We recently had the chance to connect with Megan Warnick and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Megan, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is a normal day like for you right now?
I start my day with a pilates class, then come home to eat breakfast with my family. We all get ready for the day and go do our chores outside feeding the sheep, dog, and chickens. We spend the next 30-45 minutes doing homeschool with my two oldest and then I get some cleaning and tidying done around the house while the kids play. My husband comes home for lunch and then I get the baby down for a nap. I spend the late afternoons usually in the dance studio or pilates studio teaching, rehearsing, and sharing my passion. I return home to eat dinner as a family, then we get outside together and get some wiggles out before bedtime. Once we get the kids off to sleep, my husband and I hang out, eat a late night snack and go over our schedules for the next day. Our days are busy and full of fun!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! My name is Megan Warnick, a mom of 3, and wife to the most incredible husband and supporter there is. I have spent the last 15 years being a dancer, teacher, educator, and choreographer. I love learning new techniques and improving myself to help my students and co-workers. I have ran my mom’s dance studio for the last 5 years and grew to love all of my dancers and their families. The studio was recently sold and I have had to reflect and decide what my next step is in my career. I am continuing teaching and have stepped back into the pilates studio creating a program for dancer development. It has been a blast combining two of my favorite things! While doing these things, I have been blessed to keep growing my professional dance company “Shift”. On the company, I have 15 amazing dancers that are equally incredible humans. My goal in my career is to help others have the tools they need to succeed and give them opportunities to share their craft. I have danced all over the world professionally and have done jobs that are peoples dreams! I think it is now my time to give others the same chances I had and I love being part of peoples journey! Currently, I am deep in rehearsals with Shift as we prepare for our show this November. Our show is “I am…” focused on how we speak to ourselves and how that impacts us and those surrounded. Positive affirmations are so important and can help us Shift our life.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that shaped how I see the world is when I became a mom. Nothing has made me think more about the person I want to be and the people I want to surround myself with. I had to decide what values and qualities I wanted to have as a mother as well as a teacher working with youth. We all have a time in our life when we need to decide what influences we want on ourselves and the type of influence we are on others. Motherhood has taught me so many things that I am still working on everyday including; patience, service, understanding, and so much more. I hope that I can be a positive influence on my family, friends, and those I teach!
When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
The thing that helped me most as a child when I was going through a tough time was dance. Whether it was being silly playing Dance Dance Revolution, being in an empty dance studio doing improv, making up dances with my sisters, or taking challenging classes to improve my technique, dance helped me get through it. As silly as it sounds, that was my therapy. Moving my body, creating, and listening to music was my go to. Still to this day, when I am struggling with anything if I can give myself a second to just dance with no expectations I always feel so much better. I am blessed to have dancing and creating be my career.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
A project I am committed to is my Professional Dance Company “Shift”. I created it in 2021 with the goal that we can “Shift” the dance community and hopefully get our message out to the world. If we do work on ourselves and can make the dance studio and creation process a safe place we can spread positivity and love through dance. We focus a lot on storytelling and the meaning behind each piece they perform. There are plenty of incredible dancers that can do amazing things, but we are here to share experiences and make the audience feel something. If it comes from an honest place, they will feel it and see it. I am proud of the company I have built with such beautiful humans by my side. I am grateful for them and learn so much from them!
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
This one is hard, but after reflecting a lot I would hope that people knew I loved them. My faith and family is the most important things to me. I would want people to share how I made them feel welcome and important. I try to keep things light and uplifting and be everyone’s cheerleader. I hope people would think of me as a kind person that loved helping others succeed.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @shiftdanceco
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@meganschiffmanwarnick3871
Image Credits
@haileeshoots, @ellisbellisphoto, @mullahy.photography
