The Barstool Fund - Nutmeg's Dance and Theatre Co.
Up next: Nutmeg's Dance and Theatre Co. (Southwick, MA)
Nutmeg's Dance & Theatre Co. was founded in 2000 with 11 dancers, a teacher, and a dream. Today, they operate in a 2,500 sq. ft. studio and have over 200 boys and girls dancing. Their goal is to provide top notch dance education in a professional environment.
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Dear Barstool/Presidente,
First - a huge THANK YOU 🏼 for doing what no politician has done thus far - for taking action, and standing up for small businesses. You are a beacon in this darkness.
Our little dance studio opened in the summer of 2003, when I was 22 years old, and fresh out of college. We began with 11 students on my front porch, and as of last year, had over 275 students annually in our beautiful space.
I always intended on performing professionally, but when I began teaching dance, and connecting with these students, I knew this was exactly where I needed to be. They needed this space, and an adult they could turn to, and trust. They needed a healthy outlet, and a source of joy (and I did, too!) 18 years, and thousands of students later, Nutmeg’s Dance & Theatre Co. is still here.
Dance saved me. My dance teacher changed the course of my entire life, and got me through incredibly dark and challenging times. There were times when dance class was the only safe place I could go. I’ve always been so grateful to have the chance to do the same. We welcome all kids, regardless of ability, or their financial situation. We do whatever we need to do to make dance accessible to anyone who wants to join us.
We have donated thousands of dollars to kids in our town through scholarships. We’ve raised over $12,000 for St. Jude’s over the years, and with that, helped these kids experience the joy of giving back and helping others. We’ve danced together, supported each other through marriages, births, deaths, and most of all, we’ve offered a safe space for so many.
Today, that space is in grave jeopardy of closing. We have held strong through these shut downs, but with more unreasonable restrictions being imposed, we are on the brink of drowning. We’ve taken out loans, and have tried to do more with online offerings, but the heart of what we are is a community. Without that - it’s been incredibly hard to keep afloat. At this point, I’ve accrued so much debt in trying to keep the studio open, and each month, the restrictions further impact what we are taking in. The debt grows, and our income continues to dwindle, even with the support of so many loyal families. I have continued to pay my staff throughout this whole ordeal, and will do whatever I need to do to make sure they continue to be paid.
We re-opened after the shutdown, and have been operating since June 26, with ZERO cases of Coronavirus at our studio. None. No transmission at all. And yet, we are being asked to operate at 25%, with another forced shutdown looming. This business is everything to me. I built it from scratch, and it holds my heart. I can’t imagine my life without these kids, these families. We know that we can’t continue to pay our bills operating at this capacity, and losing students that don’t want to dance “virtually.” Most of our kids are in school remotely, so this is the last social activity they have. The only place they have to actually “go to” right now. The only real human connection that remains for them.
I ask that you please consider helping us at this time. Our hope is to carry on for generations, doing what we have always done - creating a safe, inclusive, joyful, non-competitive space, where kids and adults can find release, movement, connection, and joy.
Attached and linked below, please find a video one of my students created, as well as some testimonials from my students and parents. And, THANK YOU. Not just for considering us for the fund, but, for speaking out, and standing up for all our small businesses. It is the first time we have felt heard and appreciated throughout this all.
With a heart full of gratitude,
Meg Fenton Funk