Then and Now: Celebrating 20 Years of MDU
Wow, 20 years!
With our 20th Annual Recital in the books, Misty’s Dance Unlimited has officially been in business for two decades. HOLY CATS that’s a long time!
Twenty years seemed like an impossibly long time back when I first opened the studio. But when I look at it now, it seems like it happened in the blink of an eye!
Days are long and years are short. Time is funny that way.
I’ve learned a lot these past twenty years: mostly about perseverance and the power of lifting others up. Where were we are today is a dream come true, but it’s not a result of dreaming. It’s the result of setting goals and working on them, day in and day out. And, it’s a result of bringing other people along for the ride of our success.
As I look back over our growth, the differences in MDU “then” versus MDU “now” are pretty remarkable:
We first started with 3 classrooms and 4,500 square feet. But next year we will have 7 classrooms and 21,000 square feet! We originally offered 47 classes per week, and now we run over 200. People used to literally camp out for Registration Day, but now they can register at home in their pajamas. We used to have two recitals, and now we have five—plus more than 20 community performances each year. We used to mail a quarterly newsletter, but now we keep touch by email, Facebook, and Team App.
Yes, a lot has changed, but I’m also proud to say that some things will never change. Because of MDU, I am still committed to:
- providing the highest quality dance education
- greeting families and students by name when they walk through the door
- making sure all children know that they have amazing worth just as they are
- pushing kids in excellence to be all they can be
- teaching kids to share their God-given talents with the community
- providing age-appropriate choreography and costumes
- creating the very best life skills for youth through the arts
As I shared at our recital this weekend, “A lot has changed in 20 years, so in matters of style, we swim with the tide. But, in matters of principle we stand like a rock—and these principles are what we will build the next 20 years on!”
What we’re experiencing at MDU isn’t the result of luck or “overnight success”. It’s twenty years of grit, growth, teamwork, and community support. And, grace…a whole lot of grace!
My goal for the next twenty years? Pay it forward. 🙂
Let me know how I can help!
With gratitude and love, Misty