Step Hard Dance Academy

Step Hard Dance Academy is situated right near the Dhamane Marble Market, just off the Pune Mumbai Bypass. It’s a busy spot with lots of trucks moving around, so it gets quite dusty outside. We have to sweep the floor at least three times a day to keep it from getting slippery. The studio itself is an old converted space. It’s got high ceilings which is nice because it doesn't get too stuffy when there are twenty people jumping around. We don't have a big fancy sign, just a small one near the entrance. Finding us can be a bit tricky the first time because of all the marble shops surrounding the building. I ended up here because the rent was affordable compared to the city center. We brought in some old speakers and a wooden desk from my house. The acoustics aren't perfect, you can hear the highway noise if the music isn't playing, but nobody really cares. We have a small water dispenser in the corner that we have to refill constantly. In the summers, it gets really hot, so we usually open all the windows. The breeze from the bypass helps a little bit. It’s a very local operation. We know most of our students by name and often sit around talking after the classes are over. It's just a regular place for people to come and move a bit. We don't have many rules here for the students besides being on time.