Amy Kotara

Building Trust and Consistency

Amy Kotara, owner of Turning Pointe Dance Academy in Abilene, Texas, understands that running a studio requires more than great teaching. It requires systems that support teachers, create consistency, and build trust with families.

For Amy, one of the most rewarding parts of studio ownership is seeing students grow in both skill and confidence. “Seeing their faces, whether they are three or sixty-three, glowing with accomplishment brings me joy.”

But as a newer studio owner taking over an established program, Amy also knew she needed tools that would help her maintain quality instruction while supporting her staff and preventing burnout.

Creating Consistency Across Classes and Teachers

Turning Pointe serves dancers ages two-and-a-half through adults. With multiple classes, teachers, and schedules to manage, Amy wanted to ensure her youngest dancers were receiving consistent instruction no matter who taught their class or when it met. She began using the Little Dancer Program in her children’s division ballet and combo classes, selecting monthly themes and using the lesson structure to guide instruction across the schedule. This approach helped her create continuity between classes while also supporting her teaching staff.

Amy has found that the curriculum has helped her instructors better understand how to teach movement in developmentally appropriate ways.

“Students are excited to come to class and I look forward to seeing them progress after having started their journey in foundational best practices,” Amy tells us. “I have loved watching both the program and instructor knowledge grow. My children’s director has really taken in the program and immersed herself in it. The opportunities and support she has received have been tremendous! I love knowing that we are providing quality instruction to our clients… I feel that it has grown trust between our instructors and student families. We care about providing the best service for their children, and allow our teachers to grow student creativity and understanding.”

For Amy, the result has been a stronger perception of professionalism among families and a clearer framework for her staff to follow.

Programs That Support Enrollment and Exploration

Amy also uses the program materials beyond weekly classes. At the time of our interview, she was preparing themed summer camps using program lesson plan sets. She runs three-day sessions for different age groups, filling the time with dance, games, crafts, and stories. For her studio, these camps serve as both an engaging experience for current students and a low-pressure entry point for new families who want to try dance before committing to a full session.

Finding Simplicity as a Studio Owner

Amy’s journey to studio ownership came after years of teaching, performing, and working in education. When the opportunity arose to take over Turning Pointe, she stepped into the role with big ideas—and quickly discovered how overwhelming studio ownership can feel without the right systems in place.

Her advice to new studio owners reflects that realization:

“Rome wasn't built in a day! I had very lofty goals when I took over and wanted it all, right then! It took me a while to realize I would burn out fast. That’s actually when I found the program. I fell in love with the simple lessons wrapped in fun. It was easy to implement and did not require me to write a curriculum!”

For Amy, having a ready-to-use program allowed her to focus less on lesson planning and more on leading her studio, supporting her staff, and serving her families. This is something many studio owners find essential as their responsibilities grow.