According to Brooke Loftis, Owner and Artistic Director of The Dance Company of Ocala (TDC) in the heart of Ocala, Florida, they offer a comprehensive dance education for dancers 2 years old through adulthood. They have a recreational track as well as a pre-professional track for dancers to ensure they are receiving a dance education based on their individualized goals. Their staff is amazing! Their instructors have decades of collective experience as well as certifications with DEA, FDEO, ABT and advanced degrees in dance. Their faculty continually seeks out training to remain on the cutting edge of the new trends in the dance industry. They have a competition team which travels throughout the state of Florida as well as two recitals each dance year: a Christmas Show and a June Showcase. heir studio is a close-knit studio with a mission to meet the learning needs of each dancer they serve while ensuring age appropriate and progressive instruction in the art of dance.
Brooke truly believes what sets their studio apart from other studios in their area is their top-notch faculty. Their instructors have years of experience – all of them. Many studios in their area have high school students and college students teaching the majority of the classes. While she definitely sees the benefit in training young dancers to become amazing instructors, Brooke believes your faculty should be largely made up of experienced instructors with various credentials. TDC has several seasoned instructors with advanced degrees in dance and certifications to ensure their families that their dancers are receiving a high-quality dance education. They have a strong classroom management mission so parents can rest-assured their dancer is not “wasting time” while the teacher works to maintain class momentum. Brooke is proud of the faculty at TDC and loves serving them to make sure they have all of the tools necessary to be the best dance instructors in Ocala, Florida.
Brooke’s proudest moment as a dance teacher is witnessing the “light bulb” moment when a dancer finally grasps specific technique he or she has been working diligently on. Maybe it is the first double pirouette they execute correctly or seeing their extension a few inches higher than last class. The joy they feel radiates from them and it strikes me right in the heart. Hard work and determination is so much a part of dance and sometimes it can be hard to see it when dancers work consistently without seeing those fast improvements. It is the dancers that revel in the small victories and being able to witness them and praise them- that’s why I love this job.
Using the dreaded “C” word in dance can be a death sentence for improvement. You know, the word, “can’t.” Her dancers know they are not allowed to say this word in Brooke’s class. It stifles your abilities before you have even given it an honest effort. Going into something with an open mind, whether it is a new step, new choreography or a new dance genre, is the only way to live as a dancer. Brooke tries to instill this in her dancers on a weekly basis.
One of Brooke’s goals this year was to offer more opportunities for their dancers to improve in technique. They have started offering more ballet technique classes to give dancers more time in the studio. Brooke is excited to see how the additional classes pay off for their most dedicated dancers.
Brooke grew up in the studio, literally. Her mom has run a successful dance studio since she was 4 years old. She lived in the studio setting and loved everything about it. Brooke took over her studio last year and now her own children are following their family tradition and growing up in the studio. It is definitely a family affair and she adores the dance families and how everyone becomes so close through dance.
There are no “Dance Moms” at TDC. Brooke is a no drama studio owner. She loves her studio because they strive to keep the drama far away. Communication is key to running a successful studio and she reiterates this as much as possible with my families. She tells them that if they disagree with something, come straight to her. “Let’s talk it out.” She finds that so many times in the studio setting that unnecessary drama begins with a simple misunderstanding or miscommunication. Brooke explains that she is nowhere near perfect but if you come to her and discuss your concerns then they both have a chance to walk away with a better understanding of a situation. It may be cliché but communication really is key.
If you would like more information about The Dance Company of Ocala, visit their website at www.dancecompanyocala, email them at dancecompanyocala@gmail.com,or call them at 352-415-3350. You can also “Like” them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
Anyone who has danced at TDC is invited to comment on their blog.
It may be cliché but communication really is key.
