Name: Ian Kelley
Studio: Plano
All-Star History: This is my 7th time at the Finals in Las Vegas. We took 3rd last year, which is my highest finish so far.
Year You Started in the Business: 2005
Position: Supervisor
What is the AM All-Star Competition?The Arthur Murray All-Stars is a skills competition for every level of professional within each location around the world. The goal is to grow, develop, and reveal the professionals that demonstrate the best customer service, communication, problem solving, critical thinking, and teamwork skills. The competition begins in each studio and winners advance to small region, or District, competitions. From there the District winners advance to the large region, or Area, competition. Finally, the Area winners advance to the World Championships in Las Vegas where each Area team tests and one team is pronounced the winner.
More importantly, the real winners are the students of the Arthur Murray Dance Studios as these tests, and accompanying training, help to deliver better communication, teamwork, problem solving, and confidence from every member of the staff.
IK: It's a simultaneous rush of excitement and relief. You're really glad that you finally know the result, good or bad, but you're thrilled to have been chosen. You hope you've done well through the final round of testing., but you really never know until it's announced. It's great to know that your hard work and studying have paid off.
AML: How did you feel going into the Semi-Finals?
IK: I felt pretty confident going into the semi-finals this time simply because I'd been there before, and I knew what to expect. I'd studied everything I could, and all I could ask for was my best.
The first time I made it to the semis was rough though. It was just like a student going into their first event, even though people have told you what would happen, you've never experienced it for yourself.
So there's definitely some apprehension.
IK: A good breakfast complete with bacon is a must before I go to a test. But no yoga for me I've been fortunate to go through this with one of my best friends, Ryan West from the Dallas studio, a few times now. We both love music and we try to stay pretty relaxed, so we were jamming out in the waiting room with a portable speaker.
Also, having been through the process before, we're trying to keep the mood light for everyone else.
IK: I have become so much more aware of everything that I both say and do in the studio. Arthur Murray has gathered training information from the best of the best in our business, and made it accessible to all of us.
By doing my best to apply the All-Star training to my everyday interactions with both my students and staff, I've become so much more intentional with everything that I do.
Plus, it's really helped to empower me to take control of my own success.
AML: What's you All-Star backstory? If you can give a little synopsis of the highs and lows of this competition over the years.
IK: My first three trips to Las Vegas were as a teacher, then I went once as a counselor, and I've now been three times as a supervisor. Being called out onto that ballroom floor in Las Vegas in front of all of your peers and all of the people who helped you get ether is pretty surreal. It's like a B-12 shot for your pride and confidence.
Two years ago I lost my focus, and I didn't make it past the District round, losing that year to the amazing Gretchen Malone from Fort Worth, who went on to represent us in the finals. It really opened my eyes and fueled my fire to get back on track and focus again.
I'm pretty competitive - in case you can't tell.
IK: It would be incredible to win this year. I've never won before, and having finished in the top 3 for the first time last year, I'm ready to do it again. We have a really strong team coming in, and we all get along really well. So it would be exciting to win with this group of exceptional people. Plus, with Area 5 having only been reformed last year, we pretty much burst onto the scene, and it would be great to take Area 5 to the top spot and put us into the spotlight as a force to be reckoned with.
IK: Zack and Claudia have obviously helped me a lot. I couldn't imagine working for anyone else. I know there are so many wonderful franchisees in our organization, but they're definitely the top tier.
Between the constant training that we get on both our dancing and our teaching, it's so special that I get to repay them in some small way by showing that I've actually taken in and put to use what they've put into me.
Our area director, Hunter Johnson, really goes the extra mile to make the whole Fall Forum and Area All-Star experiences wonderful. It's a thankless job that takes so much effort, and it says a lot about who he is that he does it so we can be better teachers. We also have a fantastic Area 5 All star coordinator and coach in Maria Johnson. She works really hard to help us all develop interpersonal bonds despite being in different studios, and to make sure we're all keeping up with our studying in the weeks between fall forum and Las Vegas.
So many people coming together to work so selflessly for the future of Arthur Murray is pretty humbling to witness.
IK: I think it's amazing that Arthur Murray puts together this whole process for us as teachers to go through focusing on our teaching.
For a lot of us, the focus is on the dancing, and through the All-Star testing, you realize that the teaching is just as important, if not more so, than the dancing. Very few people can actually become dance champions, and in fact many dance teachers don't necessarily want that.
But becoming an All-Star is something that anyone can achieve with diligent study and application. I feel extremely fortunate to work for such a stellar organization that puts so much back into me, while only expecting me to do my best to help others feel the magic of dancing that I've felt myself.
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