Thrive School of Dance

Wishing you THIS kind of energy as you head into your week 😎

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Our past, present and future all wrapped up into one photo 🥹 From our tiniest dancers to our alums who come back year after year to watch or volunteer at recital - we are so very grateful for this community and for Mrs. JoAnn who started it all. And to who captures it all so well, know that even though you're behind the camera, we see YOU! Whether you're new to the fam or have been a part of it for years, we are grateful for you ❤️

Soaking up ALL the time with these dancers this season...let's show some love to this year's graduating seniors! 🥹 💕

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Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. Let's make this Monday count 💪

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This 👏 lady 👏 right 👏 here 👏. We are so wildly excited to announce that Mrs. Lynn (aka the OG, the GOAT, one of the most kind, patient, fun, humble, nurturing humans we know) is stepping into a new role at Thrive. Please help us welcome her as our new Teacher Development Director! For those of you new to Thrive, this community would not exist without Mrs. Lynn and her family and we're so excited that you'll see her around the studio a bit more, and that she'll be heading up all things teacher development and training. Mrs. Lynn has over 30 years of experience in dance education, child development and working with students of all ages - we're thrilled that she gets to continue sharing her knowledge with our staff in this new capacity ❤️

👇Drop your favorite Mrs. Lynn stories or show her some love in the comments!

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Is your dancer struggling with drop off? Try these three science-backed tips to help your dancer transition into dance class with ease...

1️⃣ Instead of screen time in the car on the way to dance, try books, music, singing or a podcast instead. Playing a game on a screen or watching a movie on the way to dance can be visually and mentally overstimulating for kiddos which can make for a very difficult transition from car to class.

2️⃣ Instead of sugary food or drinks before class, try a snack that has protein, healthy fat and fiber, which can help provide sustainable energy during class. Stable energy = no hanger side effects 😉

3️⃣ Instead of giving your dancer a reward before class, try encouraging your child through positive reinforcement AFTER they've completed the goal of going into and participating in class. This can be as simple as rewarding them by spending a few minutes at the park after class, having their favorite stuffed animal waiting in their seat in the car, bringing their favorite snack to eat after class, extra cuddles at nap or bedtime or reading an extra book at nap or bedtime. Keeping a chart and rewarding with a special sticker for every time they go into and participate in class is another option, too. It doesn't have to involve buying anything, but just doing something special that speaks to your child's heart and encourages them to be brave.

If you're finding it hard to make it from car to studio, give these strategies a try. While they might not work for everyone or every single time, they can help set your dancer up to have a great, impactful dance class 😊

Have any of these worked for your family?

As we prepare to head back into the studio for the 2024-2025 season, a question we get frequently (especially for our tiniest dancers) is how to support dancers at drop off.

At Thrive, we aim to make dance a fun, healthy and confidence-building experience . While many of our dancers can't wait to see their friends and teachers and bounce right into class, others struggle more with this transition that can evoke feelings of fear and uncertainty - all feelings that are perfectly natural and healthy to feel, and ones that dance class can help them learn to cope with.

What can parents and guardians do to support dancers, especially those who may be more inhibited or anxious? After over 70 years of helping kiddos make this transition into class, we've condensed our top tips down for you...

✅ Practice and explain the transition beforehand! This helps dancers know exactly what's going to happen, which can ease their worries. When you arrive at the studio, we'll ask your dancer to remove their street shoes (which can be stored under the lobby benches or in their dance bag during class), put on ballet shoes, then our office staff, their teacher or one of our assistant teachers will come take them back to their studio for class. We will dismiss dancers to their adults after class either in the lobby or on the sidewalk outside of the studio.

✅ Have a special goodbye ritual after you put your dancer's shoes on. Hugs, high fives, first bumps and secret handshakes have been favorites throughout the years!

✅ Keep it short and sweet. Lingering or sneaking out can make it worse over time. Stay calm and confident. If you'd like reassurance that your dancer has settled, you're welcome to call or text us at 502-325-3818.

Remember, even if dancers are upset at drop off, they often rebound quickly and do well! With time and consistency, most dancers adjust quickly to their new routine and look forward to the fun time they have at dance class each week. Know that our entire staff (office, teachers and assistant teachers) are trained to help ease the transition into dance class - we're here to help and make this a great experience for you!

If your dancer continues to struggle during class, know that we'll reach out to you and come up with a game plan together - we've got some great strategies we can try❤️

We can't wait to see you next week!

How we're feeling about the 24/25 Season starting ✨NEXT WEEK ✨ What are you looking forward to the most this year?

Thanks .lou.photography for the amazing snaps as always 😍

Still not over last week - we had the best time at our summer intensive 💕

Intensive Day 4: Full of sweat, growth and a few goofy moments 😜 Big thank you to our guest staff for an amazing day of hip hop, ballet, contemporary, contact improv, and a 🔥 leaps and turns class. .noblett and dancers - you are rockstars! Can't wait for our final day ❤️

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Intensive Day 2: So full of life from the brilliant energy our dancers brought! Thank you , Viktoria Zsukk from Derby City Ballroom, and Kelly Shanks from 2 Thrive Life Coaching for some 🔥🔥🔥 classes and workshops yesterday!

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Intensive Day 1: As you can tell, we're having absolutely no fun at all with .a.kowalski and 😉 We jazzed, musical theatered, balleted and tapped our hearts out yesterday and can't wait to do it all again today!

📷 is such a rockstar at capturing special moments ❤️

Telling our graduating seniors goodbye at the end of recital weekend is so bittersweet, but the real kicker is not seeing them during the first week of classes. While we're ALWAYS excited for a new season and a new group of dancers together, that first day of class without our sweet seniors just hits different - if you've ever graduated from this studio know that while we're so excited for you to start your next adventure, we'll always hold space for you ❤️

To this year's crew, Grace and Jasmine, we love you so very much - go share your light with the rest of the world!

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✨ Meet the Owners ✨ We wanted to say hi and reintroduce ourselves for those new to the Thrive community! 🫶

Hi, Katie Smith + Taylor Clements-Smith here (no, we're not related, but did have eerily similar paths growing up)! After both having been part of the studio community for years, we took ownership of what was formerly JoAnn Fryrear School of Dance in 2022.

Katie...
✴️ Grew up in the northern Kentucky area
✴️ Danced growing up, into college and post-college (being a featured dancer in was a highlight!)
✴️ Studied communications, theater and dance in college
✴️ Is a Christ-follower, wife to her best friend, Gabe, since 2001, and mom to four amazing kids (two boys and two girls!).
✴️ Lived in Belgium for two years
✴️ Has taught at the studio since 2021
✴️ And her family have been part of the studio for ten years, where her daughters continue taking dance lessons
✴️Loves a good cup of ginger turmeric tea

Taylor...
✴️ Grew up in the Detroit, MI area where she started her dance training
✴️ Moved to Kentucky, then began dancing at JoAnn Fryerar School of Dance in 8th grade
✴️ Studied journalism, dance and French in college
✴️ Has taught at the studio since 2015
✴️ Worked in marketing and advertising before becoming co-owner
✴️ Completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training in 2022 (shout out to for the best experience!)
✴️ Has developed a strong conviction that dance and movement are for everybody and every ~body~ and combines her passion for anatomy and alignment, her yoga and dance training, and her sweet and spicy personality to create fun, challenging and special class experiences for students of all ages
✴️ Can be found many days or with a London Fog in hand

We both:
✴️ Went to and danced with
✴️ Put a lot of thought, care and attention into the Thrive community
✴️ LOVE anything to do with organization, lists, and event planning (just two type A's over here 🫠)

This community is so special and important to us both and we hope to honor the legacy that our founder, Mrs. JoAnn Fryerar and her family started over 70 years ago. Our goal is to cultivate a safe, healthy, uplifting community through quality dance training and education.

Tell us something you love(d) about your dance journey or your experience with the studio in the comments - we love to hear from you all!

📷 Thanks for the rare photo of us together!

Jumping for joy because our 2024-2025 season is less than one month away! Classes are filling fast - do you have your spot?

Don't see a class that works for your family? Let us know what times you'd like to see on the schedule using our class request form - if you have the space, staff and demand from enough dancers, we'll happily start a class ❤️

We can't wait to dance with you this season!

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🥳 Registration for the 2024-2025 season is officially open and we can't wait to welcome you (or welcome you back) into the studio! We provide quality dance training and education for students of all ages in a safe, uplifting, empowering community. Classes are filling quickly - click the link below to view the schedule and register!
https://buff.ly/3JSFH4s

Questions ? To kick off the 2024-2025 season, we're hosting an Open House Party TODAY (7/12) from 2:00 - 6:00 pm and would love to see you there! Take a free sample class, tour the studio, meet the staff, ask us any questions, shop our summer merch sale, and enjoy some freebies from our vendors (plus, you could win some free dance 😎)

📅 The season officially starts the week of August 12th - can't wait to see you in the studio!

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Can't wait for another season filled with moments like these...keep an eye on your inbox for the 2024-2025 season schedule 💕

🎉 IT'S A PARTY🎉 Join us for an afternoon of trial classes, studio tours, staff meet + greets, merch sales, free kids activities, placement sessions, raffles for free dance and merch, and community building as we celebrate the upcoming 2024-2025 season!

We'll have some amazing partners joining us to help celebrate this year:
louisville will be on site from 3-6 with some gorgeous permanent jewelry 🔗
with the best party setup in town 🎉
for some free cold treats 🍧lou.photography for a photo booth 📷

Link in bio for all the details + to RSVP. Can't wait to see you there ❤️

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Still not over recital weekend and our incredibly talented 💕

🌞💃 Get ready to groove this summer at Thrive! 💃🌞

Summer is here, and it's the perfect time to unleash your inner dancer! Whether you're a seasoned pro or a beginner, our summer dance session has something for everyone. Join us for a season full of fun, fitness, and fantastic moves!

🕺 What to expect:
✨ Energetic dance classes
✨ Professional, kind, body-positive instructors
✨ A variety of dance styles
✨ Fun-themed dance camps
✨ New friendships and unforgettable memories

Don't miss out on the chance to dance your heart out and make this summer your best one yet! Spots are filling up fast, so grab your friends and sign up today. Let's make this a summer to remember! 🌟

👉 Sign up now at https://buff.ly/4bzqNvK 👈

From the Heart 2024 ❤️ //

This weekend was the culmination of our 2023-2024 dance season and we are still feeling the impact of having our entire community gathered to celebrate it. Whether you are a dancer, audience member, volunteer, parent, guardian, friend, sponsor, alumni, or staff member, we are deeply and sincerely grateful for your presence and support. You helped make this recital weekend a truly special experience. We love you dance fam! ❤️

From the Heart day 1 ❤️ //

Today's the day! We can't wait to share our hearts with you this weekend ❤️ Happy recital dance fam!

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We can hardly believe it— recital weekend is just ONE day away! 💃🕺

This dance season has been filled with so much hard work, dedication, and passion from all of our dancers. Tomorrow, we'll finally get to share it all with you, and it means the world to us. ❤️

We'd be so grateful to see you there, cheering our dancers on and celebrating this special moment with us. Thank you for all your support and love. See you tomorrow fam! 🎟️✨

✨🌟 Get ready to be dazzled! 🌟✨

Only 2 days left until we officially open From the Heart: Thrive's 2024 Recital Weekend! Our talented dancers have been working tirelessly to bring you an unforgettable show filled with grace, passion, and incredible moves.

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our sponsor, ! 🎉🏡 Their generous support has been instrumental in making this weekend intentional, exciting, and streamlined for our Thrive community! They've got a special deal for you if you attend a show, so don't miss out!

Join us this weekend for an enchanting experience that will leave you inspired and in awe. Don't miss out on the dance event of the season!

📅 Date: June 1st and June 2nd
🕒 Time: 2:00 and 6:00 pm shows each day
📍 Venue: The Clifton Theater (2117 Payne St UNIT 305, Louisville, KY 40206)
⭐ Click here for the full details: https://buff.ly/3X4OQxY

This is a free, non-ticketed community event - we can't wait to see you there! 💃🕺

A few things we believe at Thrive - our students are unique, navigating the dance studio world can be complex, change is constant and the world is noisy. It is our sincere intention to provide a safe, fun, positive, easy experience for our dance families while keeping an eye on individual dancer needs. In a world full of noise, we aim to create a space where our community can feel calm, present, focused, supported and safe. We are incredibly grateful to have the support of amazing sponsors who share our vision. As recital weekend approaches in just 4 days, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Gilliam Mease Advisors, who equip people to lead better financial lives. Your generosity and commitment make it possible for us to continue providing an exceptional experience for our dancers and their families. Thanks to you, our dancers can shine on stage, feeling confident and supported. Your sponsorship helps us foster a community where creativity thrives, and every dancer feels valued and inspired. We couldn't do it without you!

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Can't believe we're starting the 🎉 5 DAY COUNTDOWN 🎉 to our favorite weekend of the year! Is anyone else getting as excited as we are? 🙌

Dance families, as a reminder, you can find ALL things recital weekend on our Recital Hub on our website (https://buff.ly/4aHNJYm) including venue and parking info, costume and tights details, hair and makeup tutorials, our backstage guidelines, how to order photos and videos, etc. 💕

We can't wait to share this special experience with you all!

🥹 Senior Spotlight 🥹 Help us celebrate the amazing humans who are our graduating seniors as we enter the countdown to our annual recital weekend! Finally, our resident bunhead, Jasmine:

👯 A great memory at the studio: Learning nutcracker variations with Ms. Kathy in December, before the holiday break. My favorite one was when we learned the Spanish variation!

🩰 Favorite dance from over the years: Let’s Get Loud or Snow from the Nutcracker!

🎓 What are your next steps after graduation? I will be attending the University of Louisville, majoring in bioengineering.

💕 Favorite dance step: Saut de chat!

👎 Least favorite dance step: Back attitude turns, or any other turn en dehor.

🫶 Best piece of advice for younger dancers: Don’t be afraid to fall! The floor isn’t that far away, you can always get back up and try again! If you fall doing something new, it just shows you’re trying and pushing your own personal boundaries to grow as a dancer.

🏠 What you'll miss most about dance/the studio: I will miss the amazing sense of community that has been fostered. Even though everyone may have a different story outside of the studio, within its walls everyone is always there to support one another. Whatever happened during my day before, I know I can always count on coming to dance and forgetting about whatever was on my mind.

Jasmine, you are a brilliant, strong, capable human and we are so incredibly proud of you for your growth, many many achievements and the love you freely show to those around you. We can't wait to see what your next chapter holds ❤️