DDP: Coastal Ballet is led by a female Artistic Director and Executive Director. With women leading 39.2% of all U.S. businesses (Women Entrepreneurs Driving Economic Growth, 2024), you are both breaking glass ceilings as a part of that statistic. Did you experience any barriers while creating Coastal Ballet?

Lauren Birnbaum, Coastal Ballet of Florida’s Executive Director and Co-Founder: “I feel fortunate to have already had the experience of owning a business, which undoubtedly gave me a solid foundation in business leadership before co-founding Coastal Ballet. However, I feel that without that prior experience, I would have struggled with the financial components of starting a new company. There is definitely a major learning curve with things like budgeting, financial forecasting, sales, marketing, etc. Most people in the arts, including women, have spent their lives in a dance studio and have not necessarily obtained a business degree. So there is a lot of trial and error, lots of learning from mistakes!”

Heather Ossola, Coastal Ballet of Florida’s Artistic Director and Co-Founder: “I grew up surrounded by strong female role models and dance teachers. Went to a college for dance that had a strong female Chair of Dance, and I had a professional career with companies led by female artistic directors. Because of that, I always felt empowered, inspired, and encouraged—not just by mentors in the studio, but also by my family and friends. I recognize that not everyone has that experience. For many women, breaking into leadership roles can come with real challenges and systemic barriers, and that deserves to be acknowledged. But in my case, I was constantly supported by women who showed me what was possible. Their example made leadership feel natural and attainable, not like a glass ceiling I needed to break. I’m truly grateful for that foundation, and I hope I can continue that legacy by creating an environment where other women, dancers, and young artists feel just as empowered to lead.”

DDP: What lessons have you learned about entrepreneurship that the dance world doesn’t often discuss?

Lauren Birnbaum: “I believe that motherhood and entrepreneurship are often discussed in other industries, but I have very rarely seen it discussed in dance. As a single mother of two, I can say that motherhood and entrepreneurship can feel impossible at times. A business, like a child, requires undivided attention, unconventional hours with no ‘time off’ necessarily, and the mentality that failure is not an option. I have learned that you simply have to be willing to put in the work, multitask, and stay unbelievably organized to make it work. Dancers are often perfectionists, but there is so much to be gained by being able to prioritize certain tasks and not get too hung up on what didn’t get done. I always think about the fact that at the end of the day, I want to be an example for my own kids and the children that we educate by showing them that there are no limits to what can be achieved!

Heather Ossola: “I’ve learned that entrepreneurship is much harder and more time-consuming than anyone can truly prepare you for. Dance—especially ballet—is demanding, of course, but running a company, particularly in its early stages, requires a completely different level of mental, emotional, and logistical energy. Coming from being a dancer and ballet teacher, then growing into a ballet mistress, a school ballet ensemble director, and now a company director and co-founder, I’ve collected pieces of knowledge along the way—but nothing fully prepares you for the shift into entrepreneurship other than diving in. There are aspects of this work that you simply can’t fully understand until you’re the one carrying the responsibility. This role shows you that you’re not just thinking about dance anymore—you’re thinking about every detail, big and small, that shapes your organization. You think about your dancers and your season, yes, but also your community, your audience, the environment you want to cultivate, the values you want your company to represent, and all the behind-the-scenes pieces that keep everything running. When it’s a business you founded and are in charge of, you carry the weight of every decision, and it forces you to see things from a completely new perspective. It’s a mindset you can’t fully understand until you’re in it, and it stretches you far beyond what we’re taught as dancers.”