Today we’d like to introduce you to Hillary Ayn Ryan.
Hillary, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in New York and started dancing when I was four years old. Dance has always been my greatest love. I was training in all types of dance and loved performing. When I was in college, a friend asked if I wanted to teach at the studio she was teaching at, so I taught kids for a few years while I finished school. Once I graduated from college, I was acting and auditioning, so I decided to offer private lessons and small group classes for adults, to make some extra money. A few years later, I moved to LA and again, started teaching as a flexible side job while auditioning. At that time, there were very few Broadway Tap dance classes offered in LA, and I was seeing that most adults found dance classes intimidating. I wanted to give them a place to learn where the focus was on fun, not competition or intimidation. One class turned into several per week, and then in 2009, I wanted to quit my restaurant serving job- I knew I needed something to replace it, and one day in class while we were flapping across the floor, one of my students said, “this is aerobic!” & and I went home that night and created some dances that mixed tap dance with aerobics.
I tried the class out with some of my regular clients and TAProbics was born! People started hearing about it & were enjoying it because you don’t have time to focus on getting things right- you just dance and sweat. It was great because I was now able to offer regular tap lessons and also something else that was unique. My company TAP-a-holic has been in business for almost 18 years, & the TAProbics class has been going strong since that first class in 2009. I have since worked as a choreographer on some tv/film projects and developed a Teacher Certification Program for both TAProbics and Broadway Tap.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
In a lot of ways, it has been a smooth road. Owning this business has brought some performance opportunities my way but the business also takes a lot of work. It’s a daily grind and the biggest challenge is finding balance in life. I’ve been lucky to have some great teachers on my team but finding the right people can sometimes be tough.
Overall, TAP-a-holic has been a great way to connect with so many different people- some of whom I might not have crossed paths with otherwise.
Please tell us about your work.
TAP-a-holic offers Broadway-style Tap dance classes for adults of all ages that could range anywhere from old-school Broadway to something more hip-hop or sexy. We have a great variety of styles and each teacher has their own as well. We are the home of TAProbics cardio tap classes. TAProbics mixes basic to mid-level tap moves with classic aerobics for a super sweaty, fun, unique dance cardio workout. It’s a follow-along class, so people of all levels can do it.
Some of our most popular classes are our theme classes- clients go all out and dress up for our 80’s, 90’s, movie & holiday themed classes. I also offer workshops, private lessons & choreography & we have TAProbics & Broadway Tap Instructor Certification. We have a great mix of people as clients- people come to us because we provide a fun, welcoming and encouraging atmosphere. We have people taking tap who’ve never danced before, people who grew up dancing, and actors needing to train- a total variety of reasons, but everyone gets to bond through the fun of dance.
I am most proud of the growth I see over just a few weeks in people and the friendship & connections that I see others making, as well as the ones I’ve developed myself through this company. Also, having created a completely unique workout class that has lasted in one of the most competitive cities. I hope to get more instructors certified so that TAProbics can be offered all over.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
When it comes to TAP-a-holic I don’t think there’s much I would change, but I’m learning that the work will still be there tomorrow if you need a day to unwind. In terms of performing though, if I could start over, I would have had more confidence and not be so hard on myself. Hindsight. I’ve learned so much about performing through teaching my students and wish I had some of that insight earlier.
As adults, it can be hard to try something new or get back to something you used to love doing. We come in to learn something and we expect to get it perfectly right away, even if we’ve never seen it before. I encourage my clients to stay out of their heads as much as possible and just have fun and go easy on themselves- that’s why kids learn so quickly- they aren’t judging themselves or trying to be perfect. I love watching my adults switch gears this way and find that level of joy when they allow themselves that freedom.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tapaholictapclasses.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: tapaholic_taprobics
- Facebook: TAP-a-holic Dance Classes
Image Credit:
Barbara Benvil (top photo)
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