Inspiring Conversations with Alissa Tollefson of Lake Michigan Dance Academy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alissa Tollefson. 

Hi Alissa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi! My name is Alissa and I’m thrilled to be here! I am a mom of three, a retired professional dancer, and the founder and director of Lake Michigan Dance Academy in Allendale, MI.

Teaching and dance have always been my two passions. I spent my whole life dancing and went to college to be a school teacher. I put my teaching degree on hold for a few years while I danced professionally in Chicago. After four incredible seasons with Thodos Dance Chicago, it was time to move on and make a change.

My husband, Caleb, was (is) an entrepreneur. He has a passion for starting small businesses. With all of the experience and knowledge I acquired in Chicago, along with my teaching degree, he brought up the crazy idea that we should start a dance studio in West Michigan. I thought he was just that…crazy. I didn’t know anything about business! I was a teacher and a dancer! But I guess that’s why we make such a great team. 🙂

Lake Michigan Dance Academy was born in August 2016 in a one-room studio in the back of Life Stream Church in Allendale, MI. We started small with me as the only teacher, offering classes in ballet, tap, and jazz. Caleb’s extensive market research really paid off because it quickly became clear that we were fulfilling a need in this community! Through volunteering at libraries and schools and daycares, we quickly gained students and grew rapidly! Five years later we offer classes not only in ballet, tap, and jazz, but also hip hop, acro, lyrical, and contemporary. We have expanded from one room to five rooms and now occupy a much larger portion of Life Stream Church.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Every business has its struggles and we are no exception. In the words of Caleb, “I planned for a lot of things. A global pandemic was not one of those things”. COVID-19 hit us hard! Since we are a dance studio, we were not considered “essential”. As a result, we had to close our physical location. We were able to continue teaching our students virtually, and we did everything in our power to build an awesome online program that the students would want to engage with. However, there is no substitute for in-person learning. We are so glad to be back in the studio today and will never take for granted the ability to move together in the same space and experience dance the way it is meant to be experienced!

As you know, we’re big fans of Lake Michigan Dance Academy. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Lake Michigan Dance Academy is a high-quality, versatile dance studio located in the heart of Allendale, MI. We pride ourselves on developing the whole dancer – creatively, technically, and artistically. Lake Michigan Dance Academy provides students with expert instruction by professional and pre-professional dancers while fostering a safe and encouraging environment for our students to grow and mature in their art form.

As the founder and director of LMDA, my job is to ensure that our mission statement is brought to life. I have the pleasure of staffing our classes, teaching classes, creating the class schedule, establishing performance and growth opportunities, connecting with the community, and working with families to find a place for every dancer who wants to give us a try. 🙂

What does success mean to you?
Doing what you love to the best of your ability.

Pricing:

• 30-minute class – $30/mo
• 45-min class – $40/mo
• 60 min class – $50/m0
• 75 min class – $60/mo
• 90 min class – $70/m0

Contact Info:

• Email: info@lakemichigandance.com
• Website: www.lakemichigandance.com
• Instagram: @lakemichigandance
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lakemichigandanceacademy/