Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacy Lockett.
Stacy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As a little girl living in a small rural Mississippi town, I always had big city dreams. I had aspirations to be someone famous, as most kids did, and I was determined to make an impact in this world. My parents were hardworking. My mother was a school teacher and my father, a 22-year army veteran, drove trucks for a welding company. I didn’t know what it was like to struggle because my parents made sure my siblings and I had everything we needed plus more. My childhood was happy and I was very blessed. At the age of 5, my parents enrolled me in the local dance studio and I embraced the art. When my parents noticed the gift I had and the accolades and notoriety I received at such a young age, they decided that we needed to move to a big city; a city that would give me the opportunity to flourish and the chance for my dreams to come true.
Shortly after arriving in Houston, my parents become small business owners by working for the government with a medical transport company. This newfound independence and success of being self-employed not only gave our family a huge income boost, but it gave my parents the opportunity to invest in additional opportunities for my dance career. As a child I was blessed to study and attend various master dance classes with world-renowned choreographers and attend summer intensives at Steps on Broadway and Alvin Ailey in New York City. After years of studying dance throughout High School and College, I received a cheer scholarship and attended college to study Communications and Dance. As an Alumni collegiate cheerleader and dancer, my passion for the art of dance did not diminish and I was determined to do more.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has definitely been difficult. As a college graduate, I knew what rejection and defeat felt like. Being a dancer is difficult when you are looking for jobs in the industry and trying to understand why this company doesn’t want to hire you because you don’t have the right body type or you’re a minority. I just felt like the years that my parents invested in me to become this professional dancer was wasted until my dad encouraged me to go PRO and audition for the NBA or NFL.
After much contemplation, I chose to audition for the NFL and was selected. I finally felt that I had my niche and I found where I belonged. As a 3-year Veteran and former Captain, I was given the opportunity to travel to Japan, Honduras, Singapore and Diego Garcia with the gift of dance and I knew that the feelings I experienced on those international stages was a feeling that I never wanted to lose and that I wanted to instill in other dancers. Upon returning to the states, I established PRO Status Cheer and Dance Company.
As a business owner, running a business has its highs and lows. You experience great joy when your students set goals and accomplish them. Your heart is full when you see them overcome obstacles and personal challenges and grow in every area of their life and not just in dance and cheer. They have a higher self-esteem and confidence and their motivation to succeed in every endeavor rises. On the contrary, as a company that provides services to youth, you often deal with difficult parents who may not understand or agree with your policies or the structure of your organization. My advice to new studio and gym owners is to keep pushing and never conform. Set clear and concise goals and boundaries. Let your clients be your clients and not your friends. The fine arts industry is very competitive as every parent wants their child to be ahead of everyone else and you have to be mindful of motives. That’s the nature of this competitive business and the mindset of most parents who enroll in cheer gyms and dance studios. I have witnessed many small businesses in this industry crumble and dissipate due to business owners trying to please every client and as a result, the business folded. My advice is to understand that people will be people, opinions are opinions and that you can’t please everyone. Stand firm in your beliefs and ethics of your organization and you will prosper.
PRO Status – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Established in 2011, PRO Status is the premiere company for grooming future professional athletes and dancers. We pride ourselves on not only preparing our athletes and dancers for careers in the industry but for life as well. Through the rejection, mistakes, failures and difficult times in my life, I am the example of perseverance and how to be an overcomer. We believe in God and seek Him for His guidance in everything. PRO is a ministry and what sets us apart is our spiritual foundation. We instill in our athletes the importance of having a heart for humanity and humility. We specialize in not only studying the art of dance but we offer classes in tumbling, acro, ballet, lyrical,
contemporary, cheer, majorette, tap and hip-hop.
What makes me the most proud of my company is that I am able to pour into the lives of hundreds of young girls and boys. I am not only teaching them how to love the art of dance, but how to love themselves and reminding them that they are enough in this world. I am making memorable moments and experiences they can cherish for a lifetime. Their gifts, talents and abilities have taken them all over the country to perform, compete and study in various intensives from Debbie Allen, AMDA New York, Ballet Hispanico and Alvin Ailey.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is never giving up. It’s not about winning or losing, but it’s about setting a goal and achieving that goal. If I mastered a turn that I couldn’t get a week ago, I’m successful. If I fell down and got back up, I’m successful. If I persevere through any obstacle, I’m successful. Success is a mindset. Success is accomplishment. Success is achievement. My athletes are successful in every endeavor because I teach them that mistakes help you learn. Perseverance is the key to success. Quitting is never an option. When you “FAIL,” it’s your First Attempt In Learning so you try again. It’s all in your mind. When you have a successful mindset, you breed success.
Pricing:
- Tiny PRO $75/month
- 1-Hour of Classes a week $80/month
- 2-Hours of Classes a week $100/month
- 3-Hours of Classes a Week $120/month
- 4-Hours of Classes a Week $140/month
- 5-Hours of Classes a Week $150/month
- 6-8 Hours of Classes a Week $160-$185/month
Contact Info:
- Address: PRO Status Cheer and Dance Company
12730 Woodforest Blvd.
Houston, TX 77015 - Website: www.prostatushouston.com
- Phone: 832-530-3875
- Email: info@prostatushouston.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prostatuscheeranddance/?hl=zh-cn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myprostatus/
Image Credit:
Latosha Lewis-James, Guillermo Duron, Walter Williams, Jabari Lockett, Darin Maestas
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