Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Lewis.
Hi Amber, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been dancing my whole life. My mom put me in dance at the age of three, and I never stopped. I thought I would be done with dance when I graduated from high school, but I found out that George Washington University had a dance club.
Through the club, I was able to take classes and participate in full-scale productions twice a year. I had the opportunity to dance my dream role of Clara in The Nutcracker and also serve as president of the organization for a year. I got my bachelor’s in political science and my master’s in political management while working for GW in the Office of Government and Community Relations.
The one thing that I couldn’t give up was dance. I was lucky enough to dance professionally for two years with a jazz company in Virginia and ended up transitioning to a full-time dance teaching job in DC. When my oldest was born, I moved back to St. Louis and after teaching at a few different studios, I ended up at Briscuso Dance Studio where I serve as the Artistic Director and Competition Team Director.
This is my 6th year at Briscuso Dance Studio and I am so blessed to work with the best staff and the most amazing students. Ballet is my passion and I’m so honored to have been on the Best Ballet Teachers in St. Louis list for three years in a row and to have seen my kids take on some of the biggest ballet competitions in the world.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, I started homeschooling my oldest. He was in 1st grade at the time and really struggled with virtual learning at the end of kindergarten. We’re in our 2nd full year of homeschooling and I’m now teaching both of my kids. They are absolutely thriving and I love sharing our days on Instagram.
In my free time, I also help plan Disney trips, and I recently wrote a Christmas Around the World Unit Study.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Sometimes finding the right studio can be tough. There are definitely studios that believe in being tough and harsh with kids. That’s just not my style, and I believe that when you have a great, positive relationship with your students, that motivates them more than fear ever could. I’m so lucky to work where I work and our studio motto is literally built around having fun and creating a positive atmosphere without sacrificing technique.
As a homeschooling mom, there definitely is a learning curve. And when your kids hit a wall, it’s 100% on you to figure out how to get past it. My oldest was having trouble with math facts and was on the floor in tears. It took a little digging but we found a great game-based program that helped him with his addiction and subtraction and now he’s working 2-3 grades above grade level.
That was so gratifying because it was a team effort and communication between me and my son to figure out what was working, what didn’t and to find a better option. I’m learning every day right alongside my kids.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My specialty as a dance teacher is finding a way to make ballet fun and accessible. I remember hating ballet growing up, but once I turned professional I always wished I’d paid more attention and worked harder in my ballet classes. I never want my students to have regrets. Our ballet program has grown from two students to five different levels ranging from age 5 to 18. I am so incredibly proud of the program we have built.
We also have launched an incredible internship program, where our students get the opportunity to teach alongside us and observe how we teach, why we teach what we do, and how to effectively run a classroom. I love watching my students confidently stand in front of a room of kids and pass on all of the knowledge they have gained. It is incredibly gratifying to call several of my former students colleagues.
My students will say that what they remember most about my classes is the life lessons. That even if they didn’t go on to do anything with dance after they leave our classroom, that they learned how to work hard, how not to give up, how to be part of a team, how to handle disappointment and success, and how to get back up after they fall.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking?
I think the biggest risk I’ve taken so far was pulling my kids from public school. While homeschooling is much more common than it used to be, it is still not the norm. And there are always fears about failing your kids. What if we don’t give them enough socialization, enough extracurriculars, can I really teach them math?
Sending our withdrawal letter to the school was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done because we were really and truly on our own.
Normally, I’m not much of a risk-taker. I always have a plan (and a Plan B and a Plan C). Everything is meticulously thought out and planned and usually, there are spreadsheets. I don’t ever quit a job without already having another one lined up.
Even with homeschooling, I had done my research and picked an amazing curriculum. But there were still unknowns. What if it doesn’t work? What if we can’t figure it out? What if they don’t learn? Plus we were starting during a pandemic, so the opportunity for support, co-ops, etc. Was limited.
I’ve learned through this experience to trust my instincts and to be guided by my judgment, my research, and the interests and opinions of my kids. Sometimes that means that we dump a reading curriculum if it’s causing everyone to pull their hair out or sometimes we play hooky and go to the Pumpkin Patch for the day. But there is only so much prep you can do in advance, and the rest of the time you just have to roll with the punches.
Pricing:
- Briscuso Dance Studio–Starts at $60/month for an hour class. Pricing is based on hours of classes per week.
- Christmas Around the World Unit Study–$10
- Disney Trip Itineraries–$50
Contact Info:
- Email: organizeddisneymom@gmail.com and briscusodance@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1089529038/christmas-traditions-around-the-world and briscusodance.com
- Instagram: @organizeddisneymom,@christmastraditionshomeschool, and @briscusodance
