Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyri Hayes.
Hi Kyri, It’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us. To start, could you share some of your backstory with our readers?
Kyri Hayes owns Dynamite Dance Factory, established in the summer of 2018. Her vision was to create a space where both boys and girls could leave their burdens behind and engage in dance classes tailored to different age groups. Kyri’s dance training began at a young age in Cartersville, Georgia. Over the years, she has collaborated with esteemed dance studios, including Cartersville School of Ballet, The Georgia Ballet, Decatur School of Ballet, and Woodland High School’s fine arts program in the dance department. During her four years of education at Woodland High School, she successfully obtained her certification as a Woodland High School Fine Arts Major upon graduation in 2013. Subsequently, she took on the role of choreographer for Woodland’s C.A.T.S. (Cartersville Artistic Talent Showcase) leads and dance ensemble, contributing to productions such as Catch Me If You Can, How to Succeed in Business without Trying, In the Heights, and numerous other mainstream musicals under the guidance of Elissa Marks Marele. Additionally, Kyri’s jazz and hip-hop choreography has been featured in Cartersville School of Ballet’s productions, including Kaleidoscope, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Princess and the Frog, and Cinderella, under the direction of Terri Kayser and Karen Grantham, as well as various festivals in the surrounding Metro-Atlanta areas.” Kyri always had a sparkle of hope that she would call Dynamite Dance Factory her own one day!
“I always shut down the idea of having my studio. I was not qualified to be too young—too much responsibility. I woke up one day, got onto I-75 to go to my corporate job, and it was like a wake-up call. I thought about DDF. At that moment, all the motivational speeches, church sermons, and my passion for the art of dance spoke to my heart. At that moment, I promised myself I would not let another year pass by without going for what my heart wanted. I went to look for spaces, and one of the final places I looked at was an old clothing store. Everything was perfect: nice floors, changing rooms, and a pearl white finish. Of course, I fell a little in love! But I did not fall in love with the price of it. I passed it up. I got discouraged again. I spoke with the leasing agent, and he mentioned that he had another space open two doors down, and the square footage was a little smaller. I said I would go peek at it and never did; one day, driving home, I forced myself to look. I fell in love! No, it was not the 4,000-square-foot building next door. But one thing I can always see is potential. I envisioned the dancers that would be welcomed and the art that would be created behind those double doors. I signed the lease to begin business on Thursday, June 28, 2018. We are now going into our 6th dance season on September 2, 2024, after winning several first-place dance awards at the competition (first year competing) and first-place awards for the Best Dance Studio in Kennesaw, Ga! I am excited to welcome this sixth year of dance to the community. ”
Kyri is very dedicated to the dance training of the future students at Dynamite Dance Factory and is just as committed to their mental well-being. She believes that each dancer performs and exhibits how they feel and that no one will leave the “Factory” without a seed of hope. She looks forward to everyone who comes to join the Dynamite Dance Factory family!
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story. Has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Entrepreneurs across the board struggle with a few of the same things. Perfectionism and Work-Life Balance are the top two. I always encourage the girls to say, “We only ask you all to do your best. That’s all you can do.” What do you do when you look in the mirror and find that you have to have the same pep-talk with yourself? I have realized beautifully over the years that my purpose is the kids. If I can go home and lay my head down and these beautiful kids are happy and love the studio, that has fulfilled my mission for that day. This ties into work-life “balance” because there was a time when I was not sleeping, putting everyone ahead of me, not taking care of myself, and consistently pouring myself into the studio. I would be up all night with no sense of what was happening around me except for Dynamite Dance Factory. I had adopted the traits that people expected of me: I was not allowed to have bad days, always smile, and always be available. I remember the mother of one of my dancers looking at me and telling me, “You are human.” And the truth of the matter is, I am human. I am allowed to call out if I need to, I am allowed to own my feelings, and I am allowed to be me authentically. I am allowed to binge-watch Harlem on Amazon Prime and not feel guilty. I have learned and experienced the effects of stress on the body. I have learned I am not a Superwoman. I am Kyri Hayes.
I do not want to be another statistic for black women. When stress is not managed well, its effects on the body increase. Black women are 50% more likely to receive a high blood pressure diagnosis, 20% more likely to experience severe psychological distress, and half as likely to seek mental health care. If what I am saying encourages anything, I hope to shine a light on the fact that “life is life-ing” for black women, especially in this current climate. Social media and real life are two completely different things. I would also encourage anyone to check on your strong friend seriously. I understand that this is a famous saying, but I hope whoever reads it puts that saying into action. Give them grace if they are distant or seem disconnected. Lastly, let’s take heart in knowing that just because someone has CEO or owner next to their name, they bleed red(OR Pink!) just like you do.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Dynamite Dance Factory is a haven for dancers ages 2.5 to teens. We specialize in dance training in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, and Lyrical genres. The dance studio has built a household nickname called “The Pink Palace.” The name becomes fitting when you walk in and are surrounded by pink and sparkle everywhere. The studio is a dance studio and a haven for the dancers. Growing up in Cartersville, there needed to be more representation of teachers or community activities to which I could relate. No one looked like me; I started to realize this when I was in fifth grade and noticed I was the only African American girl in my entire fifth-grade graduating class. Opening the studio, I did not expect my dance studio to be an award-winning home to Kennesaw’s minority. We always say we are the facility where the girls feel like the majority, not the minority. This is huge. Representation matters so much. That is special when the girls can look around and be inspired to be more based on their instructors or classmates. There is never a question of why one dancer may wear their curly hair, another with braids, etc. We all understand that we are different shades and a melting pot of ethnicities. On top of all these beautiful things, we have amazing dancers. Dancers are expected to be exemplary only at hip-hop and succeed in technical genres such as jazz and lyrical.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check?
I am a huge podcast listener! Some podcasts on my list right now are “In Totality with Megan Ashley,” “Still Coloring with Toni Collier,” and “Being Made Whole with Alyssa Davis.” I thrive off of positive talk. It helps to listen to other entrepreneurs and their journeys of navigating through certain seasons with faith-based supported facts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dynamitedancefactory.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dynamitedancefactory/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Dynamite-Dance-Factory-100063573283684/
