Michelle: Alright, well, here we are with Maria from Celebrity Dance Studio. Is it still called Celebrity now you’re at another…?
Maria: No.
Michelle: No. Change, all different?
Maria: No. Celebrity is closed.
Michelle: The Celebrity has closed.
Maria: The Celebrity has closed. It was an era. Done.
Michelle: It was the end of an era.
Maria: It was.
Michelle: So, I’ve just got Maria here today, just to talk us through the dance industry and some of her experiences being a dance teacher.
Maria: Many of.
Michelle: Many of. Alright. So tell me a little bit about, you mentioned earlier, you started dancing around the age of 19.
Maria: I did
Michelle: So what got you into dancing? What attracted you to dancing?
Maria: Very simply, I had a work colleague who received a phone call, and she had been offered a couple of private lessons. In those days, there was no social media, so a lot of the advertising was done through telephone canvassing. She had no interest, and I thought, “I might enjoy that”. Off I went for these two free lessons, and the rest is history. Many, many decades later. Still within the industry. Amazing.
Michelle: Fantastic! And an excellent teacher…
Maria: Thank you
Michelle: …so you’ve seen a lot of things, I imagine?
Maria: Yeah, many things, many students, many levels, many achievements, many happy people.
Michelle: Of course.
Maria: Absolutely,
Michelle: What do you think are the most important traits for a dance teacher to have?
Maria: Definitely, I think a dance teacher needs to have empathy and be able to relate to the student on their level, and what I mean by that is, as teachers, we often have a strong understanding of achievement, how we’re progressing, but that’s irrelevant if the student is not on the same level as you. So a successful teacher needs to be able to bring themselves on to the student’s level, understand how they’re experiencing their learning, and stay with them on their path. And that’s probably one of the hardest things to do, because a lot of teachers tend to just have one mode of teaching and off they go, and a lot of students fall by the wayside if they don’t…they’re not able to come back.
Michelle: Yeah. You need to be able to adjust the way that you’re teaching, for example.
Maria: Absolutely. Because we had a lot of issues with confidence and self-belief. And we’re working with adults, so they’re really emotional traits that, if you don’t get it right, students are not with you the next day.
Michelle: And have you ever taught children?
Maria: Not in the ballroom. We’ve had a couple of younger, 12- 13-year-olds that came to the school for various reasons, but not on a mass, long-term thing, no.
Michelle: Did you find any major differences between teaching children and adults?
Maria: Yes, children have no inhibitions.
Michelle: They just go for it!
Maria: They just do it. Whereas adults, and especially males, want to analyze it and work it all out before it gets down to their feet, so to speak. So, yeah, whereas the younger children and sometimes even younger adults tend to be a little bit freer. Just have a go.
Michelle: Go with the flow
Maria: Yeah. Which is exactly..
Michelle: And they learn very quickly…
Maria: Very quickly.
Michelle: Yeah, it’s incredible. Alright, so obviously, being a dance teacher for many years, you’ve spent quite a bit of time on stage performing, with showcases and spotlights and these sorts of things. Do you have a particular memorable moment of one of those performances?
Maria: It’s hard to pick just one moment, but one that truly stands out is a showcase where we included our children. Because we worked evenings, we decided to make them part of our world rather than feel our absence. One year, with three staff members and six children under ten, we performed a Grease routine. The kids completely stole the show. They danced with such freedom and confidence, and I can still picture that photo of staff and children together. That moment perfectly captures why I love our showcases.
Michelle: Anything with a Grease is a winner.
Maria: Well, the music, yes.
Michelle: The music is amazing, to really get into it, which is good!
Maria: Yes, it is
Michelle: Alright, so I suppose when you were teaching dance and working for somebody else, it would have been a really big decision to then go into owning your own studio and, you know, purchasing a studio or however that came about. How did you make that decision?
Maria: I don’t think we ever consciously decided to chase this path. From the moment I walked into a dance studio, everything felt right—the energy, the music, the friendships, and the sense of belonging. I never imagined myself outside the dance world. As I moved from student to teacher, that feeling only grew stronger. When the opportunity arose for Joe and me to manage a studio, we were given the freedom to shape it our way. We focused on what we truly believed mattered in a dance studio, and over those three years, our approach proved successful.
Michelle: Obviously, it worked!
Maria: It worked
Michelle: Being around for so long.
Maria: Yes, and that’s what I think when we felt confident that we could then take this opportunity with the studio. The business was always up for sale, so to speak, and we thought that we felt confident we could take it and run with it, because we’d establish what we thought was going to work, and it was actually working. Magically!
Michelle: So you mentioned the things you think are important in a studio, so what are those things?
Maria: When we were employees, there was a lot of turnover of students, quick students coming in and out all the time. And that would bother me because, to me, it was a place that I wanted to stay in forever, so, in thinking about that, Joe and I decided that we needed to create an environment that was a bit more than a dance institution. An environment where people felt that they belonged, an environment they felt involved in, a lot of good service that then resulted in students making good progress, and it became very much like a family. I can tell you 25 or 26 years til the day that when we closed last year, we had students in the studio that started with us in 1988.
Michelle: That’s unbelievable!
Maria: And they were still there because they didn’t need to learn anymore, but it was where they belonged. And that’s what we felt we wanted to do, and that’s what I think was a success for us. We managed to create that energy and that environment.
Michelle: It’s amazing! It must be a really lovely feeling to know that you’ve created something that was such a big part of people’s lives.
Maria: Many people will still walk up to us today and say that those years were the best years of our lives, those years in Celebrity were the best years of our lives. And that is really heartwarming. That’s what is nice to hear.
Michelle: It’s nice. What do you think has been the hardest thing about running a studio?
Maria: Just the business side of it. Many years ago, there were fewer schools. There was less opportunity to get exposure.
Michelle: Maybe 3 or 4?
Maria: I think there are 3 major ones in the city, or they’re called American Social Schools. Look, I think dancing was what I loved, teaching was what I loved, then we bought the business, and now we have to manage a business. And a dance business is no different than any other business. There are bills to pay, budgets to meet, staff to manage, and I think sometimes that aspect of it just stole my energy.
Michelle: I just want to dance!
Maria: I just want to dance.Yeah. But I was able to balance the two and leave all the hard stuff to Joe.
Michelle: Good old Joe!
Maria: I left Joe with all the decision-making, and I just kept the front energies going. That was probably the hardest thing. Managing staff, I think is hard because your studio or a successful school is basically better staff. You have to look after your staff, and they can be like children sometimes, and you really have to mentally stay with them to keep them focused.
Michelle: Yeah, I’ll have to actually get Joe at the bar one time to have a drink and a chat with him to see how he handled everything!
Maria: Why not?
Michelle: What do you think is the best way for students to improve their dancing?
Maria: Skills are built through repetitive practice, and dancing is no different from any other sport. Many people don’t realise this when they begin. It’s about muscle memory—doing movements over and over until they become natural. That’s why group classes are so important. They allow students to practise repetitively in a fun, social environment, something that often doesn’t happen at home or even in private lessons. This repetition builds flow and continuity. Social dancing is just as vital, as it gives students a real reason to use what they’re learning. When dancers, especially men, can see the purpose behind a pattern or variation, it truly sticks.
Michelle: The reason behind it.
Maria: It had to be more than just another step for them. So definitely the group practice, because it’s just over and over and over again, and it just settles. That’s really important.
Michelle: Speaking of socials, you have created an excellent, well, social. A regular social event in Adelaide. Rhythm is the name. Now, is it Rhythm 2000 or just Rhythm?
Maria: Rhythm 2000 in 1998, I think we started. It’s been nearly 20 years. I can’t believe it.
Michelle: Still going strong?
Maria: The reason behind this was that dance felt very segregated at the time, and I believed we needed to bring people together so they could enjoy what they were learning as a community. It took a long time to build trust with schools and encourage them to let their students dance in public venues. But that effort was worth it. Every school benefits when students can take their learning beyond the studio and share it on a social floor that brings all of Adelaide together. The success of Rhythm isn’t just about the event itself—it’s about giving dancers a real space to use their skills, which helps many continue their learning long term.
Michelle: They can use it, put it into practice, and meet other people through that as well, so it’s not just the same people
Maria: And to see that there are others outside doing exactly what they are doing, and enjoying what they are doing, and that’s what’s really important.
Michelle: So for people that are watching that don’t necessarily know much about Rhythm, they’re held on Saturday nights. Is there a pattern to it, or are they every fourth Saturday, or are they just everywhere?
Maria: They used to run monthly, then bi-monthly, now roughly every 6 weeks due to venue availability at Felixstow. The goal is balance—dancers can enjoy Rhythm while still exploring other opportunities instead of dancing every weekend.
Michelle: We’re pretty lucky now. We’ve got Milongas in Adelaide with the Argentine Tango, we have Salsa nights, and we had a big Latin party on the weekend, so it’s really great that there is that variety.
Maria: It wasn’t there 20 years ago
Michelle: It wasn’t?
Maria: No, it was not there. It was not there, and Rhythm actually started because our students at the time kept saying, “Where can we go?”, and there really was nowhere to go. Nowhere to go. And so we thought, “Well, if there is nowhere to go, we’ll create a ‘where to go’ place”, and here we are.
Michelle: If you want something done
Both: Do it yourself!
Maria: There you go, back to square 1. So, here we are, 18 years later, still running.
Michelle: And getting bigger and bigger. I’ve heard the last one was packed!
Maria: Yes, well, it’s really interesting, with dance functions, you can have a huge venue, but you can only put in X amount of people because ballroom dancers need space.
Michelle: They like their space!
Maria: Yeah, and Rhythm, the entity of Rhythm, is the music and the space,e so we have to stay with that.
Michelle: So it is 69 Briar Road…
Maria: 69 Briar Road, Felixstow
Michelle: The Fogolar Furlan Centre
Maria: Lovely venue
Michelle: Huge space, huge dance floor, great music. I believe you’re actually the DJ?
Maria: I am the DJ, still doing the DJing!
Michelle: DJ Maria in the house!
Maria: And even Rhythm has evolved. The music that we play at Rhythm today is…again, we’ve got to keep evolving to keep the interest. So the energy, the Latino scene is very big in Adelaide, and we’ve had to bring that energy into Rhythm, in amongst the ballroom and the Latin American to keep the vibe and to keep the faces young, and the energy young. So we try and create a club-type atmosphere at Rhythm with a much younger following, which is lovely.
Michelle: Yes, it’s great, there’s a good mix of people there. So what’s one piece of advice you would give to someone who’s about to take up lessons for the first time?
Maria: [Long Pause] Absolutely, just enjoy the journey. Dance is one of those things that doesn’t really have an end, and I think that’s really hard for new people to understand…
Michelle: Because you want to get to the end, you want to know everything!
Maria: Yeah, and people often come in, and they want to get to *that* point, and so that’s okay. I used to explain to my students that dancing was a ladder and you take one step at a time, and when you get to that step, then you make the decision. Do you want to go up to the next step? But the important thing is to absolutely enjoy the journey because dancing and a dance studio facility have so much more to offer, other than just the learning of that particular pattern or that particular routine, so that’s what I would say. Take it all in!
Michelle: It sort of comes back to what you were talking about before, that the studios offer the friendship and the meeting people, and all that sort of thing, so enjoy that whole process and don’t just think about getting to the end of the journey. Because, after a couple of years, you look back and go “I wish I were still learning that step for the first time”.
Maria: You do. You’re always interested in what’s new. I think some people can get so, so involved in their learning. They just like to keep learning. There are some people who like studying; they just like to keep studying. But a student will keep learning as long as they are making progress, because they will desire the next bit or the next stage.
Michelle: Yeah!
Maria: But definitely the energy that is in a school and that you would have here at Quicksteps is something that, until you actually experience it, you probably can’t understand it. But there is so much more to a dance studio than a dance lesson, and I think that’s why you find that people are around for a while. It’s where they feel that they can connect.
Michelle: And belong.
Maria: And belong. To belong is really important.
Michelle: Now, I guess you remember when you were a new teacher, it can be very tough! Do you have any advice for teachers out there who are just starting in the industry? That might help them along their journey.
Maria: Just believe, just believe. It’s not about whether you…going out, taking your first group is absolutely daunting.
Michelle: Oh gosh!
Maria: Absolutely daunting.
Michelle: It’s the scariest thing you’ll ever do, isn’t it?
Maria: You’re absolutely right, and I do remember my first group.
Michelle: Tell me about that.
Maria: Well, I don’t remember what I did because it was probably just an absolute blur! But I remember a student came up to me at the end of the group, and he was a music teacher. And he said to me, “You need to speak from the diaphragm”. And I suppose that told me that I was very quiet and lacked confidence.
Michelle: Oh wow, times have changed!
Maria: Yes! Well, it was those few words that helped me to sort of build from there, but…Look, I think as a teacher, if you believe in what you’re doing and you’re enjoying it, your students will not be affected by the fact that you might have forgotten something or you’ve got something back to front.
Michelle: Which happens to everybody
Maria: Happens to everybody. Just have an energy about you that overrides that. Have energy about you, and if you are enjoying teaching, then that energy will be there.
Michelle: Yeah, it keeps it fun
Maria: Definitely
Michelle: Where do you feel the dance industry in Adelaide is going? How is it changing or developing? Or is it not changing?
Maria: Look, a lot of things are still the same. When we started Rhythm, our vision was to try and unite the dance industry, and I think in a very small way we probably have done, or taken that a couple of steps forward. I think the industry now is a lot bigger than it was. More people are learning to dance now than I think they were, which is great. It may not seem like that because they’re scattered, so there are a lot of places in Adelaide where dance lessons are being held. Some on a grand scale, as you have here at Quicksteps, some on a much smaller scale. Going back when we started, there were, I think, 3 main schools.
Michelle: 3 big institutions
Maria: And they were huge in their own way, but they were closed. Whereas now, I think what’s happening is there is a lot of little pockets, and this is where I think it’s really important, that there’s a lot of networking and the teachers and the owners of these particular teaching places come together to create a bigger energy and a bigger industry because all of us individually on our own is challenging.
Michelle: I think Rhythm helped that, though. I mean, I know, as a teacher, it allows me to talk to other studio owners, mingle, and see how they’re going and check in.
Maria: I think the fear factor of protecting your group of people I think that’s slowly vanishing. That was very, very big when we started. But I still don’t think the industry has evolved a great deal. I really feel that they can work together a lot more, I really do. I think that’s what it needs to grow. It almost needs like a body…
Michelle: A committee?
Maria: A committee
Michelle: Put it on the agenda
Maria: I’ll put it on the agenda. Something else for me to do in my spare time. Yeah, to try and bring all the venues together to create a bigger opportunity, a grander opportunity for students to just get more exposure, because that’s the hard thing. Exposure is really hard, and it’s not an industry that is supported. You don’t get much backing or much financial help. Nobody wants to advertise with dancers because it “doesn’t go anywhere”. We’re pretty much on our own, so we should really work harder to work together.
Michelle: To help each other.
Maria: Yeah
Michelle: Absolutely! I will try and do that. And the final question for you today…
Maria: The final question!
Michelle: And this is probably the hardest question of all. What is your all-time favourite song to dance to? I told you it was going to be a difficult one.
Maria: D’you know, there’s one song, which is a quickstep, funnily.
Michelle: Fantastic, I’m a fan!
Maria: I remember dancing a quickstep to “Baubles, Bangles and Beads”—bright, bubbly, and fun. A young student approached me, saying, “I want to dance like that.” He later became a brilliant dancer, eventually pursuing competitions after earning his Bronze level.
Michelle: Oh, wow!
Maria: And he did really, really well. But I just think that particular song was a tune that I loved and that I can remember because of how inspirational it was. But I do enjoy the song. It’s a bit old now, the songs are a bit old.
Michelle: I’m going to have to hunt that one down! Maybe you can play it at the next Rhythm, and I’ll have a bit of a quickstep.
Maria: It’s maybe getting a bit old now for that, but it’s a really bright, happy tune. That just had a story to it, that particular routine, that’s one. I mean, there are many that I remember, but that one sticks in the mind.
Michelle: You’ll have to put it on now and again, have a bit of a dance.
