I have had the pleasure of interviewing Chrissy O’Donnal, owner of Chrissy’s Dance Academy in Helotes, Texas. Growing up as a young dancer, Chrissy noticed that there seemed to be two types of studios – those that consistently won competitions and those that had fun – and they didn’t seem to mix. When she opened Chrissy’s Dance Academy in 2004, her mission was to have a top studio and to “keep the fun in dancing.” Chrissy is proud to be able to say that they have continued to hit this goal throughout their 10 years.
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| Chrissy O’ Donnal |
Chrissy believes that one of the hardest things for directors and instructors is keeping dancers motivated. Chrissy feels it is difficult to find the fine line between self-confidence and keep the urge to work. She tells her dancers “to have fun and let that show through on stage.
They must work hard in the classroom so you can be as confident as possible on the stage, but know that just because you won this one, doesn’t mean you’ll win the next one.”
Chrissy’s Dance Academy has a competitive division that they call Premiere Dance Co. The dancers in Premiere Dance Co. have won several first place awards and first overall trophies. They are three-time Time First Overall National Champions. They also won a Spirit Award at nationals in Las Vegas that sent Chrissy on a free cruise to the Bahamas! They have won Choreography Awards and FDC People’s Choice awards. They have dancers who have won Mascot Awards and World Dance Challenge awards, as well as Regional and National Title Holders. They certainly have that “consistent winner” part down.
Chrissy is excited that they presently have over 500 dancers dancing at Chrissy’s Dance Academy. Some of our dancers who have at the Academy longest are Kacey & Ally Jezewski, Jessica Dykes, Avery Heyse, Maya Duncan, Rachel Ingram, Alyssa Sanchez, Enily Yanez, Kali Smith, Megan Barton, Makaily Escamilla, Nina Pyron, Kristin Salas, Rachel Stevens, and Adeline Warren. All these girls have been with the Academy since the first year they opened. Ally Jezewski is the current National Title Holder Ms. Starbound. Maya Duncan was a Regional Title Holder for Ms. Encore. Kali Smith is a Regional Title Holder for Ms. KAR. Avery Heyse is currently serving as Captain for her High School Dance Team.
Chrissy says that one of the biggest mistakes she sees dancers make in competition is bent knees. They just stick out for her. According to her, this is something that needs to be corrected in ballet class. However, one of her pet peeves is lack of self confidence. Chrissy said, “Even if you aren’t technically the best, own it on stage. Take pride in who you are and your hard work. Show the judges that you LOVE what you do and they better take a minute to recognize that. Forced smiles or looking scared is painful to watch and will be transparent to the judges.”
In Chrissy’s eyes, good dance clothing needs to be able to withstand wear and tear and all the trips through the washing machine. As everybody knows, dance clothes and dance bags can get pretty stinky so they are being washed constantly. In addition to washability, the designs need to be fun!
Their goal for this year is to be even better than last season. Although Chrissy would love to have the team bring home a National Title, that would just be the icing on the cake!! She said they must continue to grow, be stronger, more self-confident, have better technique
and take more ballet!
She tells dancers who are just starting out to be patient. She advises them to have fun, squeeze in those ballet classes and continue to work hard. Competitive dancers have trained long and hard to be where they are. It doesn’t come overnight. But it will come with the right attitude, love, and work ethic.
If you have experience with Chrissy’s Dance Academy or Chrissy O’Donnal please leave a comment below about your experience!
By Cyndi Marziani
