When I dreamed of opening my studio, I had strong opinions about how it should look and what I wanted to offer there.  I had danced and taught in numerous studios over the years and I knew what I wanted in my space. I’m really happy with how it turned out and given the wonderful support our students have shown us, it’s clear that they like it too.

But, I never dreamed that Albany Dance & Fitness (ADF) would one day be the setting for a TV commercial!

A local video production company, Working Pictures, Inc.,  needed to shoot a scene in a dance studio for a commercial. They did some research on the internet and found photos of ADF and thought that it was perfect for the piece. I was a little amazed when their producer contacted me about a shooting in my studio and was even more surprised when they asked me to play the dance teacher in the scene. Go figure, I look like a dance teacher!  How could I say no?

The next thing I knew my dance studio was transformed into a set. The crew set up tall light stands inside and outside of the studio, a huge make-up tray replaced the computer on my desk, racks of costumes stood in one corner of the studio, and a camera crew carried in fancy equipment.

The actors weren’t scheduled to arrive until later, so I was the first to have my make-up done. This was a real treat! I’ve danced in many ballet performances over the years, but always had to put on my own make-up (except my first Nutcracker performances as a child). I was a little nervous, but Lynn, the make-up artist helped to calm my nerves as she chatted while applying the make-up. She had been in the business for many years and gave me tips on what to expect next.

Soon the six actors arrived. Most of them were veterans, but one of then announced that she was a “virgin”. The more experienced actors shared stories about other gigs that they had done. I was surprised to learn that several had traveled over an hour for this shoot and one even took the train from NYC.

We all brought our own selection of clothing to wear. Some got to wear their own outfit, but others were asked to try clothing from the wardrobe rack. My sleeveless fitness tops weren’t right, since everyone was wearing long sleeves. Instead a bright orange long-sleeved top was selected for me.

Now we were set to start, except that we needed music to set the mood. I had my iPod with me, but it’s filled with ballet class music – not the mood that we needed. After Marty, the Director, download some good ol’ Frank Sinatra, it was time to get rolling.

Soon the three couples were dancing away with the bright lights and cameras pointing our way. Although, I am confident when it comes to teaching ballet or fitness classes, I felt quite out of place during this staged dance class. I guess it’s because I’m not an expert at ballroom dance. So, I had to pretend or act like I was a ballroom teacher.

I guess all went well, because we finished before the planned wrap-up time! It was over before I knew it. The break-down took no time at all and the studio was ready for evening class. I have to say that the Working Pictures crew was wonderful. They showed great respect to the space and even wore foot scrubs so that they didn’t ruin the beautiful wood floors.

It was quite an experience, although I think that I will stick to teaching dance. The finished commercial aired locally quite a bit during the Olympics. The studio looks beautiful in the spot, but it’s a good thing that I was wearing that bright orange shirt. Otherwise you might miss my two seconds of fame!