1-24-20 “Doing the Job at Hand”
No 04 1-24-2020 “See Clearly in 2020” Changing Lives Through Dancing
“Doing the Job at Hand”
Our motto this year at Arthur Murray Santa Monica is:
“See Clearly in 2020. Make all your dancing dreams come true!”
“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This is a national time to remember the great Dr. King and his influence throughout the world. This street sweeper quote always stays with me. I have been with Arthur Murray Dance Centers for 43 years and I co-own the Santa Monica School with Joel Rieck. Guess what I do first thing when I open our school? I refresh the lady’s room and then the men’s room. As I walk through the school preparing for a great day of dancing, I pick up the floors and make my way to the kitchen to wash the coffee cups (don’t get me started on the coffee cups!) I must admit I do not venture into the teacher’s room!
As I walk through our beautiful Arthur Murray Santa Monica location, I clean and pick up with pride. I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to own a school and to keep it a safe place for our staff and student to come and learn to dance and socialize. I’m happy to clean every day. Since I am a fan of the architecture of Michelangelo and the music of Beethoven and the sonnets of Shakespeare, I do try to open my school as if it was an art form.
Being 63, I am often asked if I dance in our school by new students. I always politely respond with this I have a broom, I refresh and supply the bathrooms and drinking cups. I take out the trash and tidy up the ballroom. I say this with a straight face and with great sincerity. Once while telling my story of being the studio custodian, the husband of one of our couples said “Oh yes, you’re the owner!” We had a great laugh over this and I truly was proud of my janitorial abilities.
Many years ago, I taught an amazing student who was a hospital administrator. She had 185 staff working under her. She was brilliant. She gave me great coaching on management and owning a business. She once said to me that management was an art form and that one statement truly changed my life and helped guide me to success!
When we opened our Arthur Murray Santa Monica school 6 ½ years ago, we went through 3 cleaning services. Joel and I had been cleaning our school for a long time before we tried a cleaning company. They never cleaned our space with the same thought and pride that we did when we cleaned it ourselves. Now, we have a great service that is “green” and reliable.
So, to honor Dr. King, yes, if you are cleaning a bathroom, or painting the Sistine Chapel, do the task with all your heart and soul and take pride in your work.
Thanks for reading,
Keep on Dancing!