Today we’d like to introduce you to Clarissa Barboza.
Clarissa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Well it was sort of by chance actually. I have always danced since I was three and when it came time to plan one of my younger sister’s quinceanera, I was asked to choreograph hers. I had never done one before but I thought it would be my gift to her and would have fun doing it.
It was a full-court of seven couples with plenty of drama of course. After that, word of mouth got around that I was choreographing quinces then before I knew it, I found myself doing it for other people. This eventually led me to the wedding side of my business which includes fun bridesmaid dances, father/daughter, and even couple dance lessons. Recently, I expanded my services to include a Day of Coordinator service for weddings and large events.
Has it been a smooth road?
Not particularly a smooth one. I work in corporate full time and am also a graduate student (I know, I am crazy right?!) so finding the time to rehearse with clients, visit venues, and send out quotes can be challenging to balance. Not to mention, many of my client’s events are typically on the weekends, so I often find myself working constantly. Time management is truly key! Client happiness is my main focus. Essentially, I have to make sure they are happy with product I have created. Just like with most industries, you may always have a difficult customer and I work with lots of teenagers! It is very very hard to keep a group of 13-15 year olds focused and attentive learning a routine with a partner for two hours. Props to full-time teachers!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Clare’s Choreography story. Tell us more about the business.
Primarily an event choreography company specializing in quinceaneras, sweet 16s, and weddings. We also offer Day of Coordinator services that can be in conjunction with a choreography service or of course standalone as well. Each service starts with an initial meeting with me so I can get a better understanding of your vision of that special day then it is up to me to make it come alive if you will. I am most proud of the Hispanic traditions that I see with my quinceanera clients in particular. Being Hispanic myself, I know traditions do not always get passed down from generation to generation so when I see something that is very traditional it makes me proud and I am excited to be apart of it. Aside from my general paperwork, none of my services are streamlined. For example, if one client was a bachata dance and so does another, I do not use the same dance for both courts. Like I mentioned before, it is completely designed for each vision. I also believe my competitive pricing is one that cannot hands down be beat by any other choreography provider in Houston.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see the industry still being extremely viable within the next 5-10 years simply because young girls will continue to turn 15 and 16 and people will continue to get married. With the wonderful creation of Pinterest, trends are ever-changing and I fully intend to keep up with the latest and greatest. I often get asked from clients what I see other people doing about this or that, so it is beneficial to me to know what’s hot and what’s not.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 713-826-1751
- Email: clareschoreography@gmail.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/clareschoreography/
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