Meet Sara B

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sara B a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sara, appreciate you sitting with us today. Maybe we can start with a topic that we care deeply about because it’s something we’ve found really sets folks apart and can make all the difference in whether someone reaches their goals. Self discipline seems to have an outsized impact on how someone’s life plays out and so we’d love to hear about how you developed yours?

I like to think that I was born this way- exceedingly self-reliant, though I’m sure other factors have influenced it as well. I realized I was self-disciplined early-on in life, though I attributed it to necessity while searching for order in chaos. I came from an environment where schedules fluctuated and I ended up living in a few different places throughout my childhood.
Through all of this, I learned that I thrive in consistency, and sometimes you just have to create that on your own.

While staying with my Grandma, the first in a line of (now) 3 generations of female entrepreneurs, I watched how she operated her day-to-day dealings out of her home. She had her own business that she built with a similar story to mine; what was once a hobby, became the hustle. She used to tell me, “You can only trust (rely) yourself, never count on anyone else.” Though it seems a bit dark and pessimistic now, back then it sent a clear message of self-discipline to my young mind.

Building and maintaining clientele, especially when your business is considered a luxury and not a necessity, takes ingenuity and a drive unlike any other. Essentially, I am trying to create an experience that empowers my clients to the point that line (&/or swing) dancing becomes a necessity for them.

During my lessons, I foster the skills they already possess and this helps boost self-esteem in so many ways. This element is vital for us whether we are on or off the dance floor.

To sum it all up, my self-discipline comes from knowing that I have to survive and I strive to succeed. When my clients come to me and say how much they enjoy dancing and that they started learning from me, that is a huge motivator to continue doing this for them and myself.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

As a kid, I performed in front of audiences large and small in our living room for whoever was there on weekends/parties. I hadn’t thought it would become a career, though being a backup dancer was one of my many dream jobs!

Fast forward to adulthood, I was able to excel at various jobs but the passion wasn’t at a level where I stayed anywhere for too long. I was already a professional ASL/English Interpreter before starting Sara B Dancin’. Interpreting in public schools helped me understand how people learn, and I began to inplement some of those approaches during my dance lessons.

Both of these careers have meant a lot to me, and I like to acknowledge and thank the community who first taught me how to line dance (Deaf friends). I do this by making dance content where both languages are accessible (using captions and/or simultaneous communication when applicable).

Line dancing is sentimental to me in that way but it also brought me back to life during a very dark time. One of the best parts about it is you can do it alone and feel great about yourself knowing this skill is yours and yours alone. This hobby has helped so many people grow and I love being part of this community while introducing others to it as well.

The brand/business Sara B Dancin’ is me as a performer, dance instructor, and choreographer. Maybe someday it can evolve into a business with employees and it’s own studio. I would love to develop a dance team/classes for students who can’t afford the traditonal costs. Right now I’m open to so many ideas!

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?

Open-mindedness, willingness to take risks, and motivation.

Knowledge is endless, and having an open mindset will allow you to see opportunities you may not know were there. We don’t have to follow the advice of others, though, I have found that fellow entrepreneurs have gone through similar struggles and can help you so you don’t have to experience what they have.

Try new things, especially if all they cost you is some discomfort. You will come out on the other end with something you can learn from. Motivation and change can only truly come from within, so get to it!

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I love collaborating and networking!

I am always looking for new songs to try and choreograph dances to or fellow choreographers to brainstorm with.

I like to think outside of the box, so if you have any ideas of how line dancing (or other styles as my background is diverse), stage performance, and/or choreography can enhance your business/environment, send it my way.

[email protected]
@sarabdancin for all socials

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sarabdancin.com
• Instagram: @sarabdancin
• Facebook: Sara B Dancin’
• Youtube: @sarabdancin8450

Image Credits

Chris Werth
Jeremy McGuigan
@nevadasmithfit
The Abasto.Co