Changing Lives through Dancing by David Woodbury
Arthur Murray Santa Monica
Recently, I was chatting with a couple at the front desk at Arthur Murray Santa Monica.
They lived near the studio and they walked to their lessons. They had lived here during the pandemic. We spoke of the many challenges of the past 4 years, and the fact that we had all made it through that period.
As we continued to share how we had made it successfully to now, she said “Nothing can take you down”. We had a good laugh and we all agreed. Luckily, I wrote her words down and I have pondered on them. Before March 20, 2020, we were living in a “we’ve got it all” moment. Life and work were awesome, then everything suddenly stopped, at least in California. We went from the dream life, to teaching dancing from our living rooms. We set up cameras and dressed in our best suits and ties and taught our students in their homes via video lessons.
In fact, all of Arthur Murray Dance Studios worldwide switched to teaching and dancing on Zoom and we invented ourselves in one week. We taught wedding couples whom we never met in person. They even got married online! We had group classes online. They were lots of fun. Our dance parties were crazy fun, and we all drank a lot in front of our blue screens! We did what we had to do to exist.
Our kitty boy, Boo, was a superstar from our in-home lessons. He would walk out onto the middle of the floor and lift a leg up and clean himself during the sessions. Then he would walk around, and we would have to pick him up so we could teach our lessons. He became a “purrfect” dance teacher. Everyone loved him!
After we closed over 70 days, had the riots May 31st, then closed again for 70+ more days, we finally could truly reopen. We’d teach a lesson, close the studio, then clean any surfaces that were touched, then reopened again on the hour.
We then resumed “normal” lessons and began to grow. Summer of 2023 Arthur Murray Santa Monica doubled in size and we added 4 wonderful teachers. Then in the Fall into the Spring of 2024, we have doubled again. We even have two more fantastic instructors who have joined our team.
After the pandemic, all that we went through in Santa Monica, CA, and all the energy it has taken for us to get on the comeback trail, I feel so much stronger. My health has greatly improved. This is a steady and sure return to our goals.
If now you are facing some rough times, know that you have made it through one of the most challenging periods of your life. You and I will be stronger than ever, and we will make it through thick and thin. Remember that “nothing can take us down” and that we will survive. As my dear friend, Jim Byrd, always said “It will get better!”
Thanks for reading,
David Woodbury