Julie Paige, Owner and Director of Inspire Dance Studio in La Canada, California says that at their studio their goal is to create a balance between elite training and a super-cool, self-esteem building a
nd peer supportive environment. They offer cutting-edge classes for children and teens in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Contemporary/Modern, Hip Hop, Tap, Leaps & Turns, Musical Theatre, and more! It is their passionate philosophy at Inspire that dance education is about creating a happy, whole, and successful child, as well as a superstar top dancer! The y believe that happens when children are in an environment in which they feel safe and encouraged to explore beyond their comfort zones, while being given the tools to become flawless technical dancers and performing artists. Unlike many of today’s competitive dance studios, they do not believe that disciplined top-notch training needs to be strict, belittling or stressful. This means that every child at Inspire Dance Studio will receive elite technical and performance training, while being taught how to create the self-disciplined habits of all successful dancers, how to support and uplift their fellow peers in the journey, and how to believe in their own power to manifest their dreams through hard work, dedication . . . and don’t forget fun! Additionally, they are dedicated to providing a unique setting, which includes intimate small-class sizes, gorgeous spacious studio rooms, and, of course, the most amazing professional faculty! Additionally, for students who want to take their dance to a higher level of professionalism, they offer Performance Dance Teams and an Advanced Ballet Conservatory Program. No matter in which program their students are enrolled, it is their sincere promise to over-deliver on their model of offering the highest quality dance training in the most inspiring classroom! They are all here because they love to dance, and they want their students to love their experience with us as much as they benefit from it! It is more than possible to 
give exceptional training in a fun, upbeat, challenging, and exciting classroom setting!
Julie is both a classically and commercially trained dancer and actress. She began dancing at the age of 5 and immediately fell head over heels in love with dance! At 7, she stumbled upon the world of acting & musical theatre and found a second love. Throughout her childhood Julie called acting her “heart” and dance her “soul.”
It was very important to Julie to find a way to create a studio that would be both a top-notch training ground for young dancers, while also being an inspirational place for kids to build their sense of self and learn how to be a positive contributor in the world. Too many studios these days are either completely recreational and fun but provide little quality dance training OR are highly competitive in training and performance but the environment is stressful, critical and belittling. At Inspire, they wholeheartedly believe that you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other. They have found a way to
create an outstanding dance program in a positive and fun learning environment. It is their absolute promise to their Inspire Dance family to offer the most professional quality dance training, in small class settings, with the most amazing professional faculty; in an environment that is always happy, encouraging, confidence building, and peer supportive! Whether a part of their Twinkle Star Dance Program, Recreational Performance Program, or their P
re Professional Performance Program, their students’ dreams are fostered in a way in which they will excel as dancers while happily falling in love with dance and all that their studio has to offer!
Julie’s proudest moments as a dance educator are probably not the ones you would expect. They are not the top awards, trophies, or flawless performances. Instead, they are the moments when a student tells her how their life was changed by dance or by her class. Last year, she had a student who had switched to Inspire from another studio where the training was very stressful and the focus was all about winning at competitions. At the end of last year, she sent Julie a letter saying, “Meeting you and dancing at the studio gave me the courage to do what was best for me. Because of you, I can proudly say that I’ve grown so much as both a dancer and as a person this year. I’ve learned how to do things I’d never thought I’d achieve as a dancer, but I also learned how to be proud of myself for just being me. You’re a friend, a mentor, and a true inspiration. You taught me how to fly and I will never forget that!” Over the years of being a dance teacher and studio owner, it is moments like these that make Julie feel so blessed to have a job where she can help dancers not only reach their dance dreams but to be proud of themselves for exactly who they are. Another proud moment was at a competition. They won a platinum for hip hop, placed 1st in teen jazz, received an award for having the “highest leaps . . .” However, the most special award they received that day was an award where they were recognized for being “the studio that was kindest to other studios backstage.” Now, that was something to be proud of!
Julie believes that the biggest mistake that young dancers make is to negatively label themselves. She hears kids say, “I’m not flexible,” or “I’m not a turner” or “I’m not good at that style.” To them, Julie says, “Yet! Maybe not yet, but you will be!” She tells her student to not decide that they are not good at something and then write it off as their fate. Instead they should decide that they will become good at it. Julie believes that if you believe you can and are willing to put in the hard work, 
you can achieve anything in dance. Their thoughts can be their most powerful ally or their biggest obstacle to achievement, but the best thing about this, is that they can reset those thoughts at any time. They can decide today that they are willing to work for it and that they will reach beyond their wildest dreams for ourselves (both in dance and life)!
Julie’s goal for this year is twofold. One, to ensure that every single student at Inspire is making progress toward their dance dreams while enjoying and benefiting from the process. Two, to continue to grow the studio and to let the community know about the wonderful programs they offer.
Julie owned a studio for a decade on the east coast before moving out to California and opening Inspire Dance Studio. Her first studio was not planned at all. She was taking a “3-month break” from performing in New York City and decided to try teaching some master classes. Surprisingly and immediately, Julie fell in love with teaching! It felt so different from performing. With performing the focus is all about you, not in a narcissistic way, but in a “How I can be more perfect?” kind of way. Teaching is not about you at all. It is about helping another human being to become a stronger and more confident dancer. Julie found it amazing to see a student’s eyes light up with joy when they mastered a new move or turned their double pirouettes into triples, etc. . . . She felt like she was being of use in a much more positive way. So, she extended that 3 month gig to 6 months and then a year. She thinks for the first 5 years, she kept saying “one more year an
d then I’ll go back to New York City.” She loved what she was doing, but did not love the east coast suburbs. So, after a decade, Julie started to consider how to continue to do what she loves but in an environment that was more creatively stimulating, where she could continue to grow as a dancer and human being. Very quickly, Los Angeles became the focus of that next chapter and after two years of searching for the best location and community, she fell in love with La Canada Flintridge and all that Los Angeles could offer. It was heartbreaking to say goodbye to her first studio, but she can tell you that she is still in close touch with all of her students, while beginning a new journey that will hopefully bring a new level of success and happiness into her life and the lives of her students!
If you would like more information about Inspire Dance Studio, visit their website at www.inspire-dancestudio.com, email them at inspiredancestudio.la@gmail.com or call them at 818-714-7254. You can also “Like” them on Facebook and connect with them on Instagram.
Anyone who has danced at Inspire Dance Studio is invited to comment on their blog.
Quote: “. . . the biggest mistake that young dancers make is to negatively label themselves.”
Tags: dance, dance studio, studio, Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Tap, Musical Theatre
