Carrie Hughes
Carrie Hughes has always been a woman with tremendous ambition, but, like many of us, she has often felt unsure of her true calling in life. Hughes, now a dance studio owner and instructor, first dabbled in dance when she was three years old, but her passion for the art form of dance began years later. After passing some time as an avid roller skater, Hughes fully embraced dance when she was fifteen. She began to dance with a renewed sense of purpose, and, looking back, she admits that she “found [her] passion for dance relatively late,” but she thinks that “helped [her] as a dancer.” After high school, her ambition led her to California, where she hoped to be an actress and a dancer, but, fatefully, she returned to Richmond and began teaching dance classes locally. She spent her time thinking about the future and, after a year, decided to attend VCU and work toward her B.F.A in dance and choreography.
The following years held their share of difficulty. She battled a severe knee injury her sophomore year at VCU and had to take a semester off to recuperate. Hughes calls this the “most depressing time of her life.” The injury did lead to one positive thing, a feeling of affirmation. Hughes says “I knew then that I had to dance. It didn't even seem like a choice, more something I had to do.” It was at this point that Hughes resigned herself to do whatever necessary to follow her passion. She began teaching at a dance studio in Midlothian, Chesterfield Dance Center (CDC), when she was a rising junior. Although she loved what she was doing, the salary wasn't enough to support her. Unwilling to give up on her dream, Hughes started a second job, working in a retail store. She persevered for seven years until she finally had the opportunity to buy CDC.
She had wanted her own studio for years, and this opportunity opened new doors for her. While it has required an immense amount of time and effort, she is pleased to say that, after years of hard work, she has helped the studio grow in several sizeable ways. Just recently Chesterfield Dance Center moved to a new
location that nearly doubled the size of the original studio. The studio’s curriculum has grown as well; CDC now offers a diverse curriculum for a variety of age groups, interests, and experience levels. Additionally, class enrollment has improved by forty percent in the last three years alone.
Reflecting on her journey and accomplishments, Hughes says that her grace, strength, passion, and integrity have contributed largely to her success. She says that her journey has taught her that it is impossible to please everyone, and she has found peace in that reality. Hughes adds, “I believe that teaching children is a gift. There is no greater joy than to envelop a child into a world of creative expression, movement, and passion for the art of dance.”
*For more information about Carrie Hughes or Chesterfield Dance Center visit the Chesterfield Dance Center Website.
The following years held their share of difficulty. She battled a severe knee injury her sophomore year at VCU and had to take a semester off to recuperate. Hughes calls this the “most depressing time of her life.” The injury did lead to one positive thing, a feeling of affirmation. Hughes says “I knew then that I had to dance. It didn't even seem like a choice, more something I had to do.” It was at this point that Hughes resigned herself to do whatever necessary to follow her passion. She began teaching at a dance studio in Midlothian, Chesterfield Dance Center (CDC), when she was a rising junior. Although she loved what she was doing, the salary wasn't enough to support her. Unwilling to give up on her dream, Hughes started a second job, working in a retail store. She persevered for seven years until she finally had the opportunity to buy CDC.
She had wanted her own studio for years, and this opportunity opened new doors for her. While it has required an immense amount of time and effort, she is pleased to say that, after years of hard work, she has helped the studio grow in several sizeable ways. Just recently Chesterfield Dance Center moved to a new
location that nearly doubled the size of the original studio. The studio’s curriculum has grown as well; CDC now offers a diverse curriculum for a variety of age groups, interests, and experience levels. Additionally, class enrollment has improved by forty percent in the last three years alone.
Reflecting on her journey and accomplishments, Hughes says that her grace, strength, passion, and integrity have contributed largely to her success. She says that her journey has taught her that it is impossible to please everyone, and she has found peace in that reality. Hughes adds, “I believe that teaching children is a gift. There is no greater joy than to envelop a child into a world of creative expression, movement, and passion for the art of dance.”
*For more information about Carrie Hughes or Chesterfield Dance Center visit the Chesterfield Dance Center Website.
