JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As thousands of Florida barber shops, hair, and nail salons prepare to reopen their doors, other businesses including dance studios are pressing forward. Many are embracing new business models as they wait for their green light to open.
At Dansations Performing Arts Center on Old St. Augustine Road near Philips Highway, the name of the game is fun and high energy. We all know the saying: the show must go on, and it rings true even through a pandemic.
Kim McDonough has owned and operated Dansations for decades. Her studio now runs entirely online.
"I spent about 48 hours learning how to create a whole new business," McDonough told News4jax during a Zoom interview. "As a business owner, I wanted to have some normalcy for those kids."
It turns out the school's hashtag this season is #growth. With instructors and students reinventing their methods, there's plenty of growth to be had. But what about a recital?
"We don't have theaters to have a show in," McDonough said. "That's not going to happen for some time. So, how do we allow our kids to have that moment?"
That moment is coming. On June 10th, Dansations virtual recital will be aired on the Downtown Vision Facebook page during Art Walk. Costumes will be worn.
McDonough said other local businesses will be supported and ad space will be offered during the recital.
While the dancers hope to one day dance in the same room again, they take pride in knowing they’ve learned how to adapt.
This has been a challenge for some of the dance families. McDonough tells News4jax 30 students have dropped from her program, and there are many others whose parents are out of work because of COVID-19.
She said she is working with many parents, and the hope is to have them all back one day.
