Today we’d like to introduce you to Hilary Carlson and Bernadette Carmichael.
Hi Hilary and Bernadette, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hilary’s Story: Dance started as a hobby for me but quickly became a passion, so much so that I eventually left my corporate job to pursue teaching full time. Owning my own studio soon became a dream of mine. When the opportunity arose for Bernadette and I to own our own studio, we jumped on it!
Bernadette’s Story: I started dancing as a teenager when my parents took me along to a class. The dance instructor saw potential in me and convinced me to try competition dancing. As an awkward teen, finding something I enjoyed and being praised for it was all I needed to get me hooked. After graduating college with degrees in Performing Arts and Business, I decided I wanted to be a full-time professional dancer. I now have been teaching dance for over 20 years and am fortunate to own a dance studio with my friend Hilary.
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?
Austin Uptown Dance Studio has been present in the Austin dance community for more than ten years so when we bought it in 2018, we were able to capitalize on its reputation and hit the ground running. However, that also presented some challenges, such as onboarding original staff, updating the studio’s interior as well as utilities equipment, and rebranding the studio’s website.
Bernadette and I both teach full time and compete professionally so adding the management of the studio has challenged our time management skills but we’re learning to juggle everything better every day.
The greatest challenge we’ve encountered thus far has been the pandemic and its impact on our social-based industry. However, we have evolved with the times and developed new ways of teaching dance, such as virtual private lessons, group classes, livestreams, and studio showcases. Also, Hilary developed her YouTube channel dance fitness class, Ballroom Bootcamp.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Our mission is to create a friendly and welcoming environment that makes learning dance fun. We are passionate about providing quality dance instruction uniquely tailored to each individual client. We offer private lessons in all partner dance genres for adults as well as youth, group classes, and social dance events. Our studio is home to some of the top country dance professionals. Our professional instructors along with their students have gained many World Championship titles in dance competitions.
What were you like growing up?
Hilary’s Story: Growing up, I was a very shy child. I hated performing in front of people whether it was for my piano recital or speaking in front of a crowd. But dance has given me an outlet where I can enjoy sharing something I love with others. Having been homeschooled through high school and attending a rigorous liberal arts college, I learned from early on how to be a self-starter which has afforded me the skills necessary in owning a studio. The arts have always been of interest to me, such as the study of languages, music, travel, and literature, especially period piece literary fiction.
Bernadette’s Story: Like many dancers, I was a quiet kid who found it hard to make friends. I enjoyed drawing and painting, swimming and running and playing the cello. Dance gave me so much more confidence. It also gave me an active and creative outlet through which I was able to perform and make lasting friendships.
Pricing:
- Our Introductory Find Your Dance Package : only $149 for 3 private lessons & unlimited group classes for a month
- Extremely competitive private lesson pricing for the industry $59 – $89
- Wedding Packages from a simple package of $219 up to a “wow” factor package of $1,373
- Group class packages starting from $15
Contact Info:
- Email: info@austinuptowndance.com
- Website: https://www.austinuptowndance.com/
- Instagram: @austinuptown
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/austinuptowndance
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqfT0q13R4CnppaL9iG5lUg
Image Credits
Mary Arcuni Photography Chris Yoon
