Nicole Odo - Highland Dance Studio Owner

It’s all too easy,

To see where a business is at now, and assume it’s always kinda been this way 🤷🏻‍♀️

But the reality for MOST business is usually humble beginnings, a lot of change, starting something then having to pivot

For my dance studio, it was years of teaching at less than ideal times because they were the only hourly slots available, getting studio space then losing out on studio space, pivoting to keep things afloat, saying yes to things WAY before I felt ready 🫣

I know my fellow studio owners are in the same boat 🤌🏻 and I LOVE hearing from everyone in my DMs about their studio space / general studio developments!!

Not dance related but still ready to make it about dance!!!

Highland dance always has an interesting way of pushing me 🤌🏻

I had “being able to run 5K” as a goal for 2026 (as someone who has never run, and trained her whole life in high intensity, short bursts of energy activities, this was already expected to be a challenge!!)

I wasn’t even planning to race in a 5K, just wanted to be able to complete one 🏃‍♀️

Then my friend training for a marathon was like omg sign up for a race!

I said SURE I’ll sign up for a 5K

As it turns out, the 5K race landed on the same day as the provincial championships for highland dance, for which l’m the competition organizer + have lots of competitors

The plot thickened because I am always one for a challenge... I was like, I guess l’ll have to do the 10K? (which fell the day AFTER provincials)

In a blink, my highland dance commitments doubled my 2026 running goals

My friend agreed to do it with me, so we got to training and holding each other accountable each week. Here’s what I LOVED:

〰️ training for something with a deadline again
〰️ showing up for my runs even on the days I didn’t want to
〰️ struggling!!! and seeing myself improve!! I was suffering through 20 mins at the start of this year, and now I’m out here running for an hour?!
〰️ the actual race day itself. the vibes were immaculate and everyone was so cute cheering each other on 🥹
〰️ the way we said if it rained on race day we literally could not do it... and it actually poured rain almost the whole race and we DID do it (and had so much fun)

There were a lot of parallels between my years training to be a highland dance competitor vs training for an individual race, and I’m so glad I did

BONUS we hit our PB, doing 10K in 1:14!!! As two girlies who at one point thought it would take us 1:40… we crushed it

Sub 60 min next????

brb teleporting myself back to 2012 to share these tips with my past self!!! 🔙⏮️🛸

Sword & Reel teaching mats to the rescue in mixed level classes 🦸

I got a message from a dance teacher with the best idea 🤌🏻 she had a class learning all the different dances, and would cycle through working with each group, and then allowing them to work independently

The struggle with independent work on the dances with formations however…

Very easy for first time learners to forget said formations 🤣

Which makes the independent work time not the most effective!

She had already invested in the Sword Mat ⚔️ and loved it, so she decided to buy the set & get the Reel Mat so that each group had a visual to work with

BAM 💥 productive independent work sessions for the dancers where they learn quicker

🙌🏻 it’s like having 2 other teachers in the room with you

Win-win-win!

Visit beacons.ai/nicoleodohighlanddance for the Sword + Reel Mat combo. Save when you bundle 💰

bye 2025 👋🏻

Last year was quite the year. Here is the highlight reel!!

I’ve been looking forward to welcoming a new year, and so far the vibes of 2026 are 10/10 😌

Studio owners & dance teachers DM me & let me know what’s on the agenda to look forward to in 2026 for you!!!

Before “The Reel Route” (aka a teaching mat for the reel)

I used to spend entire classes playing traffic controller instead of teaching dance

There would be that moment, every time, where dancers would start the Reel…

…and then a dancer would round a corner (incorrectly) and chaos would ensue

You know the drill

→ dancers start going the wrong way
→ you’re running around trying to guide people
→ literal physical collisions are happening

And if you’ve ever taught the Reel with just four dots and a prayer… you know *exactly* what I’m talking about.

I tried everything:

☑️ Physically placing and walking around with dancers (a new dancer every round, hoping the one you just helped will remember what the path you just showed them lol)
☑️ Shouting corrections over music
☑️ Trying to be in four places at once (still working on cloning myself btw)

Then I was like… this didn’t need to be *so hard.*

Which brought me to designing the Reel Mat

A visual teaching tool that lets dancers SEE where they need to go

So now?

✅ They’re confident
✅ I’m focused on teaching *technique*, not traffic control
✅ And the Reel gets learned *so* much faster

If teaching the Reel has ever made you want to tear your hair out…

The Reel Mat is for you.

⚡️ Visit beacons.ai/nicoleodohighlanddance to snag yours
(BONUS: bundle with the Sword Mat for a special offer!)

New Brunswick Highland Games weekend is something that has slowly turned into a highland games WEEK

☑️ Tuesday evening downtown performance for with
☑️ Thursday evening downtown performance with Saorsa dancers + at the
☑️ Thursday evening Fredericton Recreation booth shift
☑️ a weekend full of dance competitions in Highlands, Nationals and Choreography with 120+ dancers from all over Canada
☑️ Alan Doyle as the Games’ saturday night entertainment (!!)
☑️ a 45-min highland dance workshop on the Games grounds

… done and dusted

Pulling off a festival like this is no easy feat.

Shout out to the NBHG committee, and my dance committee co-chair, my mom ❤️ (she is on year 19 of this position 🤯)

Thank you to everyone who joined us, and a very special thank you to everyone who volunteers to help pull off a huge week & weekend like this

Now… I need a nap 😴