🔥 Flame Dance Studios Turns 8

Today, Flame Dance Studios turns eight years old. This post is a bit more personal than usual. A reflection on what the past eight years of running Flame have looked and felt like from my side.

It's been eight years since I made the bold decision to leave my job as a high school teacher and take the leap to build something I truly believed in, even if I didn’t have all the answers at the time.

Teaching has always been my calling. I started my first job at 16 teaching swimming, and not long after, began choreographing at the dance school I attended. Throughout university, I continued teaching in different settings, and it quickly became clear that education, in some form, was where I was meant to be.

At the time, I believed the only path was through school teaching. I completed my PGCE, stepped into a high school classroom, and gave it everything I had. But after a year, I realised that something was missing. I wanted to offer more than just exam results. I wanted to help children grow in confidence, express themselves freely, build emotional resilience, and feel part of a caring community, and I wanted to connect with their families, too.

That’s when I was offered a new opportunity; to help launch and manage a brand-new dance school under another company. It felt like the perfect way to combine my love of teaching, dance, and building something from the ground up. So I took the leap.

Starting the studio wasn’t just about teaching dance. It was about creating a space where creativity, personal growth, and connection could flourish — for children, families, and for me too. It was about creating something that combined everything I loved: teaching, of course, but also creativity, storytelling, choreography, building systems, coaching others, and designing a learning environment where children could truly thrive. It gave me the freedom to be both educator and leader, both artist and organiser. It let me dream bigger than the classroom walls would ever allow.

Memories and Milestones

Over the past eight years, we’ve created countless memories that I will always treasure.

Every show we’ve ever done holds a special place in my heart. I remember the backstage buzz of each show, the nervous excitement, the proud faces, the tiny triumphs that only we see up close backstage. Those are the moments that stay with you.

One of the most meaningful milestones was our five-year anniversary show. For the first time, we brought our entire school together on the same stage. Normally, we split classes across different performances, so to see all of our dancers – from our tiniest to our teens – sharing the space, supporting each other, and celebrating side by side was nothing short of magical. That show came not long after COVID, when being together had felt impossible for so long. It was a reminder of everything we’d worked through and everything we’d built.

Our first ISTD exam session is another moment that stands out. I’d spent years working towards my DDE qualification, and just a few months after qualifying, we entered our very first students into exams. Watching our dancers walk into that exam room with so much joy and confidence felt like such a full-circle moment – not just for them, but for me too.

There have been other highlights too – our trip to see 42nd Street, the birthday parties, the Christmas celebrations, where students and families came together. I loved them for the chance to catch up with parents and hear how their children were doing outside of class.

But some of the most powerful memories aren’t on stage or during big events.

They’re the quieter wins. The child who spoke for the first time in class. The dancer who found a way to join in after weeks of nervously standing by. The student who struggles at school but finds peace and purpose with us. The moment a child starts confidently using Welsh words we’ve woven into class. These are the stories I carry with me. They’re the ones that show me we’ve built something special.

Facing the Challenges

Our journey hasn’t been without its challenges - but never because of our students or families. That part has always been the joy. The children, the parents, the staff: they’ve been the reason we keep going, even when things got hard.

And they did get hard.

Flame wasn’t originally mine. I was brought in to help set up and run a new dance school under another company, and I threw everything into it. But just a year and a half after we started (and just three days after I got engaged and bought my first home), the original owners decided the business was no longer viable.

By that point, the studio had become my whole world, and a special home to our students. I couldn’t walk away. So, with just a few weeks' notice, I took the leap and became the owner. I went from being an employee to becoming self-employed overnight, learning everything I could about running a business — HMRC forms, Companies House filings, running payroll, bookkeeping, etc. etc.

And just as I was finding my feet, we faced another challenge: we learned our studio space might not be secure. We had to begin the search for a new home. Within seven months, we managed to move into our very own studio space — something I’m still incredibly proud of. But of course, with that came new admin, new overheads, and new responsibilities.

Then, six months after that… COVID hit.

As a newly self-employed business owner, I wasn’t eligible for government support. I had just taken on the financial weight of a new space, and now we were shut down completely. I had to make quick decisions, adapt constantly, and roll with everything the pandemic threw at us.

But the hardest part wasn’t the logistics, it was the disconnect. Losing that daily in-person connection with our students was heartbreaking. We knew how much they needed the structure, the social interaction, and the sense of community that dance provides. So we did everything we could to stay present. Running virtual classes, sending messages, sharing videos, and trying to hold space for the children in any way we could.

Navigating the return to the studio brought its own set of hurdles; changing guidelines, risk assessments, nervous families. Every week seemed to bring new decisions. But we got through it together. And that resilience, that collective strength, shaped who we are now.

All of the biggest challenges we’ve faced have come from outside — unexpected changes, global pandemics, life events. But internally, the culture of the studio has been our greatest strength. Our students are kind, our parents are supportive, and our staff are extraordinary. There’s no drama here, no hierarchy of talent. Just mutual respect, warmth, and care.

And when things have been tough, that community - that Flame family - is what’s kept us going.

Building Something Bigger

At the heart of Flame is our mission to create a nurturing and supportive environment where children don’t just learn the art of dance, they flourish as individuals. Over the past eight years, we’ve developed a set of core values that guide every decision we make: child-centric care, safety and trust, joyful learning, building confidence, fairness and inclusivity, and transparent communication.

What makes me most proud is the culture we’ve built. There’s no drama. No pressure to be perfect. Just kindness, joy, and growth. We’re known as a warm, welcoming, values-led studio, and that reputation has been earned by our incredible staff and the care they bring to every class.

We’re proud to support other schools and companies, contributing to the growth of dance in the Cardiff community. I truly believe that when we all support each other, the whole sector grows stronger.

Over time, we’ve also grown as a team. And as I became a mother, I had to learn to let go a little, to step back and trust that Flame would carry on without me at the centre of everything. And it has. Because Flame doesn’t belong to me alone. It belongs to all of us: the teachers, the families, the dancers. Our shared mission keeps us grounded and connected.

The systems we’ve built, the values we live by, and the people who hold them close; that’s what makes Flame what it is.

And that’s what gives me the confidence that whatever comes next, we’ll continue to grow with heart, with purpose, and with care.

Looking Ahead

As we look to the future, I’m filled with excitement and hope.

In another eight years, our original dancers will be 21 and 22 years old. I hope they’ll still be part of our world – whether as students, staff, or simply as young adults who remember their time here with joy and pride. I hope we’ll be cheering them on as they graduate university, begin their careers, or take their next steps in the big world.

We’re already dreaming big for our ten-year anniversary show – a celebration that’s going to be something truly special.

But more than the events or the performances, our real goal is to keep making a meaningful difference in the lives of our dancers.

Whether they go on to pursue dance professionally or simply carry the confidence, creativity, and resilience they gained here into other areas of their lives, I hope we’ve left a lasting imprint.

My hope is that Flame continues to be the place where children feel safe enough to try, brave enough to fail, and supported enough to grow. That we remain a space where children want to be. Where staff feel proud to work. And where families feel seen, valued, and part of something special.

We’ve become known as a professional, kind, inclusive, bilingual dance school – and I really hope we keep that reputation. I hope the children who pass through our doors don’t just remember their routines, but remember how they felt here. The confidence they gained. The friends they made. The joy they found.

We’ve made it to eight years because of the trust of our families, the care and dedication of our staff, and the magic of our students.

To every parent who’s trusted us, to every teacher who’s helped shape this journey, and to every dancer who’s been part of our story – thank you.

Eight years of Flame. I still can’t quite believe it.

And I can’t wait to see where we go next. 💛