Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassey Wyatt.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started dancing before I could even understand what dance really was — at just 18 months old. One of my earliest memories is driving a tiny car on stage for a Batman-themed dance. Even then, performing felt natural. I loved that doing something I was good at made people happy, and their happiness made me happy. It was the first time I understood the power of connection through movement.
As I grew, dance wasn’t just something I did — it became my entire world. My family traveled the country with me in our RV so I could compete, and those trips bonded us in a way I wouldn’t trade for anything. One of the most meaningful parts of that journey was the time I spent with my grandmother making homemade jam to help fund our travel. We picked the fruit together, prepared it together, canned it together — just the two of us, working side by side. I wouldn’t give up those days for anything. She taught me that anything worthwhile takes hard work and heart. I even stood in front of Lowe’s Foods dancing and selling that jelly, and because of those moments — those long days, that determination, that shared effort — we were able to travel the world and fulfill my childhood dreams.
There were pivotal moments along the way that shaped who I became. I still remember competing against a girl in my class who always seemed more confident and outgoing — the one who usually beat me. But that day, something shifted. I performed differently. I showed up as a version of myself I hadn’t seen before, and I won. For the first time, I realized I had something special inside me — something worth pursuing.
Dance also took me across the country and even across the world. In Long Beach, California, I attended a Rockettes workshop where I learned not only technique but what real friendship looked like. Those girls were kind, supportive, honest — such a contrast to what I experienced in high school. In Italy, I trained on a raked stage in Oscoli Picano, experiencing what dancers felt generations ago, leaning forward into the audience, constantly adjusting to gravity. I definitely hit the ground more than once, but those experiences taught me resilience and gave me a new understanding of body awareness and performance.
As I grew older, dance naturally led me into teaching. I realized very quickly that teaching wasn’t just about steps — it was about shaping how kids see themselves and their world. I’m not the softest teacher, but I am honest. I push my students to see the potential in themselves long before they recognize it. Watching a child grow in confidence, change their mindset, or walk out of class with their chin higher than when they walked in — that is what hooked me. Dance changed my life, and teaching gave me the chance to use it to change theirs.
I had always dreamed of opening my own studio, but I was already deeply invested in Pro Dance Academy — in the dancers, the families, and the community. So when the opportunity to purchase the business came up, it felt like every piece of my life aligned. It was scary because suddenly so many people were counting on me. It was exciting because I had a million ideas and couldn’t wait to bring them to life. Overwhelming wasn’t really an option — I had worked too hard, waited too long, and believed too deeply to allow fear to make decisions for me.
Owning the studio has brought some of the most rewarding moments of my life. There is nothing like walking into the lobby and seeing parents and children sharing moments of pride, joy, and connection over something that lights their child up from the inside out. The most challenging part is knowing how many responsibilities rest on my shoulders — how many children depend on me to make the right decisions for their growth, their safety, their happiness. But that responsibility is also a privilege.
Dance has shaped me into someone who values patience, joy, compassion, ownership, and understanding. It taught me how to lead, how to listen, how to fight for what matters, and how to get back up when I fall.
More than anything, I hope my dancers leave my studio believing in themselves. I want them to know they are capable of anything they set their minds to — even if they fail a dozen times before they succeed. I want them to understand that mastery is earned, not given, and that the feeling of finally “getting it” is one of the best in the world. And I want them to know that when they walk through our studio doors, they are surrounded by people who believe in them, support them, challenge them, and celebrate them. Whatever is happening outside those walls, they can always count on that.
This is my story — built on family, resilience, passion, and the belief that dance is more than movement. It’s a place where people become who they’re meant to be.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A smooth road? Not even close — but I don’t think dance was ever meant to be easy. Dance is not for the weak of heart. It asks your body to do things that aren’t natural. It demands discipline long before it rewards you. And it pushes you to grow in ways that can feel impossible in the moment.
There were countless times growing up when I was told I should quit dancing — that it was the only way I’d stop hurting. But for me, quitting was never an option. Dance wasn’t just something I did; it was part of who I was. So I kept going through multiple surgeries, endless hours of physical therapy, and the emotional weight of wondering if my body would hold up. I pushed through the days when I doubted myself, and through the reality that in a competitive industry, not everyone is kind. I lost more friends than I made, because the environment back then could be incredibly cutthroat and unforgiving. But even on the hardest days, I knew deep down that dance was where I belonged.
Taking over the studio brought its own set of challenges. Financially, it wasn’t a profitable business when I stepped into ownership, and that responsibility fell entirely on my shoulders. I’ve always chosen passion over profit — teaching, mentoring, and pouring into kids — even when that meant working multiple jobs just to make my dreams possible. Ownership magnified that. Suddenly I wasn’t just responsible for myself; I was responsible for every dancer, every parent, and every staff member who trusted me. That weight can feel heavy, and sometimes overwhelming, but it also motivates me to give more, do more, and lead with integrity.
Leadership comes with tough decisions. You spend a lot of time double-checking that you’ve crossed every “t” and dotted every “i,” because you know other people’s experiences depend on the choices you make. But leadership also comes with incredible rewards. Hearing “Hi Miss Cassey!” screamed across the lobby, seeing the joy on a child’s face when they nail a new skill, having a dancer say, “Don’t worry, Miss Cassey is here — nothing bad will happen,” or trusting me enough to share their struggles and ask for advice… that’s what keeps me going even on the days when I’m exhausted or drained. Their belief in me fuels my belief in myself.
Most people never see what goes on behind the scenes — and honestly, they’re not supposed to. The late nights, the stress, the financial worries, the problem-solving, the sacrifice, the emotional weight… all of that stays between me, my family, and my boyfriend, Daniel. The dancers don’t need to feel that pressure. The parents don’t need to see the struggle. My job is to make sure that when they walk through those studio doors, they feel supported, encouraged, and cared for, no matter what it takes behind the scenes to make that happen.
The road hasn’t been smooth, but it has been worthwhile — every obstacle has made me stronger not just as a dancer or an owner, but as a person. And I wouldn’t trade the journey for anything
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Pro Dance Academy is so much more than a dance studio — it’s a family. When people walk through our doors, they immediately feel it. We like to say we’re one big “Pro Dance Family,” and that’s exactly what we are. Our studio is full of supportive, quirky, down-to-earth people who stand by one another through everything. There’s no “dance mom drama” here. Our parents bond over teenage emotions and dance schedules, our kids encourage and challenge each other, and many of our parents have become some of my closest friends. It truly takes a village, and our village shows up for each other.
We offer classes for dancers ages 2 through adult in a wide range of styles — Contemporary, Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Jazz, Clogging, Hip Hop, Tumbling, and Tap. We have both recreational classes and a competitive Academy program for dancers ages 5–18. Our Academy teams are something I am incredibly proud of. We start with our Minis at age 5 and go all the way up to our Elite team, which is made up of dancers who are ready for significant commitment and higher levels of training.
What sets our competitive program apart is the culture. Unlike the environment I grew up in — where competition could be cutthroat — our dancers genuinely love one another. They support each other, celebrate each other, and hold each other accountable in the healthiest ways. They are each other’s biggest fans and strongest motivators. Watching the bond these dancers have created is something I would have given anything to experience at their age.
What makes Pro Dance Academy different from other studios is our deep sense of community. If a parent can’t get their child somewhere, another family steps in without hesitation. If I need a dancer to help a younger student, take on a leadership role, or assist in class while I’m helping a parent — they do it with zero complaints and full hearts. Our teachers genuinely care about our dancers and work every day to inspire them not just to be better performers, but to become the best versions of themselves.
Our values are simple: kindness, safety, confidence, accountability, hard work, encouragement, and belonging. I don’t believe any one of those matters more than the others — together, they create an environment where children feel free, supported, challenged, and proud of what they’re capable of. We help dancers reach levels they never thought possible, but that we saw in them from the very beginning.
Brand-wise, what I am most proud of is the feeling you get the moment you step inside our lobby. You can see exactly what we’re about — connection, joy, support, and the belief that every child who walks into our studio is worthy, capable, and valued. We offer a free trial class because we want families to experience our environment firsthand. Once they do, the rest is up to them — and to their dancer’s heart.
Pro Dance Academy isn’t just a place to learn dance. It’s a second home, a safe haven, a community, and a place where kids discover confidence, friendships, and parts of themselves they didn’t know existed. That’s what makes our brand special, and that’s what we hope every family feels the moment they join us.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Most people know me as “Miss Cassey,” the dance teacher who lives at the studio — but what they don’t know is how many other hats I wear outside of those four walls. In 2019, I helped start a construction company, which I still work for today. I also own a sign craft business with my mom and grandmother, and Daniel and I recently purchased a company that produces computer chip coatings. It always surprises people to learn that behind the sparkles, costumes, and choreography, I’m also involved in construction sites, fabrication work, and the technical world of chip production.
People also don’t realize that I’m actually a mix of everything you wouldn’t expect from a dance studio owner. I’m introverted at heart. I struggle with self-doubt, and I carry the weight of my dancers’ emotions more than I ever let show. I’m silly and quirky when the stress isn’t too heavy, and I love hands-on work — from building props to fixing things around the studio to sewing costumes at midnight.
What most people don’t see is the heart behind everything: I pray for my dancers every night. I take home their victories and their struggles. I stay late cleaning floors, repairing costumes, answering messages, and making sure the studio feels like a place where the kids never have to worry — even if I’m worrying enough for all of us behind the scenes.
And at the studio itself, the surprising truth is that I do a little bit of everything. I mop the floors, set the schedule, troubleshoot the music, manage the finances, build sets, sew costumes, handle the tears (both theirs and sometimes mine), and celebrate every win, no matter how small. I remember every child — their strengths, their insecurities, their breakthroughs — even when they think I don’t notice.
There’s a whole world that people never see behind the title “owner,” but I like it that way. My dancers and their families should only feel the joy, support, and stability of our studio — never the stress behind it. Everything I do in the background is so they can walk into a space that feels safe, loved, and full of possibility.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://prodanceacademync.com
- Instagram: @prodanceacademync
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/prodanceacademync
