Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Baker.
Melissa, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I worked a corporate job at a local bank and was pregnant with twin girls. We had plans to have our girls at a childcare center at the bank. However, our girls came nine weeks early and when it was time for me to go back to work, one had just arrived home from the NICU on a heart monitor. I could not imagine having someone else take care of our little ones. My best friend started a mobile dance company, Dancing Little Stars in Virginia. She called me when I was at my lowest thinking of going back to my corporate job. She came to Jacksonville a couple of days later and we began Little Dancing Stars in 2001 with four month old twins! That first year I had 27 students, which covered health insurance from the bank, and today I have 570 dancers. We worked very hard to get the curriculum and music just right for our age group. In 2001, we thought these two companies would just be us.
But today the sister company, Dancing Little Stars is a trademark company all over the US.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Owing your own company comes with a lot of responsibilities; expectations of your clients, making sure dance instructors are providing the best product and making sure that we are doing the better than others to make our company stand out from the rest. March of 2020 hit us hard and came with a lot of learning experience to always prepare for the what if’s. As I get older, my clients are around the age that I was when I began Little Dancing Stars and I have to remember that this is probably the first dance class, first recital, and I need to ensure that it’s the first of a great dance experience to carry on to a local studio once they graduate from us.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Little Dancing Stars is a mobile dance company that travels to local preschools and private schools teaching ballet and tap to ages 3 to 6 years old (some schools we teach up to 4th grade). There is a toss up of what I am most proud of; our dance instructors and recitals. Our dance instructors take their love of dance to the next level making sure that their little dancers know not only the terminology, but the technique at the level for each dancer. Our recitals are top notice, with having fun for everyone! Our emcee, Debbie Dance Mom keeps everyone engaged.
What’s next?
We are always planning for the next dance season; we hold a summer and a fall season. And of course we are always thinking about the next recital, even when the current year recital has not happened yet!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.littledancingstars.com
