only one stopping you from succeeding is you.
Pricing:
- Wedding Dance for newlyweds $250
- Group Line Dance instructions $150
- Hip-Hop Choreography $100
- Private Ballroom lessons $75
- Kids Dance Class $25
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.perfectdancing.wixsite.com/home
- Instagram: Instagram.com/perfectdancing1
- Facebook: m.Facebook.com/perfectdancing
- Youtube: YouTube.com/user/deuceofdiamondz
- Other: vm.tiktok.com/ZMdnmr164
Image Credits
The Gardens at DePugh Nursing Home Parkside Health and Rehabilitation Deland T.Gaines Ent Classic HipHop Karaoke Winegard Elementary School
