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Style LI F E + C U LTU R E

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

September Style

September 2026 PUBLISHER

Jill King | Jill.King@citylifestyle.com

As summer gives way to fall, September invites us to embrace a season of fresh inspiration. Style isn't simply about what we wear—it's how we express ourselves, create welcoming spaces, pursue our passions, and build lives that reflect who we are. Long before I became a publisher, I was drawn to the art of styling. With a styling company executing photoshoots, home staging, and holiday design it was about creating beauty. From arranging fresh flowers on a table, reimagining a bookshelf, or creating a workspace that inspires creativity, I've always believed the smallest details shape the way we experience our surroundings. That appreciation for thoughtful design eventually found its way into publishing, where every page becomes an opportunity to tell a beautiful story. It's a perspective that continues to influence my vision for Hays City Lifestyle—to create a magazine that is as inspiring to look at as it is to read. This month's Style Issue celebrates the people and places across Hays County and beyond who embody creativity, confidence, and authenticity. We begin with a visit to the iconic Round Top Antique Festival, where Round Top Mamas, Junk Gypsy, and the beloved Arloom brand remind us that timeless style is born from storytelling, craftsmanship, and the thrill of discovering something unique. Transformation takes center stage in More Than Hair, featuring Rebecca Acosta Ojeda, owner of Salon One 12 in Buda, where hair becomes a source of confidence and self-expression. In Mahjong Maven, local artist Dorie Marie blends artistry with community through the timeless game of Mahjong. We also spotlight Jade Greenough of Pivotal Academy of Dance, where students learn confidence and life lessons that extend far beyond the studio. Finally, From Boardroom to Beauty shares Truc "Trudy" Nguyen's inspiring leap from corporate America to creating a modern nail salon built on hospitality and heart. To round out the issue, our City List highlights our favorite closet designers and vintage shops, as well as a spotlight on Austin Angels, a national non-profit with a piece on Foster Care Community Center Features Groundbreaking Design. Thank you for supporting the entrepreneurs, artists, and visionaries who make Hays County such a vibrant place to call home. I hope these pages inspire you to find beauty in the everyday, because true style isn't about following trends—it's about creating a life that feels uniquely your own. Happy Styling, JILL KING, PUBLISHER @ H AY S C I T Y L I F E S T Y L E

M AN AG I N G E D I TO R

JoAnn Chang | joann.chang@citylifestyle.com E D I TO R I AL C O O R D I N ATO R

Julie Fustanio Kling | julie.kling@citylifestyle.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Julie Fustanio Kling, Samantha Daviss, Ashley Brown C O N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R AP H E R S

Twinty Photography, April Pizana, Dani Parsons, Leigh Michael, Skye Edmonds, Junk Gypsy, Arloom, Austin Angels, Jill King, Bright Imaginations Cafe, Barb Harris, Stan Martin Photography, Hill Country Vintage Vault, Wimberley Chamber of Commerce

Corporate Team CEO Steven Schowengerdt President Matthew Perry CRO Jamie Pentz CoS Janeane Thompson AD DESIGNER Andrew Sapad LAYOUT DESIGNER Liz Nixon QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Anna Minnick

Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com//franchise. Proverbs 3:5-6 Hays City Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Hays area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions.

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L I F E ST Y LE LE T T E R

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Hays City Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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inside the issue SE PTE M B E R 2 02 6 | STYL E

18 Featured

12 18

Print Prestige Meets Digital Power.

WHY CHOOSE BETWEEN PRESTIGE AND PLACEMENT?

Departments

Round Top Mamas

Local Vintage Stores Curate BohoChic Style with Substance

More Than Hair

Where hair is more than a service – it’s a transformation

Mahjong Maven

Local Artist Finds a Painterly Outlet in Teaching Mahjong

Lifestyle Letter

City Scene

City List

Must See LIFE + CULTURE

Hair Care STYLE + BEAUTY

Education Corner EDUCATION

Local’s Choice BEAUTY

Giving Back LIFE + CULTURE

Local Limelight EDUCATION

With City Lifestyle’s co-branded print + digital packages, your business captures attention wherever our community is looking. Build unmatched local credibility on the page, and drive immediate action online. Ready to double your local reach? Contact your local publisher by scanning below.

On the Cover Local Junk Gypsy sisters Amie and Jolie Sikes and Robin Hewes of Arloom are featured in this month's cover feature Round Top Mamas. Photography: April Pizana

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PICKS FOR

BER

’S TOP

BU S NE

We have such amazing, innovative business leaders in our community who are proud to serve you, our residents, with class and quality. We’ve compiled some of our top company picks for the services that might be on your mind this month in an effort to make your lives a little easier.

CITY LIST

SE PT

the

R OU

Best Closet Designers Closet Factory Hill Country www.closetfactory.com | 512.265.7023 California Closets Texas Hill Country californiaclosets.com | 800.274.6754 Up Closets of Austin upclosets.com/austin | 512.648.2804 Closets By Design austin.closetsbydesign.com | 512.271.6945 Inspired Closets Austin inspiredclosetsaustin.com | 512.288.5552

Best Vintage Stores Junk Gypsy shopjg.com | 979.249.5865 Old Soul Exchange oldsouldexchange.com | 512.618.9504

Want to suggest a monthly pick? G E T I N T O U C H AT C I T Y L I F E S T Y L E . C O M / H AY S

C I T Y LIST

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LOCAL VINTAGE STORES CURATE BOHO-CHIC STYLE WITH SUBSTANCE

The Round Top Antiques Fair in Fayette County is a feast for vintage junkies who love a good story behind an antique or a garment. Shoppers travel from all over the world to Round Top, the smallest incorporated town in Texas, to sift through treasures. Vendors display their wares in barns, tents and small buildings stretched over 11 miles along Highway 237. The renowned city with a population of 87 residents swells to 100,000 for their bi-annual antique fair in October and March or April. But if you are a Hays County resident, you don’t have to wait that long or go that far, much less brave the crowds to find one-of a-kind statement pieces that set your style apart. It just so happens that two of Round Top’s favorite vendors have shops right here in the heart of Wimberley.

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ARTICLE BY JULIE FUSTANIO KLING

ROUND TOP MAMAS

JUNK GYPSY

Sisters Amie and Jolie Sikes, along with their mother, Janie, who founded Junk Gypsy, would have moved their headquarters to Wimberley if they hadn’t found their property in Round Top. “In Round Top, the world comes to us,” says Amie. And now they get to bring it to Wimberley. “We love Wimberley,”says co-owner Amie Sikes. “It’s our second most favorite town in Texas next to Round Top.” Whether it’s housewares or women’s apparel, Amie and her sister, Jolie Sikes, are wild for whimsy. Lately, that comes in the form of finding folk art twig frame beds and restoring a brass billiard chandelier. And it’s always been about their signature crowns, the bigger the better. Their style is so eclectic it’s hard to describe – a little 1960s, rock and roll, circus flair, mixed with Asian antiques and always a bit of cowgirl influence. “We’ve been asked, ‘what is your style?’ for years,” Amie says. “In my house, I have mirrors that came off a carousel and papier mâché Chinese dragon head, among other flea market finds. Jolie has an 18-foot-long restaurant sign in her kitchen and a fan made out of a vintage windmill.”

“It’s an amalgamation of all these different eras and looks. But there’s a touch of western, or touch of Texas in everything.” Including their line of bed linens, quilted bags and apparel. In the past, they have used their signature with Pottery Barn Kids and PB Teens, QVC and their Junk Gypsy show on HGTV. Now they are making JG souvenirs for Texas’ famous Buc-ees travel centers, one of the trendiest places to shop these days. They just launched a bedding collection. It’s hard to say whether they are selling products or stories, but they are always reinventing themselves. They came up with the name Junk Gypsy as a tongue-in-cheek way to describe the junk they were collecting, and it stuck. And even though she says, “we are not exactly following the trends as much as creating things we love,” she and her sister are clearly trendsetters. “We work really hard with a lot of makers and women owned brands,” Amie says. “Our shop (just off the town square) is like the way Anthropologie was 10 years ago with half the items for your home, mixed with vintage, clothing and gifts.” It’s been almost 30 years since Amie talked Jolie into joining her and her mother in sifting through other people’s trash for treasures. The sisters started bringing their finds to Canton, Texas, the largest continually operated flea market in the US, in 1998. “We were having so much fun, it changed our lives and it seemed a little like it was changing other people’s lives,” Amie says. As their New York Times bestselling book (titled Junk Gypsy: At the Crossroads of Wonder and Wander) will tell you,” growing up in a self-employed family (they owned 3 pizza shops), you learn you have to work early on,” says Amie. “That was our business school.” When they are not in school, Amie’s high school daughter and Jolie’s college son are getting the same treatment. CONTINUED >

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ARLOOM

The Arloom collection, another family venture, features vintage Guatemalan textiles worn by Mayan women but sewn by seamstresses all over the Hill Country into modern styles. Known for their huipil (pronounced wee peel) tops, a colorful blousy pullover that can be dressed up or dressed down, Arloom has weekly drops on their website and in The Quarter Shops on Ranch Road. Laid flat, the head opening of a huipil represents the sun, surrounded by designs inspired by the natural world, effectively placing the wearer at the center of the universe. “It truly is a special piece,” says founder Robin Hewes, who started the vintage clothing business with her husband in 2012 after being awed by the colorful, woven textiles on a trip to

M UST SE E | L I FE + C ULTU RE

Guatemala. “It is a tradition that you are helping keep alive. There’s so much history, and each design is from a different region of the country. It is meaningful, and it tells a story.” The Hewes family story, like the Sikes, was inspired by their parents. Alex’s dad was a buyer for Pier 1 Imports in its heyday of the late 80s and 90s, so they picked his brain, asking him questions about the import business. On their next trip, they cultivated a family in Guatemala that includes Daniel Salguero, the driver and translator they hired when they went back to Atitlan to source textiles. He is still with the company, helping them source textiles and manage vendors. A close second to the fun of traveling, a lifestyle that the Hewes just recently shared with their children when they took their three

young boys, ages 3 to 11, to meet Daniel, is going to Round Top to style customers. While they have dabbled in styling homes, making Mayan corte wrap skirts into floor pillows, Arloom is mostly about styling women. “We do a bolero too that’s super popular and easy to style. You can throw it over a tank top with shorts or wear it over a dress.” They also work hard to honor the textiles that get worn out by using swathes as scarves or belts attached to leather. “It’s fun to dress people up and see the different ways people approach their style,” Robin says. “You really see their personality and what they are drawn to. People who are drawn to color and unique things often have a really fun style.”

“IN ROUND TOP, THE WORLD COMES TO US.” S EP TEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C O M / HAYS

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MORE THAN HAIR

Where hair is more than a service – it’s a transformation ARTICLE BY SAMANTHA DAVISS PHOTOGRAPHY BY TWINTY PHOTOGRAPHY

H AIR CA R E | STYL E + BEAU T Y

Rebecca “Bek” Acosta Ojeda knew she wanted to become a hairstylist long before she ever stepped behind a salon chair. As a junior high student, she dreamed of cosmetology, but teachers discouraged her, insisting it wasn’t a “real career.” She followed the traditional path, enrolling in junior college, but quickly realized she was miserable.

"Our hair changes our mood. People aren't just changing their hairstyle. They're changing their season of life." “I finally went to cosmetology school and never looked back,” she says. “I even took business classes because I realized you really can build an incredible career doing what you love.” Today, as the owner of Salon One 12, Bek has done exactly that. Her journey has been anything but easy. She has endured the loss of her father, brother, and mother while overcoming professional challenges that would have convinced many to quit. During one particularly difficult season, several employees walked out while her mother was terminally ill. Instead of closing her doors, Bek rebuilt her clientele, created business systems still used today, and continued growing her salon. “Giving up wasn’t an option,” she says. “Sometimes you just put your heels in the dirt and keep going.” That resilience shapes every aspect of her work. For Bek, hairstyling is never just about appearances.

“Cutting is an art,” she says. “I love shaping hair, being creative, and helping people see the light in themselves.” Every appointment begins with a conversation rather than a consultation. Instead of asking what haircut a client wants, she asks, “How do you want to feel in your hair?” The answer guides everything that follows. Whether someone is celebrating a milestone, recovering from illness, grieving a loss, or entering a new chapter, Bek believes hair often reflects something much deeper. “Our hair changes our mood,” she explains. “People aren’t just changing their hairstyle. They’re changing their season of life.” She has worked with chemotherapy patients, women healing from trauma, and clients whose hair carried emotional memories. Sometimes the transformation is dramatic; other times it simply restores confidence. CONTINUED > S EP TEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C O M / HAYS

Bek also believes honesty is one of a stylist’s greatest responsibilities. “People bring in pictures from social media or AI,” she laughs. “My job is to be honest.” Rather than simply copying a photo, she discusses maintenance, styling time, texture, cost, and whether the look truly fits the client’s lifestyle. “It’s not about talking someone out of something,” she says. “It’s about helping them understand what’s realistic.” While she sees trends come and go, Bek believes classics always endure. “The bob isn’t going anywhere,” she says. “Neither is the pixie cut.” One of her most memorable client experiences had little to do with hair itself. A longtime client had lost a significant amount of weight but had reached a plateau. Bek encouraged her to cut off the hair that represented an earlier chapter of her life. The transformation renewed the woman’s confidence and motivated her to continue her health journey. “It wasn’t really about the haircut,” Bek says. “It was about giving herself permission to become the person she was becoming.” After decades behind the chair, Bek believes the beauty industry offers something increasingly rare: genuine human connection. She remembers working after COVID when a woman quietly cried at the shampoo bowl. “No one has touched me in six months,” the woman whispered. That moment reinforced the responsibility Bek feels every day. “We’re one of the few professions where caring human touch is part of what we do,” she says. “People need that connection.” Her advice—for aspiring stylists and clients alike— is simple: beauty is never just about image. “It’s about kindness. It’s about confidence. It’s about helping people feel seen.” That philosophy is reflected in the nickname she has embraced: BEK stands for Beauty Elevates Kindness. More than an acronym, it has become the foundation of her career and the experience she strives to create for every client who walks through her doors. To book an appointment at Salon One 12 go to their website. www.salonone12.com.

H AIR CA R E | STYL E + BEAU T Y

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MAHJONG

Maven

ARTICLE BY JULIE FUSTANIO KLING

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TWINTY PHOTOGRAPHY

Local Artist Finds a Painterly Outlet in Teaching Mahjong Whether it is the satisfying sound of shuffling tiles, the stylish Chinese characters carved into them, or the desire for community amidst the drain of the digital world, the American allure for the centuries old game of Mahjong is mounting. Yelp searches for Mahjong instructors have jumped 818 percent, and searches for clubs are up almost 4,500 percent from 2023 to 2024, according to Yelp Trend Tracker. An article in Texas Monthly credits a group of businesses founded in Dallas over the past six years - My Fair Mahjong, Oh My Mahjong, Bespoke Mahjong, and Peace Love Mahjong - for the craze. The game of Mahjong, which originated in China in the 1800s, was popularized in Japan and America in the 1920s. The National Mahjong League, the organization from which players order their annual play card, was founded in New York City by a group of Jewish-American women in 1937. Fast forward nearly two hundred years and you’ll find box sets of Mahjong at luxury department stores and interior design companies touting Mahjong parlors in country clubs and private homes. Aerin Lauder, the heiress to the Estée Lauder empire, designed a shagreen (shark skin or stingray hide that was used as a sword grip by Japanese samurai in the 13th century) travel set that retails for $1,250. But at Jaclynn Renée Wine Collective in Wimberly, the atmosphere is much more lowkey. Artist and mahjong teacher Dorie

EDU CAT ION COR N E R | ED U CAT ION

Marie sets up her acrylic and oil paintings inspired by Texas and Mahjong around the colorful tables. She charges $50 per person for a three-hour group lesson, and she hosts open play sessions and private parties. “I like to pair a painting with a mahjong table,” Dorie says. “I have several sets and I like to swap them out and do pretty table settings. Now with social media and tiles becoming so pretty with layers and mats, it’s become more of an obsession with people.” Dorie took naturally to teaching the complex game, whose winner shouts “Mahjong” once they complete a set pattern. She began teaching her family and friends before she trained with Oh My Mahjong. Now she teaches mostly women, and she has begun to teach kids as young as 7. “Funny that it used to be a man’s game back when it originated,” she says. With more than 40 different ways to play, Dorie likes to simplify the game, teaching mini mahj to kids using her own patterns and playing “messy” with her husband at her kitchen table, a term used to describe a quick two-person game rather than a traditional four-person table. “A lot of people have their own house rules,” she says, adding that some ladies play with blanks and coin purses so you can walk away jiggling. Modern games take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. “The hardest part of mahjong for me is teaching people how to pick a line,” she says. “You have to be able to recognize patterns and

get your tiles together to pick the winning hand. When people get dealt 13 (random) tiles from the dealer, their head wants to explode. I teach them how to narrow these 13 tiles down to a winning combo.” Once you learn the tiles – bam (for bamboo), crak (for Chinese characters) and dot (for dot), it’s just like a deck of cards. She likens Mahjong game to a game of gin. Dorie, who also works at Red Arena, a therapeutic riding center for people with disabilities, started her business on Instagram last spring and has turned it into more than 50 percent of her work. You can find her on Instagram at @doriemarie, @mahjwithdorie or at her website: www.dorieart.com. “To me, art and mahjong are both a hobby and a business,” she says. “It’s all about ambiance and spreading happiness.”

S EP TEMB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C O M / HAYS

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F R OM B OA R DR OOM T O B E AU T Y REDEFINING THE MODERN NAIL SALON

ARTICLE BY SAMANTHA DAVISS PHOTOGRAPHY BY TWINTY PHOTOGRAPHY

LOCA L’S C H OICE | BEAUT Y

When most people think of a successful nail salon owner, they imagine someone who has spent years behind a manicure table. Truc “Trudy” Nguyen’s story couldn’t be more different. Armed with a degree from the University of Texas, a master’s in business administration from Harvard, and more than a decade in finance, investment banking, mergers, acquisitions and consulting, Nguyen left corporate America to pursue entrepreneurship. Instead of building a startup, she chose a different path – purchasing established salons and helping them reach their full potential. “I’ve always loved the idea of buying small businesses and improving them,” Nguyen says.

That vision led her to acquire Venice Nail & Spa in South Austin, followed by City Nails. Rather than changing what customers already loved, she focused on enhancing the experience while preserving each salon’s reputation. Born in Vietnam, Nguyen immigrated to the United States at age 14 before eventually attending UT’s McCombs School of Business and later Harvard University. Although her professional background is rooted in finance, she found deeper meaning in an industry that has long provided opportunities for Vietnamese American women. She considered the purchase of a Vietnamese niche business to be a bit of a personal connection to her heritage. Today, she combines corporate strategy with community-minded leadership. Walk into Venice Nail & Spa and City Nails, and the difference is noticeable. The bright, clean, welcoming salon offers manicures, pedicures, waxing services, complimentary beverages, and an atmosphere designed to help clients unwind. “It’s a service industry,” Nguyen says. “By the end of the day, it’s almost like therapy.” That philosophy extends beyond customers. Soon after the purchase of her business(es) Nguyen spent time observing both clients and technicians, believing that exceptional service begins with employees who feel valued. One of the industry’s greatest challenges is employee turnover, making retention one of her highest priorities. She works to build lasting relationships with technicians, knowing they are the heart of the business. “If you don’t have great technicians, you don’t have a business,” she says. Leaving corporate America wasn’t without sacrifice. Nguyen admits she occasionally misses the predictable paycheck, health insurance, retirement

benefits, and structured work schedule. Business ownership, however, offers no such guarantees. Everyday brings new challenges –from sweeping floors and doing laundry to solving staffing issues and planning future growth. Entrepreneurs don’t simply clock out at the end of the day. “It’s harder to step away,” she admits. “But I’m enjoying the switch.” She plans to acquire more salons, but Nguyen refuses to sacrifice quality for rapid expansion. Her goal is to develop strong managers who can preserve the customer experience while allowing her to focus on long-term growth. Looking back, she says the biggest challenge wasn’t learning the salon business—it was finding the capital and confidence to make the leap. Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is straightforward: know your strengths, recognize your weaknesses, ask for help, surround yourself with people whose skills complement your own. “It’s a risky move,” Nguyen says. “But if you think it through and do it for the right reasons, it’s possible.” To learn more or make an appointment, visit www. venicenailandspatx.com or Instagram @venicebudatx.

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FOSTER CARE COMMUNITY CENTER FEATURES Groundbreaking Design Austin Angels Aims to Reshape the Way People View Charity ARTICLE BY JULIE FUSTANIO KLING PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUSTIN ANGELS

Inspirational design and foster care don’t usually belong in the same sentence – until now. Most people think of foster care as the responsibility of government agencies and courtrooms. In a system where instability is common – nearly 50% of foster families discontinue fostering kids within their first year– creature comforts are hard to find, much less rely on. But the view from inside the groundbreaking Austin Angels Community Center in Buda, a place where foster families can come for continuity and support, is undeniable: sparkling glass, tall ceilings, soft greens, soothing smells and murals with smiling faces. The sign on the front desk, intentionally 3 feet high, reads: “Let everything you do be about the kids.” The spaces are designed to uplift foster families and give them hope. A kitchen, sponsored by Chick-Fil-A, is filled with butterflies, reminding them that they too can fly. Across from the counter, where cooking classes are held, is a place where kids can slide onto a cozy couch to share an afterschool snack. In the living room, they can relax in a plush teddy bear chair and meet with their mentors, or even their parents if they have visitation. Meanwhile, their foster parents can stock up on essentials for free in the Love Shop or set up an appointment in the healing room, which has yarn on the wall for a sensory experience. “I started this organization in my bedroom in 2010,” says Founder and CEO Susan Ramirez. “This building is a dream come true.” The community center is the first of its kind and was made possible through a Design for All grant from Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, a community-wide capital campaign and more than $1 million in donated materials, products, and professional services from local businesses. Four Hands furnished much of the

G IV IN G BAC K | L I FE + C ULT U RE

building, while dozens of trade partners contributed their expertise to bring the vision to life. “Sometimes nonprofits aren’t afforded the same level of investment, creativity, and excellence as forprofit organizations. Ramirez says. “We never felt that way. Michael Hsu Office of Architecture and every one of our partners challenged us to dream bigger and created something that communicates excellence from the moment you walk in.” Like Hsu, Ramirez has an ambitious vision. Her goal is to continue setting the bar high until every child in

“Sometimes nonprofits aren’t afforded the same level of investment, creativity, and excellence as for-profit organizations. We never felt that way.” the foster care system is reached. To that end, she has helped grow the Angel’s movement to 17 chapters across the country. “The government alone can’t solve foster care,” Ramirez says. “Every child deserves at least one healthy adult who knows the color of their eyes and the passion in their heart.” The community center is more than a building. It represents a new vision for foster care, one rooted not in scarcity, but in possibility. Ramirez hopes it changes not only the experience of the children and families it walks alongside, but also the way the broader community thinks about foster care. “I don’t want people to see foster care through the lens of charity,” she says. “I want them to see what’s possible when an entire community decides to invest in children.” To learn more about Austin Angels go to www.austinangels.com.

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ARTICLE BY ASHLEY BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY BY PIVOTAL ACADEMY OF DANCE

Buda Dance Studio Teaches (and Learns) Life Skills

The Best Medicine Dance is not just about steps, it’s about life skills, says dance instructor and owner of Pivotal Academy of Dance in Buda, Jade Greenough Powell. For Jade, dance has never been just about movement. It has been a source of belonging, resilience, and purpose through every season of her life. It all began with her first dance class at age four and with one special teacher–Miss Trish, whose kindness and sparky personality left an imprint that still echoes through Jade’s own studio today. The goodbye song Miss Trish sang at the end of every class is the very same one Jade now sings with her students,

LOCA L LIM E LIGH T | EDUCAT ION

to lead.” Over time, leadership became more about mentorship and relationship. Today, whether she’s teaching preschool dancers, college students at Texas State University, or coaching dance educators through Talks with Jade, her focus remains the same: people first. Those teacher-student relationships, and the pure joy of dance, kept Jade going through some of the most difficult challenges of her life. Her journey included leaving college when it became financially unfeasible, returning years CONTINUED >

passing along a tradition that spans generations. “I always say it starts with one teacher and the impact that one teacher can have,” she says. She’s witnessed that impact come full circle several times when students like her become teachers and continue to pay it all forward in the form of imparting wisdom, joy, and healthy life lessons through the fun of dance. Growing up in South Austin and attending the Shirley McPhail School of Dance, Jade feels lucky that even while she pursued dance on a more serious level through middle and high school, it never felt like work, or something she couldn’t wait to escape. “I definitely came from a studio that was more recreational first and competition came second,” she said. “I never felt pressured, and I never had an ill taste of dance.” As a teenager, Jade wasn’t too concerned with nailing down her future career path, but she did know it would have something to do with dance. And then she began assisting instructors and discovered she loved leading a room. “I think at first I just wanted to be the boss,” she laughs, noting the Capricorn in her. “I wanted to be in the front of the room. I wanted

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later to earn her BFA, an early marriage, divorce, and a cancer diagnosis at twenty-eight, followed by a decade of treatments that took a serious toll on her body. “The only constant was dance,” she says. During treatment, the studio became the one place where illness didn’t define her. “It was the only thing I never quit while I was sick. It was the one place that I was normal.” While chemotherapy changed her appearance and left her exhausted, her students only saw Miss Jade. “The kids didn’t see me as a sick person,” she said. “They saw me as a dance teacher.” That experience reshaped her perspective, teaching her to spend less time worrying about tomorrow and more time investing in work that mattered and people she loved. In 2016, Jade and her now-husband purchased the studio where she had spent years teaching, creating the kind of place she once needed herself–a place where students are known, encouraged, and challenged to become their best selves. One of her greatest joys has been watching former students return as teachers, one of whom teaches alongside her every day. Years of shared experience have created a connection only teachers and longtime students can fully understand. “If you work with them long enough, you don’t ever finish your sentences,” she says. “You can look over and go, ‘Hey, what if we did that?’ Yes. We’re going to go there.”

LOCA L LIM E LIGH T | EDUCAT ION

Now in her mid-forties, Jade is working to embrace some transitions as her body can’t do what it once could. She’s had to let go of being the youthful “cool teacher,” but is so grateful that her trusted team of teachers has made it possible for her to branch out, mentoring young instructors, knowing each generation builds on the one before it. In and outside of her studio, she loves seeing people rediscover the simple joy of movement. Whether it’s a child’s first choreographed dance, an adult tap class, or a couple dancing in their living room just because the music is on, Jade believes dance offers something everyone needs: connection and an enduring spirit of playfulness. It’s about finding confidence, building relationships, and discovering the kind of teacher—or person—whose influence lasts long after the music ends. “I always tell the kids I’m going to be that eightyyear-old with a walker that’s still teaching tap dancing,” says Jade. To learn more about Pivotal Dance go to their website: www.pivotalacademyofdance.com.

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