Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerrie Burg.
Kerrie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I danced a little bit here and there as a kid… I have worked in retail, customer service, overnight in a laboratory, bagging groceries, doing medical coding, and day care. Both of my kids danced from a very young age and after watching their classes for a few years I went to the owner of the dance studio where they danced and said I would like to learn how to teach. I started with 4 classes per week and over the years taught up to 15 classes per week and directed 5 dance companies. I worked at a couple of other studios before one of my former students’ families approached me about starting my own studio. We started renting space from local gyms and then found a space in Simi Valley that was the space previously used by Patsy Swayze to teach dance. We have heard lots of heartwarming and funny stories from grandmas who used to bring their daughters to take class with Patsy and the from daughters who are now moms themselves. We started with 10 dancers and have grown over the years to 100. We will begin our 7th season on Tuesday, September 5th.
I also wrote a book called Ten Ballerinas that is a peek into a dancer’s first ballet class. We took pictures at the studio with some of my littlest dancers at the time. It is for dance-lovers of all ages, and takes you inside a child’s first ballet class. Ten beautiful ballerinas plie’, skip, chasse’, and stand like flamingos at the zoo in this book that has been in my head for years. The rhythmic text and classroom photographs pull you into the dance studio and introduce beginning dancers to different ballet positions and terminology.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not always been easy. When we first opened we had 10 students, 9 families, & in my eagerness to provide variety I had hired 5 teachers! I struggle with the business end of things since my heart is with my dancers in classes…teaching new things, rehearsing, creating, etc.
Serendipity Dance Co – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
SDCo is a local dance studio that provides dance classes for ages 18.5 months-adults. We offer ballet/tap combination classes, contemporary dance, ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, hip hop, Pilates for dancers, & yoga. We have classes for recreational dancers and for competitive/advanced level dancers as well. Serendipity Dance Company was formed to give dancers the opportunity to train in a positive, loving, and challenging environment that focuses on the dancer. Our instructors are top notch and are committed to teaching proper technique while instilling a lifelong love for dance in each of our students. Many of our dancers and their families consider the studio their second home. The dancers are always welcoming to new students or those who may just drop into a class or two everyone once in a while, which keeps with our goal of creating an inclusive, supportive dance community.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
One of my favorite quotes…”Dance training cannot be separate from life training. Everything that comes into our lives is training. The qualities we admire in great dancing are the same qualities we admire in human beings… honesty, courage, fearlessness, generosity, wisdom, depth, compassion, and humanity.” -Alonzo King
I believe success is watching young people learn life lessons through dance to become strong, beautiful dancers and strong, beautiful people. Our theme for our recital this past June was: Dance teaches me…here is what our dancers, ages 3-17 had to say…
Dance teaches me to be snooty cute…that hard work pays off but sometimes not within my time expectation…it teaches perseverance, teamwork, cooperation, confidence, work ethic, discipline, responsibility, time management, to be tough, to be vulnerable, trust, motivation, focus, to be brave, to be silly, how to express myself without words, how to be a friend, leaps, how to listen, that I am amazing, flexibility, to be strong, joyfulness, patience, to trust myself, to be sassy…
Success is the opportunity to teach these lessons with love and to see dancers who are shy and quiet blossom in the studio and on stage.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1788 E Los Angeles Avenue
Simi Valley - Website: serendipitydanceco.com
- Phone: (805)583-2623
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: serendipitydanceco
- Facebook: facebook.com/littlestudiodoingbigthings
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/serendipity-dance-co-simi-valley
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Image Credit:
Lindsey Baumsteiger Photography
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