Meet Catrice Bostic of Creating Art Through Dance in South Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Catrice Bostic.

Catrice, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I was a child, I loved to dance. I danced around the house, watched music videos, memorized movement, then learned to create my own choreography. Dance was something that always motivated me to be a better student in school because you had to maintain certain grades and behavior in order to participate in performances or competitions and I looked forward to performing. Dance gave me confidence and a sense of satisfaction and I always wanted to teach others to dance and inspire others to move.

Dance has always been apart of my life, and as a kid, it was easy to dance. Dance was accessible in school. I was fortunate to be on drill team, cheer and dance while in elementary, middle and high school, the good days. I continued dancing after high school at Santa Monica College, then transferred and graduated from UCLA’s Dance Department. I knew then I wanted to continue to dance and provide dance to others in my community. So I continued my education in graduate school to learn more about running a community organization. I graduated from USC with a Masters in Social Work with emphasis in Community Organizing and Administration Planning. During graduate school, I had the opportunity to write about having my community program and received feedback which motivated me to pursue my dreams.

Summer 2007, I put my savings into my back house, I put hardwood floors with springs, mirrors and lighting in an empty space and that was the beginning Creating Art Through Dance, a dance studio to provide Dance to children, youth and adults. I applied for a business license, did all the steps necessary to make it legal and started this business at home, literally I turned my backspace into a dance studio.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The first few years were great, I felt I could do it all and was so motivated! I only opened my dance studio in the summers. My focus was running Summer Dance Camps for kids, so I planned in the fall, took action and advertised in the spring and implemented my ideas in the summers teaching kids dance which culminated with a performance for their family and friends. All this was taking place at Creating Art Through Dance, my home studio. I would transform my home and backyard into a dance center.

One of the struggles at Creating Art Through Dance is that it is one-woman show. I am the dance instructor, choreographer, advertiser, accountant and everything else needed to run a small business. Each year based on enrollment I hire an instructor, volunteers and or interns to help run the camps and workshops.

Another struggle I’ve had is funding. A lot of my students/ customers have been low income and could not afford the services. I often offer discounts or let students come for free because I love so much teaching others and as long as they commit to coming, I commit to giving my students the very best dance experience. Many times Ive made no profit but seeing the students and their families happy motivates me to continue doing what I love.

Lastly, the struggles have made me a better studio. I have learned a lot from my students and continue to embrace my community and all who want to join Creating Art Through Dance near and far.

Please tell us about Creating Art Through Dance.
Creating Art Through Dance is a dance studio that offers dance and fitness to children, youth and adults. We have Summer Dance Camps, Winter Dance Camps, Workshops, Studio rental and ongoing classes for all.

We offer Modern, Hip Hop, Ballet, Stretch, beginning Gymnastics, Sexy Dance, Creative Movement, Choreography and Zumba.

We are proud most of our Summer and Winter Dance camp for kids. This is what we were known for and when we first started, summer camps is all we did! However, now we are proud of our weekly Sexy Dance (heels dance class) and Zumba. These classes are high energy that are amazing workouts.

At Creating Art Through Dance, we make dance meaningful to all! We are the first stop for those that have an interest in Dance and we spark that fire to continue. We help our students learn rhythm, gain flexibility, creativity and confidence. We welcome all level dancers from beginner, intermediate and advanced.

Since Covid-19, we now offer online dance classes and will continue to offer online and in-person classes to service more people interested in dance and fitness. We also offer private classes/ groups at off-site locations. We can travel to you!

What sets Creating Art Through Dance apart from others is our small intimate studio space, which gives all a chance to be there best. We offer small classes and am able to bring the best out of our students.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhoods memory are the ones of my sisters, friends and I dancing, whether it was a school dance, a parade or a family holiday. Dance is life!

Pricing:

• $15/ class in-person
• $6/ class on-line group class
• $75/ hr Private Lesson
• $40/hr studio rental

Contact Info:

• Phone: 3235283431
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @CreatingArtThroughDance
• Facebook: Creating Art Through Dance

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