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Door Closes, a Window Opens
By Janette Brown
A forced move brings positive changes
Janette Brown feeling at home in the office of her new school.
What should a dance teacher do when she is informed that the
building she has rented for 24 years has been sold? My school,
Janette Brown Studio of Dance, was well established in
Baltimore City, MD, so my first impulse was to lock myself in
the bathroom and scream! To make matters worse, soon I
received a letter from the realtor stating that the new owner
would like to take possession of the premises by June 1. With
a lease that was in effect until June 30 and a recital looming
on June 16, I immediately called my landlord and told him that
in no uncertain terms would this happen. Fortunately, when I
produced a copy of my lease, he immediately backed down.
Once I had adjusted to the shock of the idea of moving, my
next thoughts were “Where do I go? What do I do? Retire? Move?
Move where?” My search for a new space came in the midst of
preparing for a dance recital and packing up items that I knew
I wouldn’t need. However, my hopes of finding a new place in
the immediate area of my current location were quickly
fizzling.
Then, while visiting the pharmacy near my home, I noticed a
sign that said “Space available.” On a whim, I called the
number and found that the space had once been a dance studio,
complete with wooden floors. But my studio was in Baltimore
City and the new space would be 30 minutes away from there.
Should I chance it? At this point, I decided that God may have
closed a door, but He had just opened a window. Chance it I
did.
The next hurdle was informing my students about the move. With
fear and trepidation in my heart, I sent out a newsletter
telling them that the school would be moving. Some groaned and
said, “I don’t want to travel that far.” But the majority
said, “Wherever you go, we go.” Hallelujah! I explained that
it really wasn’t that far and listed the new location’s
advantages, like how the parking is better and their moms can
get their nails and hair done while waiting. I pointed out the
good things and glossed over the travel distance.
For a while, even after signing the new lease and breaking the
news to my clients, I was shell-shocked. But once the dance
recital was over and I had time to think (covered with dust as
I threw away 24 years’ worth of accumulated stuff), I realized
that perhaps the change would be good. Never mind that I
couldn’t get into the new studio until August 1 (which meant
that all of my things had to be packed, put in a warehouse,
and moved again) and that I would not be home from DMA’s
Teachers Training School until August 4. As I packed and
scrubbed all day, I constantly chanted, “Change is good!” Then
to complicate matters and add more drama to my life, on the
day of my “painting party” at the new studio, my brother was
in a terrible car accident. He had to have immediate surgery,
so I literally threw the rollers and paint at my students and
told them I would return sometime later that day. After his
surgery, my brother suffered a pulmonary embolism and was
listed in critical condition. After two weeks in the hospital,
he arrived at my home to recuperate. So while I was putting up
pictures in the studio, doing some additional painting, and
sending out brochures, I was also taking care of my brother.
Months later, I found out that my landlord’s sale fell through
and my former building is sitting there empty! But I am happy
that I made the move. I am five minutes from my house, and the
area is wonderful. There is even a small park in front of the
studio that keeps my students’ brothers and sisters occupied.
And I have learned that students who admire you and enjoy your
classes will follow you. Yes, my enrollment did suffer some,
but about 50 of my students followed me. I have since spent a
fortune on advertising, but it helped bring in new students.
Also, former students who had moved to this area found out
that I had relocated and brought their children to me. They
have been passing the word along to neighbors and friends,
many of whom are now enrolled. Word of mouth is a great
advertisement too!
I am forever grateful for my students’ loyalty. Without them,
I would not have had as good a start in the new space. But I
am hoping that the new year will be less hectic!
Photo courtesy Janette Brown
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