Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Linda Freeman of Mid-Hudson Valley

Linda Freeman shared her story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Linda, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
The town was sponsoring a free swing dance in the park and had hired us to teach the lesson before the band began. For the last two summers we had been working with a family of four (their parents and their two children, an 8-year-old boy and his 10-year-old sister) to teach them swing dance as something fun to do together as a family. They showed up at the dance and started dancing and everyone was so impressed with the children’s dancing and kept nudging each other saying, “Look at them!” I kept saying, “Oh, my family is here!” and then I would have to explain they weren’t actually MY family. I was so proud.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
We started teaching dance full-time in 2004 because it was something we loved to do, and we have since multipled that love by sharing it with hundreds of people. As a husband and wife team, we bring so much joy to the dance floor that people just get very excited to be a part of our dance community.

In addition to our group classes, we are one of the most sought-after teachers for wedding couples. We have been named as one of the top dance studios based on steller customer reviews for the past five consecutive years on the wedding website, The Knot.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I was terribly shy as a child. In 1st grade I actually got an award for being the most quiet. In a family of five noisy kids, I guess that was my survival mechanism. While everyone else demanded attention, I just went about my business and got things done. I still do that today, however I have had to learn to turn my introverted nature into an extraverted one because I am constantly in front of sometimes hundreds of people. When I look back at who I was, I realize how far I have allowed the shrinking violet to bloom! My nature actually benefits me and my students greatly because I love working one-on-one best of all, so that personal attention is really my forte, and I absolutely love helping others be the best they can be, even when they think they can’t!

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
You are so much stronger, more beautiful, powerful, creative and smart than you think you are!

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My life purpose is to live an inspired and inspirational life and to transform the lives of others. I get to do this every day!

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days. 
I am tap dancing AT work! My husband says we never have to retire because our work is play. Of course, he is not entirely right, since I am the one who runs the business and he is the one who “shows up and looks pretty.” Yes, it is hard work. But the truth is we feel lucky every single day to do what we love and see our students literally transform in front of our eyes. They arrive unable to dance and often alone, and leave dancing and with new friends. Our retention rate is extremely high because what we form in class is community, and that is so crucial. Our demographic is largely people in some sort of life transition: their kids are out of the house, they just got divorced or widowed or moved to the area, or are just ready to have some fun. No partner is needed to attend our classes. Of course, for our private wedding couples they are in their own transition, and it is always a joy to be a part of that journey as well.

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