January 22, 2009
On Thursday in between my classes I interviewed Joyce Lagatore at Columbia Ballroom Company. During the interview she provided this information:
Joyce is the office manager for Carolina Ballroom Company. Her son Paul is the owner and has been teaching ballroom for over 29 years. Columbia Ballroom Company has been in business for about 18 years and was recently able to build a brand new facility. Joyce's responsibilities include making appointments, answering the phone, selling dance programs, organizing competitions and parties, paying bills, setting up advertising and a newsletter, and balancing the budget. She has ballroom danced her whole life and her son Paul trained at Fred Astaire's and began teaching after high school. Before becoming the manager for Carolina Ballroom Company, Joyce was an assistant manager and later a personnel manager for Tap's department store. Columbia Ballroom Company teaches all levels of ballroom. They mostly teach private lessons anytime during the day (11-8) but also provide group classes and weekend parties. Parties allow students to showcase what they've learned as well as have fun. Joyce believes the key to being a competitive dance studio is to learn what the students want and them provide that for them. She believes dedication to the students as well as truly teaching them the art of dance is the key to the studio's success.