It’s not just about football out here in the Texas Hill Country. You have hundreds of youngsters pursuing their dreams in dance and cheer. And that’s where PAIYH Dance Studios in Hill Country Galleria fits into the equation.
PAIYH is pronounced “Pie-Yuh” and it’s an acronym for “Put Art In Your Heart.” As of June 2018, a familiar name in the world of dance in the Lake Travis area took the reigns of this studio, Beth Ann Hawley.
You may remember her from our tribute to Cavalettes and Legacies. Yep, Beth Ann was on the oh-so-famous Kilgore College Rangerettes drill team, the Coco Chanel of dance. She was also on the Texas Pom Squad at UT where she received her Texas Teaching Certification in Dance and a BA in Theatre & Dance.
Beth Ann’s love of dance and her ability to inspire others with dance is just part of her DNA.
Beth Ann is an entrepreneur, wife, and mother of five children sharing her love of dance with the Lake Travis community for more than ten years. She was a dance teacher and drill team director for Lake Travis High School. Throughout her career in dance, she has choreographed numerous award-winning pieces for schools, colleges, and studios nationwide.
She does contract adjudication for auditions and competitions and works seasonally for 8 National Talent, a dance competition company. Plus, she currently serves as co-president for LTYA Cheer and has been a head coach for the past four years.
What Beth Ann brings to PAIYH is unique, because her vision isn’t just about dance, it’s about empowerment. Historically, PAIYH was a great dance studio for children ages 3-7. Beth Ann wants to take the studio in a new direction, so it can grow with her students by offering more classes (and more challenging classes) to older dancers as well.
Why? Because in dance, the journey is essential. It isn’t just about cute up-dos and sassy costumes; it’s about positivity, strength, and inspiration.
As an entrepreneur in Lake Travis, Beth Ann is dedicated to empowering the young girls she teaches and her female colleagues. She embraces the live local mantra and works with as many local vendors as she can to help support the Lake Travis community.
As a new business owner in Lake Travis, the responsibilities can be daunting, but Beth Ann chooses a different perspective. One of the larger studios at PAIYH has big windows facing the sidewalk. Beth Ann explained how shoppers and passers-by at Hill Country Galleria often stop to watch a dance lesson in session. “They just take a minute to stand there and soak it all in, even if they don’t know anyone in the class. They all smile,” she says. “That’s what dance does to people.”
It’s art in the heart.
Josh Brewster of Josh Brewster Photography took the gorgeous dance portraits of Beth Ann.
We know there are a lot of drill team legacies and dance moms in the Lake Travis community. Let us know if you’re still sharing your love of dance and cheer.
