Today we’d like to introduce you to Tegan Thomas.
Hi Tegan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I opened a traditional dance studio in 2011. After seeing the impacts of COVID and the increasing cost of living, many of my clients and the community as a whole were struggling. People are working multiple jobs and cannot always find the time or additional income to bring their kids to multiple expensive traditional dance classes every week.
I decided to close my studio and shift into a non-profit dance company. I closed my dance studio and founded Orbit Dance Company in 2024. This model allows us to hold classes in the Salem-Keizer schools as well as the Boys and Girls Club. Our class prices are very low, and students meet once a week. Parents are involved in fundraisers, we hold recitals that are free for students, and recycle or reuse costumes as much as possible.
Students learn multiple styles in their company class each season. For example, last year our minis did lyrical, jazz, musical theatre and pom. By training the kids in multiple styles over the course of the school year the students grow in both athleticism and stage presence! Our students perform in at least two free recitals a season, as well as two competitions. Dancers create lasting friendships while staying active and developing new skills.
I firmly believe that anyone that wants to dance should be able to, without cost being a factor. Orbit Dance Company is still small, but we dream of having a robust scholarship fund so that any dancers that need support can keep dancing!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Closing the studio that I owned, managed and taught at for 13 years was a heartbreaking decision. I deeply loved my studio and student base. My children came to work with me for years. When I adopted my youngest daughter in 2017, I took two weeks off and came back to teaching with her in a front pack. My students and their moms would lovingly help keep the baby entertained when she was old enough to crawl and explore so that I could teach.
My business became a family, as so many dance studios do. We support and encourage each other’s children over the course of their childhood. The dance family that I had a hand in creating had ended, and a new dance family is being cultivated. It is different, and it is exciting! I look back fondly on my time as a studio owner, while stepping into a new role as executive director of a non-profit.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I truly love teaching the preschool dance classes. Dance teachers know that the three to five year olds can be a bit tricky to keep engaged and learning. Seeing them light up when they learn something new is a feeling that cannot be fully explained. Imagine seeing a baby take their first steps, it feels like that when a little dancer gets a cartwheel or leap for the first time!
My oldest daughter will graduate in two short years and I am truly soaking in every second I have with her in class. She works so hard, and seeing her accomplish every goal she sets for herself is an incredible feeling. It is an honor to be trusted with the dreams of another, and help them along the way. As I become a more seasoned coach, I realize more and more how precious it is to be able to help someone make their dream a reality.
I excel at helping others create an actionable plan to get to where they want to be. My students know the ladder goal sheet well, and we celebrate each step along the way!
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
As a young coach I thought that results (as in trophies or class sizes) were the mark of success. I wish I could go back and get that idea out of my mind. Winning is an amazing feeling, but having a team or class that is supportive of one another is better. Perspective is everything! I struggled with debilitating anxiety as a child, and have worked with many dancers over the years that have struggled with anxiety as well. I have learned to be the coach that I wish I had as a child, though I am sure I will keep learning and growing over the rest of my career! I open my classes with a ‘feeling word’ to do a quick check in with students. If someone is feeling lonely or sad, I will teach them differently that day. Gentleness mixed with high expectations is the best description of my current coaching style.
Pricing:
- Petite Co. $60/ Monthly
- Minis Co. $80/ Monthly
- Junior Co. $100/ Monthly
- Senior Co. $100/ Monthly
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.orbitmovement.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orbit_movement/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OrbitDanceCom
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DanceTegan
