New dance studio opens April 6 in New Holstein
By Faye Burg (Tri-County News - Thursday March 26th, 2015)
New Attitudes Dance Company opening Monday, April 6 in New Hostein will offer a variety of dance classes to area residents.
Owners Tom and Sherri Schneider have made New Attitudes Dance Company a subsidiary of TSS, Inc. which operates two other businesses owned by the Schneiders. Daughter Karlyn Meyer serves as director and head instructor at New Attitudes Dance Co. and will be teaching the majority of classes.
“I’m not sure who had the idea first, Karlyn or me,” Tom explained. “But for me, I knew we had to pursue a studio when attending a performance in 2011. Karlyn had assisted with choreography and taught at an Appleton studio she was working for. She was so good with the students and carried herself so professionally that she just seemed to be in her true element. After many, many conversations and hours of planning along with Karlyn’s work toward her Arts Management and Dance degrees, it was time to put it all into action.”
“Being a part of the dance community and teaching has always been one of my goals,” Karlyn said. “I had been teaching in the Fox Valley for about four years when my dad approached me with this incredible idea that I could teach at and run a facility of my own. Around the same time, my husband Chad brought up the idea of moving to the Chilton-New Holstein region to be closer to family. The wheels started to turn shortly after.”
Dad's Involvement
“My involvement in the studio will be to manage the business aspects as well as to continue to improve and maintain our building,” Tom added. “I will also pay attention to any new relationships that we can build to cement our new place in the business community.” “This is very much a family business,” Karlyn explained. “My dad plays a huge role in administration. I manage the day-to-day operations, productions, and dance education aspects. Alex Jaeke, a dear friend of mine I worked with when I taught in the Valley, is very excited to share her knowledge of fitness and passion for Zumba with the community. My mom and younger sister Olivia are very good with design and have been a huge help painting as well as making design choices for the studios and the lobby.”
Tom said the most challenging aspect to starting New Attitudes Dance Company was finding the right location and building. “We started the process in June of 2014 figuring it would take a long time. By late July, the building at 2244 Calumet Dr. in New Holstein became available and our focus has been there ever since. We closed the deal on Jan. 2 of this year. There are several other components we’ve had to deal with in getting to this point, but we’ve been talking about it and planning for it for so long that putting it into action seemed like second nature.” Much work has been done with the building including painting, installing a specially sprung Marley dance floor and converting a room into a boutique where shoes, dancewear and apparel will be available for purchase.
Want to be in New Holstein
“I think a key issue that I want people to know about the studio is that it’s located in New Holstein because that’s where Karlyn wants it to be,” Tom said. “When talking with people about what your kids are up to, we mention this project and the question inevitably comes up “wouldn’t it be a better fit someplace closer to Appleton or Green Bay?” Our answer is no, it wouldn’t. We think it’s in just the right spot. Even though we live in Appleton, our family roots are in this area. It’s really nice to be more involved in this business community. Karlyn and her husband Chad will be moving to the area very shortly. They are looking forward to living, working and raising a family here.”
Karlyn, 23, began dancing at age 3 when her mother enrolled her in a parks and recreation ballet class. “I loved the class and haven’t looked back,” Karlyn said. “Dancing was a fun activity that I enjoyed recreationally until about age 12 when I began to dance competitively and train more seriously. After high school, I searched for schools that had a reputable dance program and found what I was looking for at UW-Green Bay. I have since been training there for three years within their Theatre Department. I have attended numerous conventions and conferences throughout the Midwest that focus on continuing dance education, and have participated in productions and performances during my college career.”
Karlyn is currently finishing her last semester at UW-Green Bay as a double major in dance and arts management and will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in May.
When the doors open for business on April 6, New Attitudes Dance Co. will offer a variety of classes to fit many different interests. “Beginning this summer, we will offer ballet, tap, lyrical, modern/contemporary, jazz, pom pom/drill team, and Zumba fitness,” Karlyn explained. “We will offer classes for 3- and 4-yearolds to introduce dance and also classes for adults. All levels are welcome from beginning dancers to experienced and advanced.”
Private birthday parties are also on the horizon for future offerings at the studio.
