Today we’d like to introduce you to Martha Cockrell.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I took my first dance lesson at the age of three, and I was totally hooked! Growing up, I did all kinds of dancing; I started with tap, ballet, and jazz; I also danced on the drill team in high school. When I moved to Houston in 1996, dancing was something I really missed. Sure, you could go out “dancing” at clubs, but it wasn’t the same. In the spring of 1998, I saw an ad in the newspaper looking for ballroom dance instructors! It said, “Experience helpful but not necessary. Training provided.” I thought to myself, I could do that! I taught for a studio for over 11 years, but I never really liked the “one-size-fits-all” approach to teaching and the high-pressure sales tactics. In September of 2009, I took a huge leap of faith and decided to try teaching on my own. I am so glad I did because I can now truly say that I am working at my “dream job”!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I was extremely lucky to have several students who were willing to come with me in my transition to being an independent teacher. I am also thankful for the support of my wonderful husband, who is instrumental in helping me with the “business” part of my business.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Dancing With Martha – what should we know?
I specialize in private dance lessons for both singles and couples. Whether you’re getting ready for your First Dance at your wedding, you have a gala event coming up, or you just want to do something fun…I’ve got you covered! I do all different types of social dancing; ballroom, country, Latin, and swing. I also have my own private studio space, which means that students don’t have to share the dance floor or the music with anyone else.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I think that the MOST important factor in my success is knowing that not everyone has the same learning style! I believe in teaching people what they want to learn. At the studio where I taught before, we had a fairly strict set of things that you were “supposed” to teach people, no matter what they wanted to learn. Some students do well working on several different types of dances at once; other students find that confusing. And frequently (this is almost always the case with wedding couples) people only want to learn how to do one style of dance. I think that I’m a good teacher because I love dancing, I love teaching, and I am very patient.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dancingwithmartha.com
- Phone: 832-656-5287
- Email: dancingwithmartha@yahoo.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/martha_dancing
- Facebook: facebook.com/Dancing-With_Martha
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