I'm from Southeast Massachusetts and my partner and I are in our 9th year of opening our studio. We both danced since we were three and when our instructor retired out of the blue we both looked at each other in horror of where would we dance?!!! My mom told us to open a studio, you can do it, etc. - and the rest is history! We both work other jobs and will never be rich from dance (one of 5 studios in a town of 40,000!), but it is so in your blood - you can't stop. I have two daughters of my own - they were only 3 and 6 when I started and it has gotten easier with them getting older and knowing (most of the time!) what to do and the support system of my husband, family and friends. A child in the supermarket yelling "Miss Jackie" and running up to you - that's the feeling, eh?