Conversations with Lisa O’Sullivan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa O’Sullivan.

Hi Lisa, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In 2013, I created The Spirit of Dance with a simple calling and a small group of about 60 children in one church. It wasn’t about building a business-it was about creating a place where kids could worship, grow, and express their faith through dance.

With prayer, perseverance, and a heart for ministry, that small beginnings started to grow. Word spread from family to family, church to church. What began as one program became many, reaching into multiple churches and eventually expanding into its own studio.

Through every season, the mission stayed the same: to teach not just quality dance, but purpose, confidence, and faith. Today, The Spirit of Dance has grown to serve over 500 children-each one stepping into a space where they are encouraged, valued, and inspired.

What started as a leap of faith in one church has become a thriving, Christ-centered community. Proof that when something is built with purpose, it can grow far beyond what you first imagined.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The journey has not always been smooth. There have been challenges, setbacks, and moments that required prayer, perseverance, and deep faith. Understanding that I cannot meet everyone’s needs 100% has been a process. I’m a people pleaser and that has been a challenge. Trust amongst employees in this industry and probably all industries is also a challenge. Yes, even in a “Christian” based business. Possibly even more so. 2020 was probably the most challenging with the Covid shutdown. I was not letting Covid stop the joy these kids missed. During that time and we danced any way possible. Online, taking temps, distancing in class with or without a mask, hand sanitizing, and cleaning like crazy. That year I won the first place in The Best of Cobb of dance studios. One of my proudest memories.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’d like to think I specialize in is teaching young children dance. I’m beginning to age out, but I still love it so much. I try to get on their level, be fun, play games, but at the same time teach strong basics of dance. I love praying with these children and sharing small ways to lead a life filled with kindness and love.

I’m probably most proud of the girls that I started teaching at 3 and 4 years old, that continued to dance with me till they graduate. Many have sent me letters of gratitude and dance pictures of me with them at 3 along with another picture with them at 17. Several of these girls have taught for me. I see them graduate college, attend their weddings, see them have their own families.

In my personal life, I was blessed with raising 3 boys and now have 5 grandchildren. Through The Spirit of dance God continues to bless me with more and more children that I have had the privilege to teach and love.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’m not a huge risk taker. I’m very conservative with my decisions and my money. I think that is part of my personality.

The first risk I took was going all in on taking the program into our own building. I had been operating out of local churches for over 10 years and running the business from my home. We invested in a space and made it our own with 3 dance studios, office, and storage. I had no idea if this would be marketable outside of the churches. It has been a successful venture being in the churches and having our own space.

The second big risk was during COVID. The decision to open my doors to our studio before all the churches and schools was certainly a risk. I had a little push back, but the majority of people were so thrilled that I opened my doors. We gave people options. They could login with zoom and take the class from home or they could come in with or without a mask. We practiced social distancing, taking temperatures, cleaning constantly. We could not have our spring recital in the usual theater, so I rented a concert stage and had our recitals outside. The work ethic behind this time during COVID was incredibly exhausting and it was a risk, but it paid off.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thespiritofdance.com
• Instagram: @thespiritofdance
• Facebook: The Spirit of Dance Marietta GA