There are few things in life more magical than people who have discovered their personal gift, and make expressing it their life’s purpose. It takes courage, conviction and a willingness to stand out from the crowd.
Our city of Costa Mesa is a hotbed for this kind of magic, and the story of local studio, Avanti Dance Company, is the consummate “born talented, fully expressed” situation. This local gem doesn’t just shimmer, it shines.
“Avanti” means “forward” in Italian, and in this studio you see it everywhere. The dancers working to improve, the studio striving to grow, the community contributing their special touches to the place – it’s all very hopeful, very intentional, very forward.
The core of Avanti is dancer-turned-studio-owner Taryn Chavez, though she will demur it’s a “team effort” at every turn. While it is true the foundation of Avanti is built on teamwork and group effort – it’s also true that behind every great feat there’s usually one steadfast someone setting the tone.
At Avanti? That someone is Chavez.
“Miss Taryn” Shines, Along with Her Students, at Avanti Dance Company in Costa Mesa.
Photos: Brandy Young
“Dance is my life,” said Chavez, with a warm smile, from her cozy office at Avanti Dance Company. “I’ve been dancing since I was three years old, just like the little cutie pies in the other room.”
Chavez grew up in Westside Costa Mesa, on the Kaiser / Ensign / Harbor education track. At three, she started exploring interests through a “city rec” program. But unlike fly-by-night, preschool ballerinas, it was clear from an early age, that dancing was her “thing.”
“My mom tried to expose me to lots of activities, every sport she could think of,” said Chavez. “Horseback riding, soccer… nothing stuck like dance did. I was that hippie child picking daisies on the soccer field and doing turns in the goal. Nothing grabbed me like music and dance. Maybe it’s because I come from a musical family, it all feels really natural to me.”
By the time Chavez was five, she’d already surpassed city-rec dance.
“The instructor pulled my mom aside and told her I had outgrown what the program could teach me,” said Chavez. “That I would need a private studio to continue.”
So her mom took her to The Dance Center, in Newport Beach, to study under Cindy Beckett. It was a first step, on a lifelong journey, that’s allowed Chavez’ talent-led hobby to truly blossom into her life’s work.
Dance Fundamentals – and Tons of Fun – at Avanti Dance Company in Costa Mesa.
Photos: Brandy Young
Chavez spent her childhood and adolescence in a happy blur of dance competitions, rehearsals and big-time performing opportunities.
“We even went on auditions for Star Search!” said Chavez. “We made it to the finals but didn’t make it far enough to be on TV. Still, it was a really good process, and exciting times. There’s nothing like the bonding, the energy, that comes from competing at that level. And it’s so inspiring! Seeing what the other teams could do really challenged us to be our best.”
After graduating, Chavez began teaching dance, part-time, at a number of local studios. She slowly built a student following, dancers that would follow her from studio to studio, just wanting more of what she could teach them.
“Two of my students, Jordan and Sydney, had these amazing parents, Julie and John,” said Chavez. “Julie was the kind of mom always willing to help. Saying things like, ‘I feel like the kids should have t-shirts, can I make some?’ Or, ‘Do you want more bling on this costume? Let me do that for you.'”
“Then John always built the props for me,” Chavez continued. “Whatever my vision, he would build it. Amazing guy!”
Up to this point, Chavez had always worked in other people’s studios, on other people’s dance curriculum.
“I did my best to be creative within the boundaries of someone else’s program,” said Chavez. “But at times I felt frustrated, locked into whatever the studio owners wanted me to do.”
So one day, John and Julie approached Chavez with a proposition: If she would open and run her own dance studio, they would financially back the launch.
We asked Chavez what it felt like to have a couple of parents believe in you so much that they were willing to fund the opening of your very own studio. That’s when she burst into tears.
“I Can’t Even Believe It,” said Chavez, About the Dream of Her Studio Coming True.
Photo: Brandy Young
“Don’t worry about me, I’m the biggest crybaby you’ve ever met,” said Chavez, waving off our look of concern with a tissue. “Ask the kids. If I catch a magical moment in class, where they’re dancing their little hearts out, they’re like, ‘Oh, look. Ms. Taryn is crying again.’
“But to your question, words cannot describe what it felt like to have people believe in me, like John and Julie believed in me. What they did… to have my work recognized and appreciated like that… they’re angels. They are my best friends. It’s just such an honor to work with them, I can’t even believe it.”
With funding secured, and Chavez on board to develop the program, Avanti Dance Company launched in 2015 at 151 Kalmus Drive, #J7, Costa Mesa.
“We’re in the black hole area of Costa Mesa, by the airport,” said Chavez with a laugh. “Like, you might be in Irvine, you might be in Newport, you’re not really sure. But yeah, we’re in this beautiful studio space, here in Costa Mesa. I’m glad for Instagram, and word-of-mouth, so people know about us. Since we don’t really get drive-by traffic, the people who take the time to find us are the people who really want to be here.”
The lush, beautiful, studio decor is courtesy of Julie’s creativity, while John runs the books and financial end of the business – leaving Chavez blissfully free to just hire, teach and create to her heart’s content.
90+ Classes Offered in the Typical Week, at Avanti Dance Company in Costa Mesa.
Photos: Brandy Young
Now, the studio bustles with over 90 weekly classes, across a wide spectrum of disciplines, ranging from classical ballet to hip-hop to aerial arts (acrobatic dance, performed while clinging to silks, suspended from the ceiling). It currently employs 16 instructors from all walks of life.
“The instructors are all here because they share one thing in common: they’re insanely talented,” said Chavez. “Some are pursuing a dance career. Some are former professional dancers. Some have a degree in dance. But everyone here is such a high-quality human being. They’re all good at their craft, and they’re all full of love.”
The push to offer top-notch instruction has not gone unnoticed.
“We’ve gotten pretty busy, but I never want to get so big that we lose the individual connection with each student,” said Chavez. “These dancers are like my 300 adopted children. I know every one. I never want to become one of those monster studios with thousands of students, because I think you can easily lose that connection and sense of community.”
For now, she relies on a waitlist system to keep the class sizes manageable, and the studio, intimate.
“I tell parents, ‘I know it’s a bummer to be on the waitlist, but you’ll appreciate it once your child get into the class,'” said Chavez.
One glace at the lively waiting room says most parents agree.
Engaged parents, joyful and hardworking students, and a first-rate roster of instructors means Avanti is on the rise in the SoCal dance scene.
“It’s not just about competition here,” emphasized Chavez. “Yes, that’s fun and important, but dance is about more than just trophies at Avanti. There’s a warmth here, a genuine warmth you feel from the moment you get to our front desk. Everyone’s smiling at Avanti, everyone’s happy.”
“It’s a real community,” she continued. “We do things like holiday parties and potlucks at the studio. I teach the dance from Thriller to everyone at Halloween; we’ve got two-year-olds doing it, and parents, too.
“I also want to make sure your readers know about our scholarships, too. If a student wants to dance, but doesn’t currently have the ability to make it happen, financially, they should definitely contact us.”
Even if you’ve never set your sights on Juilliard – or ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ – Chavez still believes everyone can benefit from movement and music in their lives.
“If you’re human, you’re a dancer,” said Chavez. “Dancing is so good for you, so therapeutic. It spreads positivity, too. If I’m shopping, and I see someone dancing to the mall music, it puts a big smile on my face and I start dancing, too. I’m like, ‘Yes, girl. Let’s go, queen.’ That’s why dance is so popular!
“You’ve got technically-trained dancers, sure, but you don’t have to be one to enjoy it. Look at Ellen… not a dancer, but also, yes a dancer! We’re all dancers. I hope everyone in Costa Mesa discovers the joy of moving their bodies to music. Let loose.”
As for this dancer, she’s quite happy to have opened Avanti here, in her hometown of Costa Mesa.
“Costa Mesa has heart,” said Chavez. “We also have big personalities, different personalities, but a big sense of community, too. It’s an eclectic bunch of people, and it feels like we’re all in it together.
“One of my favorite things about Costa Mesa is the chill, laid-back vibe. Noses aren’t up in the air around here. It’s not snooty. It’s not snobby. It’s very grounded.
“To me, Costa Mesa is just home.” ♥
