Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years, I see myself living in my own home and possibly married. Depending on the career I end up pursuing, I may have recently graduated from graduate school. My goal is to have a job that allows me to be financially stable. Ideally, I will have traveled somewhere I've never been, or will be planning to do so in the near future. In addition, I can see myself considering starting a family; however, I want to do my best not to base my life on a preset timeline. My hope is that everything will fall into place when the time is right.
How would you handle an irate customer?
Most importantly, I would continue to be as friendly and polite as possible. Additionally, I would take genuine interest in his/her concern to make sure he/she feels heard and appreciated. No matter how the customer reacts, I would stay calm as to not provoke further irritation. I experienced this situation while working in the front office at my studio. A parent was upset about the cost of one of her daughter's costumes and demanded to speak with the studio owner about finding a different one. I kept a smile on my face and told her that I understood her concern. I calmly reminded her that she signed a contract at the beginning of the season that included an estimated price range for costumes and showed her that this costume was well within that range. I then told her that Tina, the owner, was teaching at the moment, but she was welcome to stay and wait for Tina's class to be over if she still wished to speak to her.
What has been your proudest moment?
My proudest moment was last year when I won a highpoint award for my solo at the Prime Time National Dance Competition in Tennessee. It was a big deal to me because I was competing against many incredibly talented dancers from all over the country. Also, the fact that it was my last full-studio nationals with Gayle's made the award even more speacial.
Tell me about a time when you successfully led a group of people.
Earlier this year, both of my pom coaches had something come up where they weren't able to attend one of our practices. As captain, I had to step up and lead the practice myself. I spoke to my team in an assertive, yet respectful way and I made sure not to abuse my power. This meant I still did our routine full out and in formation with the rest of my team at least a few times, just like I would at a regular practice. I wanted my teammates to feel like I was not placing myself on a higher platform than them. When I did sit out, it was to make the practice productive by giving constructive criticism and drilling various sections of the routine.
If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
I would be backpacking through Europe. I've never been, but my Dad spent a month exploring Europe in his 20's and hearing his stories has inspired my to want to travel there in the future. I want to expose myself to different cultures and experience what it is like to navigate and adapt to a completely unfamiliar territory. Not to mention all the new people I would meet, foods I would try, and sights I would see.
How would you sell hot cocoa in Florida?
I would sell the hot cocoa in a café setting that would resemble the atmosphere of an igloo. This would be expensive as I would need to maintain abnormally cold temperatures in the café, but if I had the necessary funds I believe the ambiance alone would attract people to my business. Ideally, everything in the café would be made out of ice or would resemble it. The only way to stay warm would be to sip on a cup of freshly made hot cocoa.