Meet our October cover girl, Paula Kochert. I had the pleasure of meeting Paula 6 years ago at a parade and she has been one of my favorite people ever since. I have never met someone so welcoming, kind and uplifting. That’s just her personality, and oh my goodness, this has to be one of the most beautiful families I have ever seen! They are all gorgeous and such kind hearted people. When it came time to showcase women in business, she was the first person that I thought of. The epitome of dreaming big and going after your dreams, with a heart as big and beautiful as her smile, I hope that you’ll enjoy this glimpse into a talk with Paula.
(SITIGirl Indianapolis was given a private tour and sneak peek of the brand new Talent Factory studios during their grand opening last month. I’ll share a few photos, but if you want to really see the amazingness of this studio, you’ll just have to pop in for yourself! If you have any desire to dance, perform, train, and expand your talents, Talent Factory is the place to be!)
Talent Factory is owned and operated by Paula Kochert, alongside her husband, Jim and daughters Madeline and Marigrace. The Kochert’s began teaching dance in Boone County 20 years ago. Combined, they have more than 150 years of dance experience. All of Talent Factory’s instructors have professional dance and performance backgrounds, and have studied under the direction of Frank Hatchett at Broadway Dance Center, Ryan Lohoff, Barry Youngblood, Paula Abdul, Jerry Rose, and many more.
Q – What was your inspiration/motivation to begin this line of work?
The performing arts have been a part of Paula’s life since she was a small child. “My Grandmother put me in my first pageant as an infant which opened my world to the stage.” It was clear very early on that Paula was in her element while performing. She could belt a tune at age 3, began yodeling at the age of 4 and performed on stage at the Grand Ole Opry by age 5. Her great uncle was a former vaudeville performer. He taught Paula her first soft shoe dance steps. Together, they would entertain the neighborhood utilizing her grandparents’ front porch as a makeshift stage. As a child, her Grandmother would drive her over an hour one way to dance lessons. When disco entered the scene, Paula found herself the youngest member of a competition roller disco team. In grade school, she discovered her love of acting. It’s no surprise that she first met her husband at auditions for a play. During her early teens, a series of unfortunate life events occurred and Kochert found herself in the foster care system. Although her circumstances had changed, Paula sought solace in the performing arts. “The arts were the one familiar thing that I could find comfort in. I immersed myself in anything creative. My love of the arts has carried me thru some very pivotal times in my life. It’s an incredible feeling to be able to escape reality for a while and to also be totally in the moment – to leave your heart on the stage. To me, the stage represents home…even when I didn’t have one.”
Paula’s husband, Jim, hails from NY and studied at Ball State. After college and touring the US, their paths crossed again. They married and settled in Indiana near family. The Kochert’s 4 children were literally raised backstage while the couple performed, directed, and choreographed at multiple theaters throughout the state. All of their children were trained in dance and were active in the arts while growing up. Their daughters followed their parents’ teaching footsteps, dancing in college and professionally for the WNBA Indiana Fever Dance Team. The Kochert’s young granddaughters are now carrying on the family tradition by dancing at Talent Factory. Another new grandbaby will be joining the family any day and the Kochert’s already have the studio set up to welcome Marigrace and her baby back from maternity leave. The Kochert’s sons and daughter-in-law have been involved behind the scenes, from teaching workshops, creating costumes, logo and website design. Talent Factory is truly a family affair!
“When my Mom was in hospice care during September of 2009, she told me to go after our dreams and to open our own performing arts studio. While coaching and directing at local high schools, parents started asking if we would give dance lessons to their younger children. We started offering children’s summer camps thru the schools and the program quickly grew. Parents expressed they wanted lessons year round, so we followed my Mother’s advice and opened Talent Factory in May of 2015.”
Q- What services do you provide?
A – Genres include toddler creative movement/tumble, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, musical theatre, Acro dance, hip hop, and the Cecchetti method of ballet. We are already planning on offering salsa and pom in the near future.
Q – What have been your challenges?
A – Like most businesses, the pandemic posed many challenges for our small business. When schools canceled classes, the Kochert’s were also forced to close their doors. They quickly reinvented the wheel and within a week launched their online classes. “This was a way for our students to stay connected, to express themselves thru dance, and to keep active during an uncertain time.” When Talent Factory was able to safely reopen their doors 9 weeks later, the Kochert’s assured their dancers that they would figure out a way to have a spring recital to celebrate their commitment and hard work. Due to Covid restrictions placed by the state, they were unable to find a recital venue. “I prayed fervently for God to present a way to showcase our dancers. I woke up in the middle of the night with a crazy idea! Why not record our dancers and have a socially-distanced recital at our local drive-in theater? So, our 5th Anniversary Recital was a lot different than we had planned, but it will forever be my favorite because when the people stayed apart, God answered my prayers and our dance families were able to come together.”
Just as their studio started to rebound from the pandemic shutdown, they found out that the building they had leased for 7 years had been sold and they had to find a new location quickly. Once again, their dance family came together and sent the Kochert’s leads on possible locations.
In September, Talent Factory Arts & Dance began its eighth year with a new kick in its step. Two months after moving from their original location on the courthouse square in Lebanon, Talent Factory has re-opened its doors at 384 North Mount Zion Rd, conveniently located in the Lebanon Business Plaza off of I-65.
Talent Factory recently completed construction on their beautiful new 5,050 square foot state-of-the-art dance studio, which features the same professional dance flooring used by The Joffrey Ballet in New York City. Sprung tap floors, innovative ballet barres for dancers of all levels, and a flexible-use space for Acro Dance and Production numbers puts the studio at the forefront of dance innovation in Central Indiana.
“We could not be more proud of the space we have built for the community youth to thrive in,” said Paula’s daughter, Madeline. “We have even created a laptop-ready homework area for our Student Helpers to keep our students growing beyond their dance experience.”
Q – What are your greatest accomplishments?
A – Talent Factory brought home prestigious top honors in June at Showstopper Northern Finals, the largest dance competition in the country. This made the sixth national win for the studio.
Talent Factory competition teams are proud champions of the 2017 Legacy Dance Nationals, 2018 VIP Dance Nationals, 2019 Showstopper Nationals, 2021 VIP Dance Nationals, 2021 Showstopper Nationals, and 2022 Showstopper Nationals.
Q – What would you like people to know about you/about your organization?
A – When her daughters expressed a desire in owning their own dance studio, this lit a fire under Paula, and ultimately they’ll carry on the legacy that the family has built together. Talent Factory Arts & Dance is a place for children to learn, create, and grow through arts & dance. Located in Lebanon, IN, Talent Factory opened its doors in April 2015 as an Art & Dance instruction studio serving children in the Boone County community. The Kochert Family believes in providing a safe space to nurture young performers in the performing arts through creative instruction. Talent Factory is founded on the principles of creative exploration in art & dance, and is working to cultivate a thriving performing arts community in Lebanon and the surrounding area. Talent Factory’s performing arts programming is diverse, serving a wide distribution of ages, and attracting audiences of varying artistic sensibilities.
Paula’s personal experience as a foster child inspired her to create a scholarship program. “Boone County is home to several children’s group homes and a large number of foster families. It is important that all children are offered the same opportunities, regardless of their circumstances.” The studio’s scholarship fund is limited. Kochert is looking into different options of funding to help grow the scholarship program to reach more children.
Q – What advice would you give to women looking to start their own businesses?
A –
- Dream it. Devise it. Do it.
- Surround yourself with people who cheer for others.
- Always trust your instincts.
- Your circumstances do not define your worth.
- Walk in the grass barefoot. It will keep you grounded and humble.
- Never underestimate the power of sunshine and prayer.
Q – What are your plans for the future?
A – “I am currently writing an autobiography, which includes my time spent in foster care.”
Q – How can people contact you?
A – For more information about Talent Factory, to sponsor a foster child’s dance dreams, to register for classes, please visit their website at www.talentfactoryarts.com or email info@talentfactoryarts.com.
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