Dance Dynamix Interview With Lesly Breen

One of our most recent interviewees was Lesly Breen, the founder of Dance Dynamix in Malden, Massachusetts.  Lesly feels her studio stands out because her studio is small and she really tries to listen to both the parents’ and the students’ needs and desires.  She works hard to make sure that everyone is happy.   She tries to make the studio work for the parents’ schedules and desires.  She thinks her dancers also work really hard and she has high expectations from her young beginner dancers. She thinks kids should be there to work and progress.  She wants her dancers to enjoy dancing  but she does not expect parents to pay her solely for the kids to have fun.

When she tries to motivate her dancers, she gives them the same information that she gave herself.  Namely, “don’t give  up,” and “if I can do it, so can you.”

When it comes to coaching, Lesly finds it hard to identify one particular moment for which she is particularly proud.  She feels that those moments continually change.   The studio is new and has only been competing for two years.  On the other hand, she finds it hard to believe that she has girls who have been dancing for only 7 months and yet they were already competing.  She doesn’t feel like they look like newbies or out of place—they have improved and try hard.  Also, this year her 7 and 8 year old novice soloists won high golds.  It is not “platinum,” but she thinks that will be soon!

Most of the mistakes Lesly sees in competition are not just the dancers, it is the choreographers and the studio owners.  Lesly thinks “mistakes” mean different things for different people.  Her students don’t always point feet and stretch knees and they lose points for that.  So, those are mistakes that the judges pick up on right away.  She is always really impressed with the level of talent and skill out there.  Sometimes, fixing mistakes just comes with age and experience.  One way she tries to fix her dancers’ errors is by taking the critiques of the judges’ back into the studio.  But, sometimes they make the mistakes again if they focus on something else!  It is a continuous process of learning, and something the Lesly is continually striving to perfect.

When it comes to dancewear, Lesly feels that a black leotard and a nude camisole fit into the category of “must have” dancewear items that every dancer needs.

She feels that studio’s goals for this year would be more customers/dancers and cleaner dances (technique-wise)!

Lesly started a studio because she has a passion for dance, and when you truly have a passion for something following someone else’s rules can stifle your creativity.  She felt like she just needed to be her own boss and start her own studio.

Dance Dynamix has only been open for 3.5 years and their second recital on a stage is this June.  She is working hard to make her studio successful, and her hard work is paying off.  In fact recently Tucker Knox of “So You Think You can Dance “Season 10 taught a contemporary dance class at Dance DynamiX.  This is just one of the many exciting things happening at Dance DynamiX, and Lesly Breen and Dance DynamiX looks to have an amazing future ahead of them.

If you have experience with Dance Dynamix or Lesly Breen please leave a comment below about your experience!