Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamra Chace.
Hi Tamra, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The journey of becoming a dance studio owner began over in South Africa, where I was living at the time. When word spread that there was a professional dancer from America living in the small town of Hartbeespoort, I had three little girls knock on my door in the neighborhood asking if I would teach them how to dance. Of course, I couldn’t say no to their adorable faces, and their super cute accent worked in their favor of convincing me to give this a go. We converted our two car garage into a small dance space, and that is where Chace Dance Company originated back in 2013. From those girls the studio grew, we had shows, productions and gave the kids opportunities that were not available in that area. It was a dream come true… Then a job offer came up for my husband in America and we decided to sell the studio and move back state side; it was the toughest month I have ever experienced, and I will never forget the day I told those South African families about the move…. When I moved back to Florida after being away for more than ten years; I struggled with re-adjusting to the culture here.
The fast-paced living, the overwhelm of choices and too many things to balance in everyday life here. Living standards in America are definitely more stressful and demanding, but the opportunity to create something of yourself is so much bigger and worth the tough times for sure! We wanted to be in a country where we felt safe, we can go for a walk, we can drive past 9pm and not worry about being carjacked. We are living in the BEST country in the world now and we are beyond grateful and willing to put in the work here to make our dreams come true. America is a place where hard work is rewarded, and you don’t realize that until you live elsewhere for a long time. I was in a tiny apartment with my husband, trying to now start all over again from scratch — I knew NO ONE here in Lake Nona to get me started. In the apartment complex we lived in, they had a small cardio room in the gym, and I immediately envisioned starting classes in there. Management was very happy and willing to help me, so I began classes there once a week, in such a tiny space we could only fit three little kids in there for a class. How did I find those kids to get started? I did digging on Facebook and randomly messaged moms with kids in Lake Nona who looked like ballet classes might be of their interest. I received a ton of nos or just no response, and I can understand that. I’m sure they were thinking “Who is this crazy chick offering ballet classes in an apartment complex?” But do you know what I got after the 100 message- a YES!
You have to persevere for what you want in business AND in life. That student whose mom said yes is still dancing with us today. I started posting on social media with Allison (my first student), and other moms were amazed with the results, and word of mouth spread like wildfire. We had to find a bigger space, we moved to Dwell Apartments who has a beautiful basketball court we were able to use for classes and grew to about 80 families. Two years later, we have just opened our brand new commercial space here in Lake Nona a mere nine weeks ago and have grown the business to 179 families and a faculty of five professional dance teachers. Opening a business during a global pandemic was also a huge challenge and there were some tears. But again, America is where hard work and perseverance are rewarded to those who deserve it. I am blessed to be in the position I am now, the studio looks forward to inspiring the kids of lake nona, building a community of love and support, and changing the world one dancer at a time. For other up-and-coming entrepreneurs remember, the harder you work — the luckier you get.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest struggles was being able to find a commercial space. Unfortunately, landlords in our specific area find small businesses too risky to rent to, they only want chains and national tenants. Eventually, a certain lake nona company literally told us to “stop calling them, we do not want a small business in lake nona.” It took us TWO years to find a landlord that would have us as a tenant. Now we have been open for nine weeks and we are already outgrowing the space and need to start looking for the next move! I am also a young new mom, finding the time to run my business and be mom is definitely my biggest challenge on a personal level. I just don’t even have the words to describe how tough it is to run a household and a business of this size that is continuing to grow. I have HUGE respect for female business owners out there!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a dance studio that specializes in Ballet & Acrobatics, which is unique in the sense that not as many dance studios offer an acrobatics program. Coming from South Africa where acro and contortion is really strong, that is what I want to bring here to Lake Nona. The studio is also about more than just dancing, we realize that 90% of these kids are not here to be professional dancers, and that is okay, we want to teach them to be good human beings. We focus on building respect, etiquette, responsibility, and really creating a sense of community with our dance families. It is not focused as a business transaction for us, we understand that these are all real people that we are working with, who have thoughts, feelings, and emotions. We want to make a difference with what we do for the students, the families, and eventually the world! Speaking of changing the world, I started our YouTube channel because after living in Africa I saw there were so many kids who wanted to learn to dance but couldn’t afford to, so I started posting my own classes online for free to cater to that audience. That platform has grown huge, and I receive emails all the time thanking us for our videos so they can learn to dance…. (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKypoFV15wJHEaZ3l68MQbg) Follow your heart and passion — then money will come to you. Seek to make a better change in the world — and your life will change forever. I am so proud to be able to impact people’s lives through dance on a daily basis, I look at everything as an opportunity to learn and grow from.
What matters most to you? Why?
Helping people matters the most to me. Again, life is stressful and we are all trying to do the best we can. If there is any way that I can make someone’s day (or life) easier by lending a helping hand, count me in. I am the first one to donate, to give back, to do something good. I want to leave this earth knowing I made it better, regardless of how big or small that may be on a grand scale of things. I want to know that I gave it my all, and I did my best for this world. I will never take advantage of the life I have been given…..
Contact Info:
- Email: tamra@chacedancecompany.com
- Website: www.chacedancecompany.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/chacedanceco
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKypoFV15wJHEaZ3l68MQbg
Image Credits
Kelly Rodriguez Photography
