A2K Dance Project strives to be a place where girls can feel at home and be supported in more ways than just dance.
“The studio opportunity came at a time that felt like a perfect fit,” owner Brandi Ahmad said. “I loved what the studio stood for, which was supporting girls not only in dance but in all the other activities that they do.”
Ahmad, who bought the studio a little more than a year ago, understands how competitive the dance world can be having been a professional dancer herself, as an NFL cheerleader years ago, and the current head coach of the Ponte Vedra High School Splash dance team.
According to Ahmad, there is a balance to be had from having a regimented schedule as well mixing in the proper support needed in all aspects of a dancer’s life.
“I feel like this studio is a perfect opportunity to continue that support within the community,” Ahmad said. “I can provide a space for them to get a great dance education but also feel supported and uplifted in all things that they do and not just dance. I tell my high school girls and my little ones that the faster we learn to support each other, the better off we’ll all be.”
One of the things she has discovered throughout her years is that its important to remember that although dance may be a big part of someone’s life, at the end of the day it is just another avenue for opportunities, and it is made to add to those life experiences and not hamper them.
As a result, she has developed an approach that centers around a multi-tier commitment level that is designed to help balance a dancer’s busy schedule.
“We have a lot of girls that are so involved in their school activities, and they are always looking to try even more,” Ahmad said. “I don’t want to stifle that mindset just because they dance.”
There are a lot of things that Ahmad is excited to be introducing this fall season, including new instructors and continuing to provide dancers with fresh and new content and dance moves to learn.
“Kids need the structure, but they want to be challenged, and there’s not much that can challenge you more than dance, because it is always changing, so you can always learn new moves no matter how long you’ve been doing it,” Ahmad said.
One of those new instructors is new dance director Macey Rowan, who will be coming full-time at the studio in August.
According to Ahmad, there is a vibrance that Rowan will bring to the program that will add to the foundation that has already been established.
The studio is planning on having a grand re-opening on Aug. 7, which is also the day that the studio’s fall dance classes start.
“We hope to give folks the opportunity to walk through the space and just see what we’re all about,” Ahmad said. “We’ve grown since I bought the place and I feel like we’re just going to continue that moving forward.”
With both Ahmad and Rowan having been professional dancers, they understand not just the hard work it takes to reach that point, but also the amount of support that is needed along the way, and they both the studio to be a haven for that support.
“She (Rowan) sees the full picture, which is really great because we are able to see the future for this studio and it is very bright,” Ahmad said.
