Today we’d like to introduce you to Deon Thomas.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I discovered a love for breaking at a young age. I remember watching the 80’s classic Breakin’ and I knew that was what I wanted to do. The only problem was that for a little girl growing up in Provo, UT there weren’t any studios that taught breaking. In high school, I was finally able to join a breaking crew. There I experienced the most amazing community. Breaking culture heavily emphasizes the belief that there is room for everyone. It values authenticity, self-expression, athleticism, artistry, creativity, and personal style. While very competitive, it is also an extremely supportive and inspiring community that lifts people to their best selves. I loved the energy and the camaraderie. My husband and I met through battling and urban dance has been a huge part of our lives.
In 2017, after years of mothering young children, I really missed the energy of breaking. I decided to try teaching a breaking class from my home. I started with little kindergarteners and we had a blast. With a bit of time, interest grew beyond the capacity of my home.
In 2019 I founded Breakin Circles. We started with one small studio space and have expanded to two studio spaces and a tumbling studio. The community we have created is everything I dreamed of.
I believe families in Utah are desperate to find opportunities for their kids to combat the stifling and sedentary life of screen dependence. In fact, the state of Utah has the highest percentage of children per capita in the country, so investing in children is extremely important to the community at large. And families are discovering the magic of urban dance and I love it!
To expand the company’s impact and provide more frequent and meaningful mentorship to the kids, I launched the Mentor Circle Foundation in 2025. The foundation focuses on mentorship, community building, events, and scholarships for young dancers to realize their dreams.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I believe anything worth working for is gonna require some grit. Starting anything from scratch is hard. There is so much learning about how to start a business and how to navigate it all. It took a lot to be patient with the failures. I don’t really call them failures though– it is gathering information to know what works and what doesn’t. Trial and error is oftentimes the best teacher.
One of the most challenging things was that I didn’t grow up in the dance world, so I felt like such an imposter. I really second-guessed myself so much. But I kept going because I had a vision. Over time, I’ve realized that not having that conventional background is actually one of my greatest strengths because it’s allowed me to create something different. We’ve built an environment that focuses on embracing each dancer’s unique body and style, with less rules and more self-expression. Seeing dancers who struggled in traditional dance environments rediscover confidence and joy in movement has been incredibly rewarding. The majority of our dancers are actually boys too! This is very unique for a dance studio in Utah! It is so fun to give little boys the opportunity to dance.
Another major challenge was timing—we opened just eight months before the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first few weeks we took it slow and paused programming, hoping it would resolve quickly. It didn’t take too long to realize we would have to close the studio and do online classes. Everyone was so excited to have classes again, but even that was hard– masks, distancing, and the emotional toll it all took on kids was hard. I believe what carried us through was our community. The kids and the parents were unwilling to give up on what we were creating and I am so grateful for them.
At the end of the day, I truly love the work we’re doing. Watching these kids grow in confidence and joy makes it all worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Breakin Circles?
I am very passionate about helping children get what they need for their personal growth. Sadly, healthy childhood development is being greatly disrupted by social isolation, digital addiction, and polarized world views. These things are literally eroding the safe communities youth need to thrive.
In contrast, we strive to build a space where kids can experience true belonging, healthy movement, and where they learn how to respect others. I believe with my whole heart in the transformative power of breaking and hip hip culture to guide kids through adolescence and into a happier, healthier future. We focus on authentic connection with self and one another. We create a safe competitive environment that teaches kids how to work hard for something, how to lose well, how to win well, and most of all, how to belong to a community.
In breakdance the circle is a really important symbol. It is constantly breaking and growing to make room for everyone. It encircles the dancers with unconditional support that celebrates wins while also encouraging growth through mistakes. Above all else I am so proud of the environment we have created for kids to thrive. The confidence they gain in the studio spreads outward to all other aspects of their lives.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I didn’t grow up dancing! I was an avid soccer player and even played in college. I still love soccer.
Also, our studio offers lots of classes! Not just breaking. We have an award winning hip hop program, offer tumbling and cheer classes, as well as a bunch of other classes.
Pricing:
- $50/month for 1 45-1hr instruction per week
Contact Info:
- Website: https://breakincircles.com
- Instagram: @breakincircles
