Today we’d like to introduce you to Robin Ryan.
Hi Robin, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Well, I’ve been dancing as long as I can remember and doing gymnastics theater and I was even in the circus after graduation I decide to go to a community college with my friends in Fort Myers Florida. I was coaching a gymnastic team not happy and my mom said why don’t you open a studio? I said OK. She was down the next day at seven in the morning and by 12 noon we had run my Studio that was 51 years ago. I went to New York and studied two classes to make sure I could give every student the proper training and opportunities that were not given to me as my teachers were not aware of them therefore, it was not pushed in the right direction to have a career and dancing since then I’ve taught thousands of children. Many of my kids have gone on to own dance, studios teaching schools back up dancers dance on TV dance on Broadway dance on cruise ships dancing, and theme parks. I like to think that I train my dancers to last a lifetime and all these years that I’ve taught these kids they have taught me just as much love each and every one of them and love what I do
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not easy when you’re 18 years old all of a sudden throwing responsibility in front of you isn’t something that I was fully aware of how much it took and nowadays they have all these workshops and clinics and teacher meetings to help guide you on how to run your studio in 1975 that wasn’t a thing I made every mistake possible But I also had many wins. I just had to learn the hard way also along the way I got married three times and raised six children. I think of all the difficulties that I had trying to juggle so many jobs was the hardest.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’ve been teaching master classes across the country for probably the last 30 years. I also have judged for over 40 years. I think what I’m mostly known for is my acrobatic technique. I love the acrobatic form. I love the history I was fortunate. I had a great acrobatic teacher I was in gymnastics Junior Olympics, and then I was in the circus. My mother told me years later that my entire family was Circus. My great grandfather was a high wire walker so I guess sawdust was in my blood. I’m really tired to preserve the acrobat past that we no longer are remembering. It’s such a beautiful art form and I hate to see it Pass. I built my studio on my own for the first few years thankfully, I had some great teachers and office managers that came in to help guide me. Definitely not the business person, but totally the creative person. The other thing that I do now is I direct in choreograph musicals and I absolutely love it
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Anyone wanting advice on running a dance studio or the direction you want your child to go can get a hold and talk to me anytime I feel after 50 years. I have so much knowledge and I love to share it not just with students, but I love sharing it with other Dance Teacher teachers I don’t want them to struggle the way I did
Contact Info:
- Email: robindawndance@aol.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Robinry/
- Facebook: Robin Dawn Ryan
