Meet Meghan Galvez | Director & Studio Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Meghan Galvez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Meghan, what principle do you value most?
For me, the value or principle that matters most is my faith in Jesus Christ. Starting The RAQAD Movement (also known as RAQAD School of Dance) was always about helping the next generation see dance as a form of worship and a way to minister the love of Christ to others. The Gospel message is all about the way Christ interacts with us as individuals. He is a one at a time kind of Savior, and we have this amazing opportunity to use dance to help people make that connection. Dance opens a door for us to share the Gospel, especially with people that may never step foot inside a church. At RAQAD, we encourage all of our dancers to find their way of expressing worship and thanks to God through movement. We push our students towards excellence, because it matters! Over the years, we have had the privilege of seeing many of our dancers go on to dance in college or find jobs in the industry. We are always blessed to see how dance becomes a part of their story, and we are honored to play even a small part. The RAQAD Movement is passionate about dance and loving our students well. We strive to provide each student with a safe space to grow and learn, following their feet as far as their heart can dream.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The RAQAD Movement was birthed in me at age 17. I had been taking dance lessons and professional ballet training since I was a toddler, and I was coming to my final curtain call. I love Ballet. I love being on stage and dancing to a piece of music that so perfectly expresses what I am feeling in any moment. I love learning. The idea of teaching others to love dance and to grow in a craft that would open doors for them in their future was inspiring. As a dance student, I studied from a few different teachers with vastly different approaches. I learned Irish River dance, Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Swing, Salsa, and Interpretive Worship. I was barely seven years old when I performed my first worship dance piece for an audience. I was captivated. There is something uniquely different about performing a piece that is meant to move the heart of God and lead others to Him. I felt so close to God. I felt like He was dancing with me. This was the connection I knew I wanted my dancers to make when they were on stage. I wanted to help students find this same intimate form of worship that I encountered, because I knew it would be transformative. I wanted to open their eyes to the freedom of dancing with the King. Here, at RAQAD, we want students to know they are loved by a Savior. We want them to have the opportunity to experience His presence when they are on stage, and we want to see them make the shift in their minds about just dancing or dancing with the purpose of ministry! This is what fuels me even now, much later in life, to keep on dancing!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Our studio is located in Desoto, Texas. The thing I love about Desoto is that it is land locked by some of the best entertainment cities in DFW. Additionally, Desoto is growing and they are constantly adding new restaurants and places to shop. This winter many of our students took to the ice at the Desoto Outdoor Ice Skating rink. They shared about the joy it brought them skating under the lights, ringing in the holidays…what a treat! Desoto is home to a brand new Chick Fil A, Starbucks, and Dutch Bros. We love how close they are to the studio. It makes it super easy for our families if they need to grab their dancer a bite. To the West, Cedar Hill boasts of shopping with all of your major retail shops plus Hillside Village (an outdoor shopping mall experience.). To the South of Desoto, you will find Red Oak and Waxahachie. Red Oak just opened its very own B&B Theater complete with movies, pickleball, and bowling. Waxahachie is home to all of your favorites like Ulta, Target, HEB, and more. A short drive North of Desoto, you are engulfed in the beauty of Bishop Arts and downtown Dallas. Isn’t that amazing?! There is so much, so close to Desoto! It really is at the center of it all!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First, I pause to acknowledge that none of this would be possible without the grace and mercy of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am forever grateful for the gift of dance in my life, and how it has opened the door to mentoring so many others over the last two decades. I would also like to give a shoutout to every dance mom and/or dance dad that has trusted us with their student’s dance training! From the very beginning, it was the students and their families that gave us our greatest moments of joy, growth, and success! We could not do what we do each week without their dedication to our studio and commitment to keep bringing their dancers back. We are so thankful for each dance family and student! They are forever a part of the RAQAD family.

Website: https://theraqadmovement.com

Instagram: raqad_dancecompany

Facebook: RAQAD School of Dance

Image Credits
Photo Credit:
DeeDee Roe
Leslie Ursino