WHAT started as a passion has now transformed into a lifestyle for young Mount Gambier residents Keana Soper, 20, and Paris Ackland, 22, now part-owners of Hype Dance Studio alongside founder Kim Cella.
It has been 10 years since Ms Cella took a leap of faith and launched her own dance enterprise.
“Back in 2009 I started as an alternative dance option for people who just wanted to dance on a weekly basis,” she said.
“I wanted to do something without the performance aspect of it and something just for fun, fitness and co-ordination.
“If you had asked me four years ago whether we would be in this position, I would not have known what you are talking about.”
Ms Cella said the young ownership trio now had the world at their feet.
“The studio was firstly located at the end of Commercial Street West and we only had two classes to start off with,” she said.
“We had 14 people on the first day and basically week by week it just gradually grew and in 2010 the kids convinced me that it was necessary to do a concert.
“I caved, we did our first concert in 2010 and the following year they convinced me we should give the Mount Gambier competitions a go.”
Ms Cella just said the studio progressed organically.
“Basically the studio grew and kids’ needs evolved,” she said.
“Even though we compete, the main focus is fun, fitness and camaraderie.”
Ms Cella said she had aspirations of expanding her business but knew she could not do it alone.
“Last year the studio got to a point where I wanted to start doing more,” she said.
“We introduced the Vocational Educational and Training certificate options but I am only one person and can only do so much.
“With the drive I could not do it by myself so I sold two thirds of my business to two of our young students.”
Ms Cella said the studio had plenty in store for 2019.
“We are busy introducing new aspects to the business,” she said.
“As it is a our 10th year anniversary, it just makes it all that little bit more special.
“The timing just happened around this time and it was just meant to be.”
Hype dance director Ms Soper said she looked forward to expanding a number of existing ideas.
“We really want to build a bigger base for ourselves in the community and providing more opportunities,” she said.
“Strive for progress instead of success.
“We are here to make an impact on peoples’ lives and so they have something to look forward to.”
Recently celebrating 20 years of dancing, Hype dance director Ms Ackland could not imagine life without dancing.
“I have been at Hype for seven years but I have danced my whole entire life,” she said.
“I also would have never thought I would be in this position at my age and it is really surreal.
“I was not really sure where I was heading but I just knew I wanted to dance.”
Ms Ackland is excited to “watch the business grow”.
“It will be exciting and a challenge but I am totally up for it,” she said.
“We want to become more involved instead of people approaching us we would like to try and find things.
“I am most excited about our competition Take The Stage launching in June as we have brought it up from basically nothing.”
Ms Cella said the main focus of Hype differed to some other Limestone Coast dance studios.
“Our motto is everyone can dance and we have people of all different ages, sizes, styles and dance backgrounds becoming involved,” she said.
“At the end of the day the community supports us so we give back by supporting as many community events or fundraisers as we can.
“To see where we are now and being with both Keana and Paris is just mind-blowing.”
Through her eight years of involvement, Ms Soper said she had many highlights.
“I started off dancing in a fun class and moved my way up,” she said.
“Watching the kids smash it at finals is always unreal.
“You can watch them in the studio but they tend to hold back but then you see them on stage at a competition in front of thousands give it their all.”
Ms Cella looks forward to planning the studio’s end of year concert.
“It is perfect timing as our 10 year birthday is July 19 which happens to fall on the last Friday of the school holidays,” she said.
“We will plan a get-together and a concert for the people that have been involved for the past 10 years but also welcome newcomers.
“If they have a little person that is dancing at home or have busted a teenager making up their songs and dances then a studio like this is perfect for them.”
