Women in Business: 5 things to know about Brittany Thurman and Studio 6:14.
By SARA VANDEN BERGE
Two years ago Brittany Thurman took a leap of faith.
Literally.
The woman who had been dancing her way through life since the age of seven decided to turn her talent into a career by opening a dance studio of her own.
Studio 6:14 Dance & Performing Arts opened in Stephenville in 2018, and today offers an array of classes for children and young adults.
Brittany, who grew up in Glen Rose, said she couldn’t wait to take dance classes when she was a child.
“I would pass by the dance studio in town and I kept asking my parents if I was old enough to take classes,” she said. “When I was seven, they finally signed me up and I loved it.
“That’s when I knew that I wanted to dance for the rest of my life.”
I had the chance to chat with Brittany and here are a few more fun facts I learned about her dance studio.
1. How did you come up with the name Studio 6:14?
The studio’s name was taken from scripture: 2 Samuel 6:14, “and David danced before the Lord with all of his might.”
“That scripture encompasses what I am about. David gave it everything he had, and I give it everything I have; whether it’s teaching or communicating with parents,” Brittany said. “That’s my theory on life and it lines up with how I run the studio.”
2. What classes do you offer?
Studio 6:14 offers a variety of classes for young children as well as Ballet, Tap, Hip Hop, Jazz, Cheer, AcroDance, Musical Theatre and Lyrical/Contemporary.
“We are the only studio in the area that is AcroDance certified,” Brittany said. “AcroDance is a program created by Cirque du Soleil.”
3. What classes do you enjoy teaching the most?
“I love teaching the tots and kinders. That’s my sweet spot. You see quick improvement in that age group and they are just fun to teach,” she said. “My teachers are the opposite; they enjoy working with the older kids.”
4. What type of atmosphere do you strive to create at Studio 6:14?
“Positive and encouraging. We are not a competitive studio. We have dancers we take to competition, but that’s not what we are about,” she said. “We don’t encourage competition in class. We push students to excel in a gentle, encouraging and positive way. We want to create an environment where they want to come to class and are excited to learn.”
5. What advice would you give other women looking to start their own business?
“I learned at the university of hard knocks,” Brittany said. “You have to make mistakes to learn, and you have to forgive yourself.
“I would tell other women to trust their instinct and pray a lot.”
Studio 6:14 is now taking registration for summer and fall classes. The studio is located at 1002 W. South Loop in Stephenville.
For more information, call 254-434-1114.