Shelby Harnish stepping out of her “Shel”
Have you ever considered what it feels like to create and run your own business? Some people consider it an impossible challenge. However, some decide to pursue their dreams and do the impossible in order to achieve them.
Shelby Harnish, 24, is not only a local dancer at Fredericton but also the owner and creator of her own business Out Of My Shel. Her dance company was officially launched in October 2020 with the purpose of providing new opportunities to individuals to come out of their comfort zone, or as Harnish would say, out of their “shels.”
Harnish has been dancing since she was only three years old. However, she had to slow things down after graduating high school because there weren’t many opportunities for adult dancers in the city. This also inspired her to create a safe and free-judgement space for people around her age to perform and engage to dance.
“I have been dancing for as long as I can remember,” said Harnish. “But more so recently, I have been able to dance just for myself.”
Harnish considers the best part of having her own business is to be able to make her classes exactly what she wants them to be, without having to answer to someone else. Moreover, it’s an opportunity for people to see her in a more realistic way, and also for her since she is able to express through classes, future performances she is intending to hold, and her own concept videos.
However, not everything is bright. Harnish had to put in double the effort because she started her business in the middle of a pandemic. She says she chose this moment of uncertainty because she never felt more attracted to dance and exploring herself than before. Harnish has been training as both, a dancer and an instructor for a couple of years, which allowed her to have more knowledge about different dance-related topics in order to provide a better and well-informed service. The 24-year-old considers she has enough information to share and teach, but she is also open to the possibility of continuing learning daily so she can improve even more.
Surprisingly for her, Out Of My Shel has been receiving lots of support from the community. The support from her friends, family, and other local artists was extremely exciting and marvelous because at first Harnish didn’t think her business was going to have so much impact in the city. But she knew how to take advantage of social media, since it’s one of the most essential tools of small businesses right now, especially during a pandemic. She’s been getting tons of people reaching out to her through social media to either participate in her classes or just to tell her how much they enjoy what she is doing and how they are following her journey.
“People are sharing my content, commenting and liking, all the stuff that can help me growing my business,” said Harnish. “It lets me know that people are appreciating and enjoying what I’m doing.”
When asked where does Harnish sees herself and her dance company in the future, she said she wants to implement more dance showcases in Fredericton since the city has a great art community, but it’s lacking on the dancing side, especially for adults. One of her biggest goals is to bring more dance – classes and workshops – and dance shows to the Maritime bubble.
She also sees herself growing as an individual dancer and improving her techniques. Harnish not only wants to provide a better service with her company but also learn how to appreciate and love every aspect of herself and improve her self-esteem.
“I’ve been taking these classes online with several instructors from around the world, which is helping me to meet new people and have those creative ideas that I wouldn’t have had if I didn’t put myself in those positions,” said Harnish.
