Meet Angela Blocker-Loyd of Studio Detroit Dance Center

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Blocker-Loyd. 

Hi Angela, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started SDDC in an attempt to ensure that Detroit Public School (DPS) students were getting exposure to the art of dance. I began teaching in various schools across the city and worked my way up to a humble yet beautiful studio space in downtown Detroit on Lafayette. I hired local dancers and instructors and we teamed up to make sure our students learned strong foundational dance skills. In 2014, I hosted my very first recital at the Carr Center. Now, as I embark on my 9th year as a studio owner, I still conduct business with what is now known as the Detroit Public School Community District (DPSCD). In addition to the classes SDDC hosts from our studio in Hazel Park, we also conduct a dance outreach program through which my staff and I teach dance in several DPSCD schools and other schools in the metro area. Finally, I also run the dance ministry at Triumph Church. My goal is to spread the art, discipline, and love of dance across the city. SDDC’s tagline is “Let the City be your Stage.” 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Running Studio Detroit has not been an easy process. As I mentioned, I started by working my way through schools within Detroit and its metro area. Sometimes it’s hard just getting started when you can see your end-goal so clearly. But progress is a process and nothing propels you forward except patience, tenacity, and effort. Then, I searched high and low for a studio location that was affordable, centrally located for all Detroiters, and big enough for growth. That required patience, prayer, and perseverance. I knew dance first and learned business along the way, so growing pains were a natural reality as I learned the business side to the art I loved so dearly. I’ve also done most of this while being a young, single mother until meeting my husband who’s been an amazing support alongside my mother, friends, and staff. Some days, I spread myself so thin between rubbing my studio, parenting, and still working in the industry with greats like the late Aretha Franklin or the astounding Lisa McCall. It’s hard to prepare someone for the stage when you still enjoy the thrill of that experience yourself. So sometimes I had to feed my passion with bookings of my own. While that was racing it fed my spirit and armed me with more lessons to teach my students. Other days, my son was right beside me dancing along with my students (although he may not want me to tell you that lol). He’s a super cool teen now! 

Additionally, partnering with friends whose business goals and work ethic are different also taught me priceless lessons on boundaries and empathy. I’ve learned how to compartmentalize business from personal in order to save some friendships while having to distance myself from others while wishing them success. 

I began this studio hoping to make dance available to all of the people in my hometown. However, Detroit is a city with an average salary of $38k. So, an obstacle SDDC consistently faces is finding a balance between affordability for our target market and operational costs. Luckily, Detroit has so many resources and amazing people, so we’ve made sure anyone interested in dance has the opportunity. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Studio Detroit Dance Center?
Studio Detroit Dance Center is an award-winning multipurpose dance studio that offers a myriad of dance services to the Detroit community and its surrounding metro areas. 

SDDC serves dancers of all talent levels offering a reciprocal learning environment experience. New, inexperienced dancers are able to garner skills and tips from seasoned professionals. In return, the instructors are inspired by the aspirations, passion, and innovative approaches of new students. SDDC even offers its pre-teen and teen students a student-teaching opportunity if their skill level permits. 

The facility features multiple fully-equipped studios and it provides classes spanning several genres including ballet, jazz, hip hop, dance fitness, and more. 

SDDC also hosts private events for any occasion. Additionally, it facilitates rehearsals, casting calls, and auditions. Studio Detroit Dance Center is the epitome of the renaissance now taking place in Detroit as it is operated by a Detroit native who aims to breathe life back into the fading focus on performing arts within the community. 

Owner/Founder Angela Blocker is dedicated to maintaining a focus on the arts, specifically dance, within Detroit. She ensures that parents have an affordable, safe and trustworthy option for dance activities within their neighborhood. As a native Detroiter who grew up dancing her whole life, Angela is personally invested in guaranteeing children from her community are exposed to the same cultural experiences that made her the well-rounded, concerned, and accomplished woman she is today. 

SDDC participates in local festivals, performances, and philanthropic events and also prepares its students for a fruitful career in the dance industry either teaching or booking professional performances starting at a young age. 

What are your plans for the future?
I have dreamed of opening a second location for SDDC. While I believe all children deserve to learn dance, my focus is on the communities that don’t have the best opportunity to learn the way I did. Additionally, while we have been invited for the past several years, 2022 marks the first year SDDC will prepare for national competitions. 

Finally, my business partner Candice Tamakloe and I have also launched a new business within the performing arts vertical—Dream Detroit Skating Academy. DDSA is the first Black-Female-owned figure skating club in the state. I hope to take students from both activities to new heights. DDSA has already booked its first performances and we have only been operational since January. My goal is to have both programs performing for Detroit’s biggest events whenever possible. 

I hope to be mentioned among greats such as Debbie Allen when performing arts are discussed. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.studiodetroitdance.com
• Instagram: @studiodetroit
• Facebook: Studio Detroit Dance Center
• Other: www.DreamDetroitSkate.com