Studio sisters join forces to inspire young dancers
Jocelyn Lysaght and Carlie Mckenzie
Having been immersed in the world of dance since the age of 7, taking over her childhood dance studio was an obvious ‘next step’ for Nambour’s Carlie McKenzie, but there were a few detours along the way.
“I took a year after I finished high school to figure out whether or not I wanted to pursue a career as a professional dancer,” Carlie said. “Somewhere during that time, I decided to become a Physiotherapist instead. Physiotherapy is actually very much aligned with dancing, so it was not a completely left of centre decision.”
Eight years later, Carlie reconnected with her childhood dance teacher, who asked her if she would like to teach dance at her studio (name of studio?). “It took me by surprise, because at that stage, I was not trained as a dance teacher,” Carlie said. “But I absolutely love dance and the offer was irresistible. I worked at my old studio for 14 years and in 2018, my sister Jocelyn and myself bought the studio together and we haven’t looked back.”
The dance school underwent a rebrand and refresh as Carlie and Jocelyn put their own stamp on it and introduced their own programs and concepts to teach and nurture their students of all ages.
“We both understand that it is important to encourage and foster a love of dance from a very young age,” Carlie said. “It is synchronous that Jocelyn has a degree in Early Childhood education, and she has used these skills to develop our Tippy Toes dance program for children under 4 years of age.”
Tippy Toes is a fusion of ballet and jazz styles which exposes young dancers to each genre and nurtures an awareness of characters and theatre in dance. “It is a wonderful, colorful, fun way to introduce little ones to the creative side of dance along with the fundamentals. It is a huge amount of fun and right now, we have 35 students who are going through the Tippy Toes program. It is so rewarding to see the enjoyment and creativity it brings to each class,” said Carlie.
Carlie’s physiotherapy background has also proven to be a perfect fit for the business, as she is keenly aware of the types of injuries dancers of all ages are notoriously prone to.
“Strength and conditioning training is a very important aspect of our dance training, because it is the best way to prevent injury,” Carlie explained. “Flexibility is often considered to be the most important part of dance training, but strength is equally as important. I think that being an experienced physiotherapist allows me to observe the mechanics of each student’s movements and helps me to explain dance to them in terms of their body and muscles. If I can facilitate a greater understanding and awareness of their own body, I know they will not only enjoy their classes more, but be able to safely challenge themselves to achieve more too. I actually use the studio for exercise rehab and this compliments the teaching side of the business very well.”
Studio 2 Dance has gone from strength to strength, as enrolments have grown, and more refurbishments are underway.
“We are so fortunate to be able to pour our training, energy and hearts into this business,” Carlie said. “Watching our students develop a love of dance and ultimately, of themselves has got to be the icing on the cake.”
“We are so fortunate to be able to pour our training, energy and hearts into this business,” Carlie said. “Watching our students develop a love of dance and ultimately, of themselves has got to be the icing on the cake.”
• Studio 2 Dance 28 Rigby Street, Nambour Phone 0487 223 623.