Today we’d like to introduce you to Lizzy O’Keefe.
Hi Lizzy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I began Irish dancing at the age of 4 with the John O’Keefe School of Irish Dance in Connecticut. I was a competitive dancer and competed at the regional, national, All-Ireland, and All-European levels. In addition to my competitive Irish dance career, I also participated in many stage productions with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra, Grammy Award-winning artists The Chieftains, John Whelan, and also on local television networks. I started student-teaching with the John O’Keefe School and continued teaching at local dance studios in the New York area while attending Manhattanville College. I received my bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Dance in May 2011. and then went on to earn my TCRG certification (this is the certification Irish dance teacher earned to teach Irish dance through the governing body of An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha) in December 2013. I taught at the O’Rourke School of Irish Dance in NY from 2013 to 2016. I then relocated to Baltimore, Maryland, and started teaching at the Hurley School. I was an integral part of the Hurley school from 2016-2021. I then relocated one last time to move my family to South Carolina to finally make my lifelong goal come true, opening The O’Keefe Academy in the Fall of 2021!
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Opening your dance school is by no means easy, but this has been my dream and goal for so long that it drives me to always give 100% effort. All the years of teaching at other studios, under the direction of amazing teachers and directors, was integral to helping me become the most prepared for my own start.
Whether it was learning how to juggle a class of tiny tot beginners, setting expectations for the parents, traveling overseas for competitions, or running social media behind the scenes, I knew all of it would help me become a better studio owner and teacher for my new generation of students. Growing up, my Mom was my biggest support with everything dance related. She always pushed me to achieve all my goals and motivated me to want more. She knew I would have my school and was my biggest cheerleader as I did all the years of training and preparation with other dance schools. My Mom sadly lost her battle with cancer in 2020, so she could not see the start of my academy. Not having my mom here for some of the bigger moments, like receiving our official business license or enrolling my first student, has been very difficult, but I know she is with me every step of the way, now as my guardian Angel.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
When I step foot into a dance studio, it’s go time. I take what I do very seriously and give 100% effort to my dancers in every class. I am so passionate about seeing them achieve their goals and get the most out of every class. One of the most rewarding parts of teaching is figuring out what motivates each dancer. My goal is to get to know my dancers and connect with them to help them figure out what goals they want to accomplish and how we will tackle them. These goals can be as small as remembering to smile when they dance or as big as qualifying for the World Championships of Irish Dance. My job is to make every dancer feel confident and ready to tackle anything and everything. I am most proud of seeing my dancers achieve their dance goals and learn life lessons through this journey. Dance class does not just teach students how to dance; it helps students build self-confidence, learn structure and time management, and countless other life lessons that they will continue to implement long after they have moved on from dancing in a studio.
Who else deserves credit for your story?
My mom was my number one fan and biggest supporter. She drove me to every class, never missed a competition, and never let me give up even when times were tough; she was always there, bringing her non-stop energy to help me push forwards toward this goal. As a remembrance of my mom, our logo has her initials hidden in it. Another person who has supported me every step of the way and has taught me so much about running a successful dance studio is Annie Morrison, owner and direct of the Hurley school. I worked with Annie from 2016-2021. She welcomed me into her studio with open arms and taught me so much about the business aspect of running a successful studio while maintaining a great family culture. I am so grateful for her continued mentorship and friendship. And I cannot forget to thank my amazing and supportive husband Chris. Since we met back in 2015, he has fully immersed himself in this wild world of Irish Dance. He now works tirelessly behind the scenes as our director of operations for the Academy and is always ready to tackle whatever project I throw at him!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://okeefeacademy.com/
- Instagram: @theokeefeacademy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theokeefeacademy
Image Credits
Photographer: Lauren Lanzon
