Meet Lacey Ingersoll

We were lucky to catch up with Lacey Ingersoll recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lacey, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I come from a long line of hardworking, resilient people. My family is full of entrepreneurs and small business owners, so I’ve grown up surrounded by examples of what it looks like to keep going no matter what. My grandmother started our dance studio here in Michigan nearly 50 years ago, and I had the privilege of taking over from her in 2019. My mother owned her own hair salon for more than 20 years, my father runs his own construction company and now they own and operate an event center.

If I had to pinpoint where my resilience comes from, it’s definitely my mom. She’s been an incredible example of strength, consistency, and grace under pressure. Watching her build and run her business while raising our family taught me so much about perseverance. I learned by watching her. How to handle challenges, how to adapt, and how to show up every day even when things feel hard. All those lessons I absorbed working beside her in the salon and later seeking her advice once I had my own business. They built the foundation of my resilience.

One of the biggest tests of that resilience came in 2020. When the pandemic hit, our studio (Fitch Dance Company) had just started to rebuild after a few challenging years, and suddenly, we had to shut our doors. Around that same time, I found out I was pregnant with my first child, and not long after, my family experienced the loss of my aunt. Between the shutdown, pregnancy, grief, and a handful of other personal challenges, it felt like wave after wave kept coming. But my faith and trust in Jesus Christ kept me grounded, and my family’s love and closeness reminded me that we could weather anything together.

Now, that resilience shows up every single day. Running a small business means wearing a dozen different hats. I’m teaching and choreographing, working the front desk, handling marketing and customer service, managing the website, and still being present as a wife, a mother, and a role model for my dancers. It’s not always easy, but I carry with me the same strength I watched my mom model. The quiet, steady kind that gets you through the hard seasons and reminds you why you started in the first place.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m the owner and director of Fitch Dance Company, a legacy studio that’s been part of the Kalkaska community since 1979. We offer dance classes for ages 2.5 through 18 and even a few adult classes from time to time! Our students can train in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, Celtic, musical theatre, Latin, acro, and technique, and we also have an impressive competition team that represents our studio at events across Michigan. We offer private lessons and choreography sessions too, whether it’s for competitions, talent shows, or pageants.

What really defines our studio is our family atmosphere and our deep roots in the community. We’re proud to be a place where dancers of all ages and abilities can grow, express themselves, and build lifelong friendships. So many of our alumni now have their own children dancing with us, and some even teach for us, which is such a full-circle moment and a reminder of the impact this studio has had for nearly five decades.

Our slogan, “Where Great Dancers Grow,” perfectly captures what we believe in. Every dancer who walks through our doors already has something special inside of them. We just help them grow into even stronger, more confident versions of themselves, both as dancers and as people. Offering quality dance education in our small, rural community is something I take a lot of pride in. It’s so important to me that our dancers have access to excellent training and a supportive environment where they can safely explore their love for dance.

We have a lot of exciting things happening right now! Our annual Christmas Spectacular is coming up December 5th and 6th, and it’s always one of our favorite events of the year. We’re also selling new studio merch and already planning ahead for our June show, summer camps, and competition auditions next season. It’s not too late to register for our current season, either! You can learn more or sign up on our website at www.fitchdancecompany.com.

My favorite part of what I do is simply that I get to do what I love for a living. It’s incredibly time-consuming and can be exhausting at times, but it’s also so rewarding. There’s nothing quite like watching a student discover their confidence or fall in love with dance for the first time. Those are the moments that make every long day worth it.

I feel deeply honored to carry on the legacy my grandmother started nearly 50 years ago. Fitch Dance Company has always been about more than just dance. It’s about family, tradition, and community. My hope for the future is to continue growing, reaching more people, and sharing our love for dance with generations to come.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, I’d say the three qualities that have had the biggest impact on my journey are creativity, passion, and drive.

Creativity has been at the center of everything I do. From choreographing routines to dreaming up new programs for our students or finding ways to keep the studio fresh and engaging year after year. Running a business in the arts means you’re constantly reinventing and finding new ways to connect with people. Creativity helps me approach challenges as opportunities to build something beautiful rather than obstacles that hold me back.

Passion is what fuels it all. I’ve been surrounded by dance my entire life, and I truly love what I do. That passion keeps me motivated even on the hard days, the late nights, the long rehearsals, and all the behind-the-scenes work that no one sees. When you love what you do, it shines through in everything.

And drive is what turns those ideas and dreams into reality. It’s easy to be excited about something at the start, but staying committed through every season, especially the tough ones, is what makes all the difference. Drive is the reason Fitch Dance Company continues to grow year after year and why I can juggle so many different roles while still pushing the studio forward.

My biggest piece of advice for anyone just starting their journey is: don’t sweat the small stuff. I know that’s easier said than done, and I still have to remind myself of it often, but it’s so important. You can’t let every bump in the road shake you. You’ll spread yourself too thin if you can’t roll with the punches. Learn to focus on what truly matters, and let the rest go.

And most importantly, lean on your community. Whether it’s family, friends, or mentors, having a strong support system makes all the difference. None of us are meant to do this alone, and surrounding yourself with people who believe in you will give you the strength and perspective you need to keep going.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

The book that’s had the greatest impact on my life is the Bible. My faith has been the foundation of everything I do personally, creatively, and as a business owner. Running a small business, especially one with such deep roots in our community, comes with constant change and challenge. I’ve learned that no matter what happens, I have to trust in God’s timing and His plan for my life.

One of the verses that has always spoken to me is Proverbs 3:5–6, which says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” That verse reminds me that I don’t have to have everything figured out. I just need to stay faithful and keep moving forward, trusting that God is leading me exactly where I’m meant to be.

Another verse that has given me comfort and perspective is Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” There have been so many times when I couldn’t see how things would work out, from taking over the studio to navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic, but looking back, I can see how every step, even the hard ones, were part of God’s plan to help me grow.

Faith has taught me patience, humility, and perseverance. It’s the reason I can face challenges with hope instead of fear. I truly believe that when you let go and trust in God’s plan, He always makes a way. Often better than you could have imagined.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fitchdancecompany.com/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitchdancecompany23?igsh=cmtjZjIzcmpqNHIx&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1JGLWmcWGe/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Image Credits

Amber Frashier