We had the good fortune of connecting with Shawn Vitale and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shawn, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process behind starting AfterHours Dance Studio came from a sadness of missing the dance studio that trained me, Jimmie DeFore Dance Center. In 2017, I was talking with a friend about how much we missed having a place for adults to dance in Orange County. We noticed a local dance space that was rarely in use at night, and we approached the owner to see if we could start a dance program for adults within her space, she gave us the thumbs up, and the rest is history! About a month after that initial conversation, we opened and by the following year, AfterHours got a space of its own! Honestly, I didn’t really think about it as starting a business, we just really needed a place to dance in Orange County!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Dance is a wonderful expression of the soul, but it can also be extremely intimidating, especially as an adult. AfterHours Dance Studio stands out as an extremely kind and welcoming space. It’s been important to me since day one to make dance attainable and to find a way to make the experience less anxiety ridden. I have traveled the world and have been blessed to take dance classes in many different places. I noticed that walking into a dance studio, even as a professional dancer, can be scary and nerve-racking. I never wanted anyone to feel that way in my space. We offer a variety of dance classes for adults of all levels. From Hip-Hop to Lyrical, Jazz to Heels, we have a class for you! In addition, we offer a scholarship program to help dancers who want to train intensely but can’t take on the financial burden of taking 12 classes or more a week. The best feeling is hearing people say they have never felt more accepted or comfortable at a dance studio. I know this studio can touch even more people in this positive way and I am so excited to see it grow exponentially!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Take a walk in Corona Del Mar Village, Olea for dinner. Cassidy’s Bar for a burger and a game of pool. Paddle boarding in the bay. A walk around the Back Bay. Lunch at Tupelo Junction Cafe on the Balboa Peninsula. A bike ride on the boardwalk in Newport. There are so many awesome things to do!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Pam Wainer, AfterHours probably wouldn’t exist without you. Gloria DeFore, thank you for your support, ideas and the email list that got us off the ground. Christine Baltes, I wouldn’t be me, without you. Elizabeth Vitale, you have always sacrificed to give me the best you could, I love you, Mommy! Cesare Orlando, thank you for literally building this studio, I am so grateful.

Website: www.AfterHoursDanceStudio.com

Instagram: @afterhoursdancestudio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AfterHoursDanceStudio

Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/biz_info/RE9krigV23cT7D6uLyQM9A

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI5AJeKnk5NZpgIw00Iz8dw

Other: shawn@afterhoursdancestudio.com

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