Why We Started Love Dance Co in Beecroft
There's a version of this story that starts with a business plan and a gap in the market.
That version is true. But it's not the real one.
Kara was looking for a dance school for her daughter, Libby started talking about all the dance schools she’s been through, finding the right one for her kids. We realised we couldn’t find what we were looking for in Beecroft. And then — because we are, perhaps, two people who should never be left alone with a half-formed idea — thinking, what if we just built the thing ourselves?
We're dance mums. That's the whole foundation.
Between us, Libby and Kara, we have five kids. They are chaotic and brilliant and extremely loud, and several of them have been doing dance classes since they could reliably stand.
We know what it's like to sit in the car park of a dance studio wondering if your two-year-old is okay in there, or have the teenager at the front desk tell you that you can’t stay, they need “to foster more independence”. We know the particular joy of seeing a small person march out of class with absolute certainty about a move they definitely just made up. The sense of accomplishment after their first concert. We know the teacher who gets it — who makes every child feel like the most important kid in the room — and we know what it feels like when that's missing.
We've been customers of kids dance classes across the North Shore for years. We know which bits we loved and which we didn’t (and the 2 page hair and makeup feedback for a 7 year old definitely made that list!). That experience — both the brilliant parts and the gaps — is exactly what Love Dance Co is built on.
The thing we kept noticing
When we looked at what was available locally for toddlers and preschoolers, there was plenty. Dance has always been around. There are studios that have been running for decades, teachers who clearly love what they do, kids who thrive.
But something kept nagging.
We wanted a studio that had the same amazing sense of community we have at Love Pilates. Where the studio owners understood what it’s like juggling kids, activities and your own life. Where kids can move and learn to love movement regardless of their ability. A studio where competing wasn’t the goal. A studio where you could have fun and feel at home.
We wanted the studio we'd choose for our own kids without any hesitation.
We couldn't quite find it. So — see above re: two people who should not be left alone with a half-formed idea — we decided to build it.
Why Beecroft
Honestly? Because we love our Beecroft community.
Kara’s a local and grew up here and we’ve had our Pilates studio - Love Pilates for over 2 years now. This is home! We know this community — the school run, the village, the mix of families who've been here for thirty years and the ones who just arrived. We know how many parents are doing exactly what we did: looking for something good for their toddler to do on a Tuesday morning, something that's not another trip to the playground or another round of kids' TV.
Beecroft is a tight-knit place. When something good opens here, people show up for it. We wanted to build something this community could genuinely be proud of — and that could be a second home for kids who need a place where they belong.
Why dance — specifically
We could have done gymnastics. Or music. Or any number of enrichment activities for little kids. We chose dance because we've seen what it does. What it did for us, what it’s done for our kids. Because moving is so important for all of us physically and mentally, because movement should be fun.
Not the competition pathway version — that world exists and it's great for the kids who want it, but it's not what we're building. We mean the joyful, foundational version: the class where a three-year-old learns to listen to music with her whole body, where a shy kid surprises himself by performing in front of the group, where two children who've never met become fast friends because they both love the same song.
Dance does things that are hard to replicate. It builds coordination and confidence and resilience in the same forty-five minutes. It gives children a physical language for joy. And when it's done well — with a great program, a great teacher, and a space that feels safe — it becomes the highlight of a kid's week.
That's what we wanted to give families in Beecroft and surrounding areas.
What we built
Love Dance Co opens in July 2026 for term 3, right in the heart of Beecroft — co-located with Love Pilates Beecroft, close to the school, the train station, the cafés.
We run theReady Set Dance program — a licensed national curriculum designed specifically for toddlers and preschoolers, from 18 months through to kindy. It has beautiful music, beloved characters, and a structure that gives little ones the consistency and routine that actually helps them grow.
The classes we offer at launch:
Ready Set Move With Me (18 months – 2.5 years) — for the tiniest ones, with a parent or carer in the class. A gentle, joyful introduction to movement.
Ready Set Dance (2–5 years) — the core program. Dance, sing, play. All the good things.
Ready Set Ballet (3–6 years) — ballet foundations for preschoolers and kindy kids, in a way that's age-appropriate and genuinely fun.
The studio is warm and bright and designed with real intention. We are very proud of it. We hope you love it.
Come and see for yourself
Every first class at Love Dance Co is a trial — no commitment, no pressure. Just bring your little one, see how they respond, meet us, look around.
We built this studio for our kids. We built it for yours, too.
You can register your interest for term 3 classes now at www.lovedanceco.com.au.
