Today we’d like to introduce you to The Dushane Family.
Hi The Dushane Family, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It all started after the pandemic. As a family, we decided it was time to start our own place, and the freedom of the virtual world of teaching allowed us to do just that. It wasn’t how we expected to start, but it was really taking off. We started doing Zoom Private Lessons for vocal, acting, and dance. It had only been a few weeks, and we already had quite the following. We had gained a little over 10 students, and once quarantine was lifted, all of them reached out and were interested in live classes or lesson visits. So, we started looking for a local studio that would lend us its space during its closed hours. That’s where we met Legacy Irish Dance. They were so kind as to lend us their space, so we decided to take a bold move and hold auditions on the first day for a small Competitive Theatre Troupe. Much to our surprise, another big hit! We had over 30 students audition on the first weekend and received more inquiries about next year’s opportunities. By summer, we had a full class schedule offering live classes in Voice, Acting, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, and Ballet. We felt so blessed to have been gifted this opportunity, and we really owe a lot to that first team. We are so thankful for every one of them, some of them that started when they were younger are still with us today. That first year we ended up having a team of twenty-two students of various ages. We only competed at one regional competition to start, and then another big surprise, we won! By that fall, we would move into our own space and hold our first two shows, and end the year with our first Showcase. We were tiny but mighty, moving into a second year with a regional title, two shows, and one fantastic end-of-year showcase under our belts. The students wanted more! More shows, bigger team, more classes. So we responded, and we had our first two summer musicals. A double feature of “The Wizard of Oz” and “Little Women”. Needless to say, the shows were a hit! Now we fast-forward 5 years, 4 showcases, 16 shows, 2 haunted houses, 4 regional titles, and 3 national titles, and counting. We’ve seen so many wonderful artists come and go through our doors, and we are so thankful for every one of them. Many of whom went on to outstanding careers and collegiate paths. That’s why we do this. We started this journey with the hope of gifting the next generations of creatives a steady foundation and a long-lasting support system that will grow and be there to guide them through their own journeys. A fellowship of artists and a healthy childhood theatrical experience. Many of our graduates have come back to visit and even help coach the younger students. This year marks our first official year of opening our graduate coaching internship program. Where the graduates get the opportunity to come back and learn the ropes of being on the other side of the audition table. That’s really what all this is for: preparing for the future of art and passing on all the knowledge we’ve gained, the old teachings, traditions, and firm foundations, some of which we had to grow on our own. Passing on all of that knowledge and creating an artistic ecosystem that thrives, and the old and the new. The traditional and experimental. We believe in passing on to all our students the freedom and humility to learn from everyone, everywhere, and everything. True art is unlimited and undefinable; we want to pass on that sense of freedom of expression to as many students who are willing to take it.
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?
With any business venture, there are risks, and, as expected, there will be some struggles. Some of the most prominent difficulties we’ve faced have been internal. Admittedly, we always face a bit of anxiety with every student that passes through our program or with every show we produce. There’s always that looming question hanging over our heads: Are we doing enough? Are we good enough? What more can we do? What more can we give? Keeping up with the ever-changing interests of today’s youth is an endless rat race. There are, like with any job, highs and lows. After five years of owning this business and over 20 years in this type of business, the central point we’ve landed on is just to enjoy the ride. Treat every year that comes as if it’s the first. That’s how we keep the ideas fresh and stay present with the younger community. If we do that, then the rest falls into place. We never turn down an idea; we explore all kinds of opportunities. We also think what sets us apart is that we invite other creatives in! We want to share in this community we’ve created. We have and continue to partner with so many different artists of all mediums, because it takes a village, and the village can only get stronger the more we allow in.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At St. Johns Stage, we provided a “One-Stop Shop” for all things performing arts. We provide everything from in-depth training in weekly technique classes to electrifying full productions, a nationally award-winning competitive team, expert-led private lessons, and so much more. We are known for our traditional bio-focused vocal training curriculum. Our vocal instructors base all voice classes and private lessons on building a strong foundation of understanding and enriching the anatomy of the voice. This helps our singers achieve their vocal goals, with longevity and proper vocal health being their core values. We believe one thing that sets us apart is our process-based learning environment. This means that we administer an approach that focuses on developing essential techniques and refining skills rather than just preparing for a specific role. We also believe that what sets us apart from others is our level of dedication to our students. Being in this type of business for so long, you learn what it takes to create a long-lasting and transcendent work. We believe in instilling in our students the value of truly dedicated work. So that’s what we provide, through the long nights and early mornings, the 14-hour days, just to paint a stage. We believe that this level of dedication to our students will inspire them to know that excellence lives in the follow-through. Simply put, you’ll get out of the work what you put into the work; the bigger the risk, the higher the reward.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
As far as risk-taking goes, we started on a risk, and the leaps of faith have not stopped there! Speaking from a personal point of view, we love risks; they’re exciting! Every time we take a risk, we go through an intense roundtable with all our staff and sometimes even some of our fundraising committee. However, most of what we assess is the possibilities of the risks we’re about to take. As a business, much like how we are as a family, we live for the spontaneous moments. Makes this journey that much more exciting. So, to answer again, we love taking risks and are excited to take many more in the future.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stjohnsstage.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/st.johns_stage
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/st.johnsstage
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@stjohnsstage
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@st.johnsstage
