Jenny Muslin, Founder of Dance Sculpt
Name: Jenny Muslin
Founder: Dance Sculpt
Who is Jenny Muslin?
A lifelong dancer, I never expected to return to dance and teaching but right before Covid, I decided to revisit my passion and make it a business. When the world shut down I taught on Zoom and later in people's garages and driveways. Today, I teach weekly dance cardio and sculpt classes to an adult clientele at Bright Bowls' studio. My latest addition to my business has been teaching the latest, popular Tik Tok dance routines to kids. It's been a surprise hit as the classes keep selling out.
In less than three sentences tell us about your company and what you do.
Dance Sculpt is the workout I was looking for in Chicago and couldn't find. I motivate women to move and strengthen their bodies, release stress, have fun, and find community in a no judgement atmosphere. I offer Dance Sculpt to those that love to dance (even if they have no experience) and I offer Just Sculpt for those who want to lengthen and tone without the dance element.
What does BEING a FoundHer mean to you?
Being a FoundHer means achieving a goal or dream in a male dominated world. It is a female created business that considers the needs of other women. A FoundHer wants to see other female founders succeed.
How do you support other female founders and women in business?
When I started Dance Sculpt, Lindsay Meltzer had just opened Bright Bowls cafe with an attached studio. Having my classes here has been a dream because both Lindsay and I are able to crosspromote. In working here, I have met so many other FoundHers like Movement Junkies owner Robin Taxman, Sandra Merrill meditation/yoga, Sherri Lucterhand art, etc. We all build each other up and help one another with business ideas, events, and the like. It has become the most supportive group of women who want to see each other thrive. Through Dance Sculpt, I have also met so many incredible female clients turned friends. Supporting their businesses whether it's contributing my services to their non-profit event or promoting their professional venture at my own class, makes me feel like I'm helping in some small way.
At what point did you make your company a full time gig? How did you know the time was right?
I knew I could make Dance Sculpt an actual business when some of my Zooms had over 50 people attending. So much is lost over Zoom, so if the class could go over this well online, I knew it would do even better in-person. The timing was right because my whole heart was in it. Ironically, the timing in early 2020 turned out to be beneficial. During covid, we were all so desperate for human connection and that's what these classes became. First online and then outside. Women who never would have tried dancing, suddenly were willing to take on a new hobby and do something out of their comfort zone. After the classes, the women who attended would end up sitting on the blacktop talking and new friendships were formed.
Let’s talk social media—who handles it for your company (you, an internal team member, an outsourced solution?) and what is the secret to making it successful? What is the biggest challenge?
I handle all of my own social media and it's a work in progress. While I always loved performing, doing it over the Internet is a totally different entity. To make it a success, I am learning that I need to put myself out there to strangers even if it feels uncomfortable. I have to keep doing reels, making Instagram stories, etc.
What is something you do differently from the industry standard?
Have you ever seen a dance video and wanted to learn the actual dance the singer does? That's the kind of thing we do in Dance Sculpt and you are drenched by the end. No one in class is a pro. Some of the women grew up dancing in high school and other women in the class were always sporty and haven't danced at all until now. Dance is one of the most beneficial activities one can do for their physical AND mental health. Dance helps regulate stress hormones, helps foster community, boosts self esteem, improves memory, aids in sleep, emits feel good endorphins, and improves cognitive function. In the Just Sculpt classes, we are still moving our bodies to amazing music but we are doing so with less cardio, adding more strengthening elements using our own body weight with movements that are similar to yoga and pilates. It is all about achieving that long, dancer-body and targeting smaller muscle groups.
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