Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Hays.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my DanceWithNancy.com and The Romance of Dance instruction series many years ago designed for non-competitive every day people that want to learn easy steps to plan for their first dance at a wedding or social event or to have fun and exercise at the same time. We created tutorials for country and party line dances as well as standard ballroom dances and themed and wedding day dances for couples and singles learning alone or with a partner. The DVD/CD series received fantastic reviews in major publications like Billboard, Variety, Brides Magazine, and others and our live dance and music events were highlighted in the LA Times and Las Vegas Sun. I appeared on major TV talk shows teaching celebrities like Mario Lopez and others. I also shot a TV pilot and a Fit TV Body by Jake infomercial showing how easy it was for people to dance at home.
After the pandemic hit in March of 2020, I decided to convert my entire series to an online platform. I thought it would be great for brides and grooms and those that want to dance in small family groups or at senior independent living facilities where they can no longer go out and socialize or dance in public. We added a free entertainment section to the site highlighting some great retro swing and ballroom bands and country music songs to practice to including The Devil Went Down to Georgia and the Achy Breaky Heart. Our 70s section features hussle dancing and Saturday Night Fever moves as well as The Electric Slide and others. It’s super fun and great for all ages. Those at home can also experience dancing with a live orchestra on our site which is a very unique feature. The dance tutorials range in price from .99 to 2.99 and once they are downloaded, the viewer can watch them over and over again and share with friends. It’s a great value considering that a ballroom lesson at a private studio can run from $75-$150. We also feature music to go along with each dance in our virtual store. It’s a one stop shop for learning and enjoying many different kinds of dancing.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Well, no, it has not been a smooth road. Anyone selling a creative product that tells you a career in the arts is not difficult is not realistic. But pursuing your artistic passion is what makes life worth living and a career worth fighting for. If you try hard and stick to it and keep looking for the right opportunities to share your artistic gifts, you can find a way to make a living doing something you love that also brings joy to others. When stores like Tower Records, Blockbuster, and Borders Books stopped carrying my DVDs and CDs and everything moved to free content online, it became very hard for me to find a way to get paid anything for my music or dance offerings. But we survived by producing live events where people would buy our products and tell others about them. I also traveled and toured overseas and found a huge audience in other countries that particularly loved and supported my line dance products and original country music (I am also a singer and songwriter). I have a worldwide line dance hit, “Come Dance With Me” that has allowed me to tour the UK five times. So that has also been very satisfying for me as an artist.
I believe that now there is more opportunity than ever for our dance series because there is a much greater need for at home engagement. Especially since people are seeking a safe activity they can do at home and in particular, one that incorporates health, wellness and fitness, DanceWithNancy.com is a win/win. People of a certain age also remember all the music in our series very fondly. It brings back joyous memories and also creates fun new experiences. So there is a very positive uplifting component to what we are offering. It’s also a great contrast to all the bad news on TV, particularly related to the pandemic. And our series is about participating, so it forces the viewer to get involved and not just sit back passively and watch someone else on the screen.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Our company is best known for creating music and dance instructional products for non-competitive everyday individuals who want to have fun and get exercise with no previous dance training. It’s all about fun and participation!
We don’t claim to be “Dancing with the Stars” champs or technical experts. We want little kids and grandparents, brides and grooms and all other ages to realize that they can dance without fear of making a mistake or being judged. We like themes and creativity and we encourage self-expression. When judgment is taken away and people gain confidence that they know the right steps to do, they start to let go and live in the moment. In doing so, they also get up, get moving, build intimacy with others and find that they are REALLY entertained. They are caught up in the feeling of what it’s like to make your own fun. Instead of watching another performer, they become the performer themselves.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Honestly, nothing. I have learned from my mistakes and enjoyed exploring the different roads that have led to today. Would it have been nice to have my TV pilot picked up and made a very popular TV show, plus get my financial investment back in the pilot that I could now apply to my kid’s college tuition? YES. But, if I had been as successful in TV as I’d hoped with a hit show, perhaps I would not have had the family I have today. So, there is no reason to look back and ponder “what if?”. God has given me the drive to keep going, so I believe and hope the best is still yet to come!
Pricing:
- $2.99 per download on our site for more lengthy tutorials for The Lindy Hop, the Rumba, Tango, etc.
- All songs are .99 at Apple Music, Amazon or on Spotify and other streaming platforms.
- Entertainment and practice sessions are all free!
Contact Info:
- Website: DanceWithNancy.com
- Phone: 773-383-8984
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @DanceWithNancy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanceWithNancy/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Image Credit:
Solo dance shots of Nancy Hays by Brian McConkey, Group Country Dance shot (Nancy in purple fringe shirt and boys in cowboy hats) by Eric Michael Clarke, Nancy Hays & The Heffernans country band shot (with fiddle in picture) by Brett Beiner. Nancy in red with dance couple dipping and Nancy with dance couple bowing by Burns Photography. Other shots are candids from TV shows taken by others on set with my iPhone.
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