Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeffery Orluck.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up, I was always involved in community theater and the arts. For a majority of my youth my focus was theater and acting. I attended the International Model and Talent Association competition in Los Angeles during my Freshman year in high school.
I signed with 2 talent companies in Chicago, and a personal manager out in LA. After being sent out on several auditions I realized that there was no niche for a young character actor like myself, and really wanted to focus on musical theater. However, not many musicals have roles for quirky teenage boys. I decided to reach out to my first drama instructor, who was now the drama instructor at the local junior high to see if she needed any help with their spring play. She asked me to choreograph….
I had some formal dance training in the past, and had performed several dances at community fests growing up. I eagerly accepted the role as choreographer for the play “Midsummer Nights Dream”; which was a youth’s version. of the play. I had 4 dancers, and things went off smashing! I ended up choreographing their productions for 10 years. Shortly after starting to work on the spring theater productions, I was able to start working with the three dance teams that the junior high had. This allowed me to improve my choreography skills as far as musicality, staging, and teaching performance.
I worked with all three teams for five years, and left with their varsity winning first place in the lyrical category. During this stretch, I also taught dance for a couple years at ALL STAR facility, and worked with their competitive teams. Similarly, they ended up winning nationals with their hip hop routine.
This is when I decided to start my business- Jeff Orluck Choreography. My goal was to work with competitive high school dance teams; teaching technique, skills, and doing competitive choreography. I had the opportunity to go co-choreograph my first musical “AIDA.” I also choreographed for the same high school’s dance club for 5 years, I started working with a local high school’s competitive dance team, and another high school in Wisconsin. The local high school finally made it to start after 12 years of not being successful, and they were thrilled with the outcome! I still travel to high schools every summer to do technique boot camps, teach skills and do summer competition choreography camps. I’m extremely lucky… every school I worked with last season all hired me back again, and I took on another school who was referred to me.
However, since I was 22 years old I have dreamed of having my own dance studio. I’ve spent time reading books on business, new business startups, researching loans, and talking with other studio owners. With the financial part of my plan being an issue; I had to think out of the box. I asked a group of high school girls if they were interested in competing at studio competitions. I decided to start “Adrenaline Dance Company”. (Which would be the name of my studio if I ever got to open one… only thought about the name for 5 years. LOL) I planned for 3 months, and wanted to keep the cost per dancer very low. We started our season in February, and would end with nationals in July. During that time, they learned a jazz routine, and a contemporary routine. We went to two regional competitions and nationals. During this six month run, we had some growing pains, rental space issues, and dancers dropping. I was determined to be successful though- these girls were my everything and I was following my passion. We ended the season with contemporary coming in third overall, and jazz taking first place.
This allowed my dancers to compete again the last day of nationals, which was a HUGE success for us as a group.
We just finished attending Starbound National Talent Competition, marking the end of my third season of Adrenaline Dance Company. This is my first season having a junior competitive team, and they were very successful. Throughout the season all of my dancers have done wonderfully, however at Nationals they ended their season on the highest note possible. My senior trio’s contemporary to “Me and the Devil” received an elite gold placement and placed 5th overall; and their jazz to “Lemon Meringue” received a high gold. (The Seniors goal was to receive Elite Gold once this season, and they achieved it!) My soloist did fantastic with her jazz routine entitled “Follow Me” which received a high gold, and placed 7th overall. My juniors received a high gold for both of their routines… their lyrical routine to “Daydream” placed 4th overall, and their jazz routine to “Super C-U-T-E” placed 1st overall in their division making them national champions. I could not be prouder of my dancers!
My dance parents are already as excited for next season as I am. I am even considering starting a youth competitive dance team, and possibly a second junior level competitive team. My goal is to continue to grow my program, and eventually be able to stop renting space hourly and have my own facility where I can offer a full range of dance classes.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Traveling to high schools and teaching technique or choreographing their competitive dance routines brings me joy. Honestly, I don’t think I ever struggle with anything there. Every team I worked with last season has hired me back this summer, and I was even refereed to another school from someone who used me in the past. I was booked solid before I could even advertise.
Three years as the creative director of Adrenaline Dance Company… and there are still bumps. My first year I started with 9 seniors. 1 dropped after the first competition, another I had to remove from the company for being disrespectful, and another had to be replaced since she was moving to Florida. That year we still won Nationals despite having to rework routines as much as we did….
My second year, I started renting at a studio which was great! We didn’t have a successful season with winning awards or placement, but I had a great team of girls who loved being together. Due to cost of the program 6 of my 7 seniors chose not to return, and only my soloist returned. However, finding dancers or people wanting to train is difficult when you don’t have your own place or your name isn’t big enough.
This season we really have not any bumps, but thinking about next season…. Switching locations again can be a good and bad thing. Also, finding more senior dancers to keep my senior group going. It will be interesting to see what happens from not until auditions in August.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Adrenaline Dance Company – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Adrenaline Dance Company- We are a jazz based dance company, that allows dancers to compete at a studio level but with a lower cost to them, making the experience more affordable for the parents. We specialize in jazz and lyrical style choreography with an emphasis on jazz technique. I am most proud of the fact that whoever joins ADC continues to be like family, and that successes we have had recently at nationals.
Truthfully, what sets us apart from any other dance training program, besides a lower cost is that fact I want each dancer to grow as a person. I don’t run the program with the emphasis on winning, or how many pirouettes you can achieve. I challenge dancers daily to step out of their comfort zone. We do performance challenges when together, work on team strength, and setting personal and team goals monthly. Besides my non-stop pep talks; I ask if they remember my goal for them… ” I want you to walk off that stage and have no regrets. I want you to feel that is the best performance you ever gave and are proud of it!”
Jeff Orluck Choreography- I travel to high schools and work with their competitive dance teams.
Coaches will bring me in to work on teach technique, or choreograph their competitive dance routines for a season. I specialize in pom, jazz, and lyrical competitive for high schools. Most of the routine I am most known for within the high school community are pom.
Since it is a one man show with both Adrenaline Dance Company and Jeff Orluck Choreography…
I’m most proud of seeing where I came from and what I have achieved in 15 years of being self-motivated. Working through the negative people and people who would turn me down. Some people say I’m a workaholic, but I often just think I have my eye on the prize, and that is to eventually have my own dance studio. Who knows if it will ever actually happen, but if I shoot for the moon I’ll still end somewhere amongst the stars.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I want to grow Adrenaline Dance Company! This next season I am wanting to add on a youth competitive team that would compete jazz, possibly a second junior team, as well as a competitive pom team. I can’t wait for auditions!
Auditions are Sunday, August 20th; followed by a parent meeting on Sunday, August 27th. All company rehearsals are on Sundays, and will be at the Oak Lawn Pavilion. All audition information will be posted on my webpage- www.jefforluck.com
Pricing:
- Estimated cost of a season for a new dancer 5-7 years old $670. (This includes rehearsal time, costumes, and competition fees.)
- Estimated cost of a season for a new dancer 8-19 years old $1700. (This includes rehearsal time, costumes, and competition fees.)
- Estimated cost of a season for a pom dancer 8-13 years old $650. (This includes rehearsal time, costumes, and competition fees.)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jefforluck.com
- Phone: 3125055319
- Email: Choreographer@jefforluck.com
- Instagram: @JeffOrluckChoreography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdreanlineDanceCompanyChicago/
- Other: Jeff Orluck Choreography
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