NIAGARA FALLS N.Y. (WKBW) — Legacy Dance Studio in Niagara Falls is building on the past and setting kids up for a strong future.
"So when they leave here they leave with not just dance skills but life skills," Owner Connie Smith said.
Six years old is when Smith's dance journey began.
"I caught a bus with my mom to the dance studio every day. It was my safe place it was my home," she said.
Smith shared that she didn't always have the money for the dance classes she wanted.
"Because I couldn't afford like the regular classes they let me become an assistant and work towards my tuition," Smith said with a smile.
The studio, she stated, was passed down to her from her first dance teacher and each step on the dance floor is keeping her legacy alive. Smith said every eight count has shaped who she is today.
"I learned structure. I learned routine," she shared. "I learned dedication. I leaned how to honor things."
Passing down the lessons she has learned on and off the dance floor, she said, is what she is striving to do with the studio.
"They teach me to overcome my fears of being on stage and stuff," Legacy Dance Studio dancer Brielle Stewert said.
Many girls at the studio said they have been dancing since they were three. They shared overcoming fears, being confident in who you are and creating a safe inclusive space is what this studio is all about.
"There's no other way to explain in than amazing," dance mom Rochele Broeker said. "They make everybody feel welcome they make everyone feel comfortable they teach everyone the same and you can see it on the kids faces when they dance."
Dance mom Stephanie Stewert said she loves that her daughter has this space to come to.
"It feels like a very safe place. I know that when shes here she's completely taken care of and it feels like family," she said.
Smith shared that Legacy Dance Studio is a family that not only dances together but grows together.
"We are so much more than a dance studio," Smith said.
