What does it mean when we call you our “Dance Family”?
Over the years, or weeks if you are brand new, you might have heard us refer to Main St Funk as our “Dance Family”. This might mean a lot to you, to know that you are so valued in our community that we consider you, family, or, maybe you’ve just signed up and the phrase doesn’t hold much meaning yet. But why are we a “dance family”?
Back in 2007, when MSF was first opened by sisters Kristie and Carla, we were a small school with about 50 kids. Classes were held in one big room, separated by just a partition. Kristie would teach on one side and Carla on the other. Little sister Chloe was a student and an assistant teacher. Everything we did, we did together.
Routines were choreographed and practiced in the lounge room, weekends were spent shopping for costumes, late nights were spent editing music and staff meetings and brainstorming happened around the dinner table. Our family members jumped on board to volunteer their time and get involved with every new project we started; Photos and DVDs (which we used to shoot and edit ourselves, what!?), costume sewing and performance days. Everything was a family affair and it still is! Our mum, dad, sister Bianca, our partners, and our children, all live and breathe Main St Funk, almost as much as we do.
It has always been about teamwork. It didn’t matter who taught what class, we were always stepping in to help each other with new ideas and advice. Like sisters do, sometimes we disagreed or told it like it was but we knew that we always had each other’s back and best interest of the MSF kids at heart. That kind of love carried over to our “studio” and classes.
We didn’t hide behind a professional face. We were always genuinely and proudly ourselves, three sisters working together. We treated our students with the same respect, kindness, and honesty that we gave each other. Sometimes that meant being a should to cry on, sometimes that meant giving out some tough love.
The feedback that we started to receive was that MSF students felt so included and welcomed, that we had created such a safe space and that we were “different” from the other activities that the kids participated in each week.
But why were we different??
It was only years later that we could put our finger on what it was. It was because we are family. Our students and the entire school, are an extension of us. You are our “dance family”.
So much is different now, 14 years later and you might have noticed our family members now far exceed that right-knit little group of 50 we once were. But please know, our sentiment is still the same. We are still that shoulder to cry on, that little dose of tough love when you need it, voices of reason if you ask for it and we are always here to listen. We will continue to be genuine, honest and grounded. We have learned a lot over the years, but we are still those same three sisters.
Whether you are an OG member or you just signed up today, we hope you know that you are so valued, that we welcome your conversation, we care about your wellbeing and even though we are welcoming new family members every day so far these holidays, you are more than just a number to us.
So when you hear or read us referring to MSF as our dance family, please know that we don’t take that phrase lightly.
It is not a marketing strategy, it is not a “slogan” and it’s not something that dance schools say, just because!
It is the culture of our school, the backbone that has driven us this far and will continue to do so, it is a feeling amongst our students that grew organically over time and with a bit of TLC and a lot of hard work, it grows stronger and more prominent every year.
Past and present students, as we say goodbye to another year, we thank you for being apart of our journey and hope to see you in 2020.
With love to you, our dancing family, forever and always!
