Four Connecticut-based creative entrepreneurs share how they turned their dance companies into successful Hartford-area businesses.
HARTFORD-BASED DANCE TROUPE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY
CONNetic Dance performs the Nutcracker Suite & Spicy December 21 – 23, 2018 at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art.
CONNetic Dance Founder Carolyn Paine on the importance of encouraging and supporting local businesses and artists: “Connecticut is a small state and, because it’s so close to the artist mecca of New York City, it can be a challenging place to create art. Just as it’s important to support local when it comes to food, farms, and shops, it’s important to remember to support local artists.” She adds, “With CONNetic, I work hard to hire and support local dancers.”
READ: IDH follow up interview with CONNetic Dance
VISIT: www.conneticdance.com
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HARTFORD-BASED DANCE COLLECTIVE EMPOWERS CREATIVE WOMEN
Find out how creative entrepreneur Jillian Foley brought her innovative dance concept to Hartford. “I had just graduated from the University of Hartford – Hartt School and knew many friends and colleagues who were talented dancers without jobs. I wanted to create another platform for dance to enable more people to experience it,” she explains.
READ: IDH interview with The Dance Collective
VISIT: www.thedancecollective.org
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STARTUP BRINGS FITNESS/DANCE WORKOUTS TO WETHERSFIELD, CT
CNG Fit, LLC Founder Brandi Kilbourne discusses the ways in which her startup is making a social impact: “We donate 10% of our profits to a charity or non-profit every fiscal year. Additionally, we offer certain donation-based programs/classes, like our ‘Dance Lab,’ where 100% of the class fees are accepted as donation and go directly to a local charity of choice (chosen by the class participants).”
READ: IDH interview with CNG Fit, LLC
VISIT: www.fitpartyme.com
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Members of the Sonia Plumb Dance Company. (Photo courtesy Carrie Riccardelli)
HARTFORD-BASED SONIA PLUMB DANCE COMPANY
“If you’re going to keep people here and staying in the Hartford area, they want things to do. And there’s a lot going on,” says Sonia Plumb. “You can’t always go to New York! It takes time and money. Let’s bring it here to the Hartford area.”
READ: IDH interview with Sonia Plumb Dance Company
VISIT: www.soniaplumbdance.org
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