During Women's History Month, I have invited several women who have been formative in my life to share about their journey and callings. As you learn about these women, I hope you are inspired and challenged.
I met Mari through the dance world. The first time was when I attended a salsa party she hosted. It was hands down the best salsa party I had been to, she considered every detail and was a phenomenal host. She has a warmth and inviting spirit that has me always feeling welcomed and seen. She shares a bit of her journey with us:
I'm Mari and my biggest joy in my life is being a mother to my 2 great kids, my daughter who is 7 and my son who is 1. I also truly enjoy sharing the joy of Dance with others. My husband and I have very musical backgrounds and we always knew we wanted to do something bigger in that field. 5 years ago an opportunity came about to bring those life long dreams and passions into reality and start my own ballroom dance studio.
It was my mother who was a big part of encouraging me to take that step. She is definitely my biggest inspiration, as she started a franchise with practically nothing but pencils and unwavering determination and turned that business into a successful company that took care of our family for over 30 years. She loved owning her own business and coaching others to reach their full potential, all the while providing care for those in need. By working in that business side by side with my mom for 20 of those years, I learned so much about business, personal strength and caring for others.
When I started Dance On Main Ballroom Studio, I made sure we had a ballroom dance program for our students with special needs. That program is absolutely incredible and life changing for us all. I remember when I began the process to start the studio, there were several times my path to making my own business was not the easiest because of my gender and perhaps even my age at the time too. But I persevered. I can still remember driving into the parking lot every Sunday morning, as all the men were walking into their own businesses, and I walked into mine, more proud than ever. A quote I'll always remember is "I felt like quitting, but then I saw who was watching." and that still resonates with me today. Having my daughter, I want her to, not only know, but to also SEE, that she can go after whatever fills her soul and can make magic happen in the most unexpected places. I am so proud of our team of instructors at the studio that make magic happen every day on that dance floor and we get to not only create art, but to spread the joy of dance to others.
The non-profit program we offer to students with special needs is called "Dancing With Friends" and we have beautiful events that help raise funds for their classes and program. We also have a way to donate to our program, on our website at danceonmainstudio.com/online-store
As we say at Dance On Main, "Never miss a chance to dance!"