Stib Meets...Clare Maloney

Stib Meets...Clare Maloney

Chatting to Clare, Founder of Dance Dynamic and Little Bear Feet, you get a real feel for her passion for teaching dance. It’s easy to see why she says she has found her calling in life. Not just a great dancer however, Clare also has some extremely wise words to share around enjoying the journey of life and the importance of being a Good Listener........

 

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A nurse – which always makes my parents chuckle as I’m a bit squeamish! I have a memory of visiting my Grandad in hospital when I was little and watching a nurse making a bed. She seemed so happy in her job and I thought how wonderful that was. I soon realised there was a lot more to it than making beds and I really wasn’t cut out to be a nurse. I’ve definitely found my real calling though and I pretty much always have a smile on my face. I also have to say I make a pretty good bed now!

What advice would you give yourself as a child?

Relax and enjoy the journey.

This is something I remind myself of now. I’m quite impatient and I worry if things don’t happen immediately or in the way I thought they would, but when I look back everything does always work out just as it’s meant to and in the perfect time.

What was your 'big idea' which inspired you to set up your business?

I originally started with Little Bear Feet in Bucks, which are parent and toddler dance classes for toddlers from 18 months. I saw that although there were a lot of classes for toddlers, there weren’t many that were completely dance based. I wanted to offer something that parents and toddlers could do together that focused on dance and introducing young children to dance in a fun and imaginative way without thinking about specific styles of dance, technique or steps. I purchased the licence to teach Melody Movement classes and have never looked back.

I’d had Little Bear in Bucks for about a year and a half when I started Dance Dynamic. I was ready to grow my own dance school and along with classes for older children and adults I wanted follow-on classes that the children could move into when they were too old for Little Bear Feet. They can now learn ballet, tap and modern whilst still dancing with Miss Clare and Melody Bear! I love watching the children grow, build friendships and increase their dance skills and it’s a privilege to be able to continue sharing in their dance journeys. I’ve recently had a number of the Little Bear Feet graduates take part in their first dance show!
 

What do you say to yourself when you need a confidence boost?

Trust yourself – you can do this.

What's your favourite Stib word and why?

I love lots of the words and feel many resonate with me, but Good Listener is my favourite. It’s so important in this busy world we are living in to really listen.

I remind the children when I’m teaching of the importance of listening – to me, to each other, to the music. I say “we have two ears and one mouth so we should listen twice as hard as we talk”. I try to remember that myself both in work and in my personal life. I try never to underestimate the importance of truly listening and the value of being heard.

For more information please visit:

Dance Dynamic: www.dancedynamicschool.com

Little Bear Feet in Bucks: www.littlebearfeetinbucks.com

Follow Clare on Facebook www.facebook.com/dancedynamicschool  and www.facebook.com/littlebearfeetinbucks

And on Instagram www.instagram.com/dancedynamicschool