Nurture it

“Dance is a universal art form. We commit ourselves to offering educational programming and entertainment for an inclusive spectrum of our community.”

• JiM co-founders saw a need for a dance studio where boys and adults could and would also WANT to dance. The groundwork to create such a studio began with the very naming of the studio, and the selection of a logo and colors. We steered clear of any representation of a female figure in a dance pose (very common for studios), and selected black, teal, yellow as the colors, with an occasional rich red thrown in. Any gender or age dancer can choose from logo wear that is “plain” silkscreen, rhinestoned, or “sporty” and many Hip-Hop classes create their own costumes under direction of a theme, selecting whatever pieces they feel comfortable wearing.

• During the first 4 years, JiM offered Boys Only classes, because many families were worried about their boy being singled out or being the only boy in class. The studio went from 2 boys only hip hop classes with 6-8 boys each in Spring 2016, to having 61 boys in all mixed gender classes in Spring 2023 (still primarily hip hop, but also in jazz, tap, and ballet!). The goal was always to do away with “boys only” classes, and the culture in the community around who can dance at our studio has shifted enough to allow us to push the needle toward full inclusion.

“We believe children and adults have better learning outcomes when they are held in a net of compassion, love and respect. In every interaction among our organization and its participants, we see no excuse not to be kind.”

• Joy in Motion is known for its tone of positivity, and that is no accident. From rehearsals, to emails, to interactions between staff, all communication is framed with respect and compassion, even (and especially!) when boundaries are enforced.

• Dance has a long history of using the rod to teach and correct. Directors model and reinforce that corrective technique can be learned through inspiration, play, and pointing out what’s not working WITHOUT resorting to shaming a dancer or pitting children against each other in negative competition.

“We believe in working as a team, letting all voices be heard. Working together makes us stronger as individuals and as an organization. We model collaboration in our very founding by two directors who have been working together every step of the way.”

• From the free-style circle to student-generated choreography to bringing theater improv games into the classroom, Joy in Motion staff pass on the collaborative nature of dance in every age and genre of class.

• As a non-profit, Joy in Motion is a collaboration with the community in many ways. Dance families are invested, financially through donations and emotionally through affinity, with the success of the studio.

• Joy in Motion collaborates with as many community partners as we can when the missions align. We host birthday parties and scout badges, show up with flash mobs at fundraisers for other non-profits, join parades, and donate gift certificates and other in-kind offerings to school groups.

“We recognize the value of your time and the importance of family. Dedication to dance training and performance can require considerable commitment. We believe in providing an atmosphere that allows for flexibility, understanding and compromise.”

• Joy in Motion co-founders hired and paid their instructors as employees before it was the law in CA because they cared to professionalize the field of dance instruction as respect their teachers as professionals who deserve basic protections like sick days. Those foundational pieces of consideration and respect may not be seen directly by clientele, but the fertile ground of consideration bares fruit for the entire organization and all customers.

• Understanding the climate of life for customers is a key part of consideration. Families in the area of the studio are in a high-pressure climate of accelerated success in every area of parenting and childhood—academically, socially, and in every extra-curricular activity. Joy in Motion understands this client culture and has chosen to be as flexible as possible in our policies because we value our mission of bringing dance into as many lives as possible. We understand who we are as an organization and that families who want a highly competitive and demanding studio have other options for where to dance.

“We make space for every individual to discover and embolden their inner authority. We help build self-esteem through creativity, individuality, and mutual respect.”

• JiM co-founders saw a need in the dance community for after-school studios that empower ARTISTS and not just technical powerhouses. Many dancers do not connect to their inner artistic authority in dance until/unless they join a collegiate program. That’s too long to wait!

• The pressure to churn out technically excelling dancers in order to “prove” your worth as a studio is very palpable. It takes conscious choices and a strong grounding in your mission to trust that the community will understand the deep empowerment that comes from building up artists and not just dance athletes.

• The growth of the Joy in Motion adult program is also a testament to our move of the needle on empowering adults to return to or find the joy of dance for themselves. The studio has more than quadrupled the number of adults who PERFORM in our annual stage shows in the last 4 years. The adult performances are highlights that kids and adults alike do not want to miss every year now. The first year of shows it was often overheard in the wings a kid saying, “Why are those adults dancing?” Now we hear, “I wish my mom would join the adult jazz class!” “When is the adult hip hop dance going on? I don’t want to miss it!” Adults are empowered to show up for themselves and their community as dancers and we are proud to demonstrate to children that your dancing life doesn’t have to end at 18 when you would age out of most suburban dance studios.

“We expect our company, our teachers and our students to be curious lifelong learners. We encourage and pay for on-going professional training for ourselves and our staff.”

• This one almost needs no explanation. How can we expect our students to be curious learners if their mentors are not also the same.

• Joy in Motion holds the knowledge we know, but we also demonstrate humility when we are corrected or have something new to learn as an organization. There is always something new to learn.