Changing the Culture of Dance, One Pair of Shocks at a Time - with Apolla Performance

One of the reasons I love the Backstage Blog is because it connects me with fellow industry leaders who are on the same mission I am: change the culture of dance to be more inclusive, kind, and sustainable.

Brianne Zborowski and Kaycee Cope Jones, the Founders of Apolla Performance are powerhouse leaders and committed changemakers who I’m honored to know and work with. I’m so thrilled they’re on the blog today, sharing some behind the scenes looks at Apolla, and dropping some major wisdom about why we need to change the culture. of dance, and showing us how they’re leading the way.

If you’re not already, make sure you’re following Apolla Performance. on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter!

KC: What's your background with dance? 

Kaycee: I grew up as a “studio brat” as the daughter of a dance studio owner for 41 years. I trained in all genres and specialized in competitive dance team going on to compete and coach college dance team. 

Bri: I’ve danced my whole life and went on to have a professional career in L.A. before transitioning to managing studios and building competitive dance teams. 

KC: Was it love at first plie?

Kaycee: For me, yes...it was in me and I was breed to be a dancer.

Bri: I actually hated my first class and cried and tried again at age at 8 and fell in love and never stopped until Apolla! 

KC: Who are your dance heroes, and why?

Bri + Kaycee: We both adore Mia Michaels and were blessed to have partnered with her. It was a pinch me moment when we got a call from her that she wanted to work with us. We have been blessed to have our products on many dance legends and future legends...but the everyday heroes and dance teachers that create the future of dance? Those studio owners that give EVERYTHING to their dancers for the love of the art...those are our heroes. 

KC: Tell us about Apolla Performance.

Bri + Kaycee: We started Apolla to use dance medicine and research to change the culture of dance. This starts at our feet. We have created footwear that helps dancers do more of what they love, for every genre, from performance, class, to recovery...we are an important tool to protect a dancer’s body for LIFE. We also heavily focus on creating a community of health and wellness...inside and out...and buck the toxic traditions that are perpetuated in dance. We do this through education, experts bringing information through chats, live IG classes, industry chats, and we have even curated a free education course for anyone to take that focuses on preventing racism in dance, sexual predators, educates on dance science, gender inequities, integrative dance, and nutrition. Apolla keeps this platform free and all the modules are donated by experts that are like-minded in linking elbows to improve the culture of dance with continuing education. 

KC: What has been something that surprised you about your work?

Bri + Kaycee: How hard dancer’s push back on “tradition”. It is very difficult to see dance teachers insist on students wearing dance shoes that studies have shown can be harmful for their long term health. It is shocking how many instructors just continue to do what they were taught...even when the dancer injury rate is staggering. What has been even more rewarding though? Is seeing how many of these heroes' lives we are changing. Everyday we get emails, comments, and testimonials from customers telling us how our socks have saved their bodies and lives. It is amazing to create a product with such impact. 

KC: How has COVID affecting your work?

Bri + Kaycee: It hit us hard, dance was our market and it was very scary for a small business like ours, but what we were more concerned about was seeing studio owners that already were not in the business for the money, start going out of business...having to take on debt and loans, just to survive. As a daughter of a studio owner, I know if this hit my family when I was growing up? My family would have been homeless...it would have crushed us. So we first had to do something to help! So we created the For the Love of Dance Challenge to raise money for studio owners. We gathered our network of industry professionals to donate their time, classes, products, and mentor chats for auction to dancers all over the world (you were among the generous that donated ;-) ) and every penny we raised went to studios that applied for relief. We also worked to make masks when there was a shortage and we wanted to help front line workers and protestors. So we made masks as a buy one donate one so we didn’t make profit and instead could donate masks to 3 different charities that focused on mothers and immigrants in poverty and protestors in DC.

We also donated our socks to nurses in several hospitals, from the Bronx to Detroit. The pandemic gave us an opportunity to really be a company that advocates for our community and at the same time it also showed us it was time to expand beyond just dancers and get the word out to anyone with feet that Apolla is here to help you do more of what you love. You probably noticed our new look and logo is for that relaunch. We are of course still here for dancers, but also the dance moms, dads, siblings, grandparents that also could use the support and protection we provide. 

KC: Are there any cliches or preconceptions about dance you try to correct in your work?

Bri + Kaycee: Dancers ARE ATHLETES...period! End of story! Yes, we are artistic athletes and there are unique aspects to dance that you don’t find in traditional sports. But if we could get everyone...in and outside of dance...to start treating dancers like the athletes they are? We could do massive improvement in the injury risks. 

KC: Is there one thing you think the dance community needs more of, less of, or to get better at?

Bri + Kaycee: Cross-training and recovery. Dancers need to understand more technique classes do NOT equal better technique...more practice and less rest will not equal stronger dancers. The way we have “always done it” has produced damaged and injury riddled humans...mind, body, and souls. It isn’t just our opinion either...research shows the injury statistics, the increased risk of depression and anxiety in adult dancers, the eating disorders and osteoporosis...the list goes on and on....we can make dancers just as strong and resilient if we give them cross-training and proper rest. The science shows it...but we need more instructors to learn the why and continue their education in this from specialists to make change. 

KC: What's next for you and your businesses? Do you have any exciting projects on the horizon? We are working on a knee-high profile, we recently partnered with a distributor in Australia and New Zealand to get Apolla to the amazing dancers far and wide. We continue to provide free IG classes in dance, fitness, yoga, and mindset skills everyday. We have industry chats and blogs that focus on giving dancers, educators, and parents knowledge...and there truly is power in knowledge. Because when we know better, we can DO better! ;-)

And now, just for funsies…

KC: Burritos or tacos?

Bri + Kaycee: BOTH

KC: Legwarmers or ballet skirts?

Bri + Kaycee: K-Warmers! ;-)

KC: Disco balls or rainbows?

Bri + Kaycee: Disco Ball

KC: Center Stage or Flashdance?

Bri + Kaycee: Center Stage

KC: One word to describe yourselves?

Bri + Kaycee Dedicated

With the holidays and performance season coming up, now is the perfect time to check out Apolla Shocks! Keep in touch with Bri and Kaycee on social media - they’re doing amazing things and you’re going to want to keep an eye on them!