Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Alexa Borriello.
Hi Dana Alexa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The Circle came together incredibly fast. From the moment we had the idea to incorporating the business, building out the space, and opening our doors was less than 90 days. Looking back, it really felt like everything aligned at exactly the right time.
Jason and I both had long careers in the entertainment industry long before we landed in Texas. I had danced alongside artists like Kat Deluna, Wiz Khalifa, Tyga and 2 chainz, performed in national commercials, worked for brands like Disney, Lexus and MTV and became one of the first dance influencers in the world. I grew my following to over 500,000 across my platforms. I taught on faculty to sold out classes at the most prestigious studios in the world like Millennium and Broadway dance center and I won CBS’s The Amazing Race. Jason has performed along industry icons like Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey and Beyonce. He’s done work for film and TV and taught at the biggest studios on earth like Brickhouse and Millennium Dance Complex. After we relocated to Texas I had accepted a role as a choreographer for the San Antonio Spurs during the 2024 season, and one of the dancers on the Hype Squad happened to be a realtor. He introduced us to the property that is now The Circle and suggested we consider opening a studio. From that moment on, everything flowed like water.
After spending decades training dancers in New York, Los Angeles, and in more than 60 countries around the world, I realized that great artists need far more than technical training. They need support for their minds, their bodies, and their overall well-being. The industry has traditionally focused on performance while often overlooking recovery, mental health, and longevity.
At the same time, I had already begun building an online wellness company, and those two worlds started to merge. That’s where the vision for The Circle was born: a place where dance, wellness, recovery, fitness, mindfulness, and community could all exist under one roof.
We wanted to create the kind of space we always wished existed throughout our careers—a place where people could train at a high level, recover intentionally, build meaningful relationships, and know they were genuinely supported. Whether someone walks through our doors as a professional artist or someone taking their very first class, we want them to feel like they’re safe, they’re seen, and they belong.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think it’s possible to make a life transition this big without a few bumps in the road. We didn’t just open a business; we moved to San Antonio, launched The Circle less than a month later, did it all with a nine-month-old baby, and then less than a year later found out we were expecting our daughter. We were building a business, growing our family, and creating a new life in a new city all at the same time.
That said, considering everything, it’s been about as smooth as we could have hoped.
One of the biggest surprises has actually been our community. We have never spent a single dollar on paid advertising. Everything has grown through social media and word of mouth. Watching people find The Circle, tell their friends, and build this incredibly kind, vibrant community around what we’ve created has been one of the greatest gifts. We expected building a community to be the hard part, and it’s actually been the easiest because the people who walk through our doors are the ones who believe in what we’re building. Sometimes it feels like the studio is a light house, sending out its own signal to the kind of people that need it.
The real learning curve has been business ownership itself. Jason and I have spent our careers as creatives; as performers, choreographers, educators, and coaches. Suddenly we had to become accountants, bookkeepers, hiring managers, operations directors, marketers, and facilities managers. Owning a business stretches you in ways you never expect. Thankfully, San Antonio has an amazing small business community, and we’ve found mentors and resources that have made a huge difference.
My favorite story from those early days is about our dance floor. I was absolutely convinced that if we were going to do this, we had to invest in a professional sprung floor because protecting our dancers’ joints was non-negotiable. Those floors don’t just roll out, they arrive as thousands of pounds of hardwood that has to be laid piece by piece and sprung by hand.
Jason and I decided we’d install it ourselves (why not, right?.) We completely underestimated how long it would take, and about fifteen minutes before our very first class, we were both on our hands and knees frantically hammering in the last few boards. In the chaos, one board got installed backwards…and it’s still there today. We could replace it, but honestly, I love that it’s there. It’s a reminder that perfection isn’t what builds something meaningful, showing up does.
We have a saying around here: “The dream is free, but the hustle is sold separately.” I think that pretty much sums up our journey. Building The Circle has taken an incredible amount of work, but watching people find healing, friendship, confidence, and joy in this space has made every challenge worth it.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The easiest way to describe The Circle is that we’re redefining what a dance studio can be.
We started as a place for adult dancers because we recognized there weren’t many spaces where adults could continue training at a high level without the pressure or politics that often exist in the industry. Today, we offer adult drop-in classes in all styles from hip-hop, commercial, jazz funk, heels, contemporary, and technique to beginner programs for people who have never danced before. Whether someone is preparing for a professional career or simply wants to reconnect with movement after years away, there’s a place for them here.
Beyond weekly classes, we’ve built training programs for aspiring professional dancers, performance teams, commercial dance intensives, camera workshops, mentorship, headshots, professional videography, and retreats that combine movement, mindfulness, adventure, and personal growth. We also frequently bring in the best dancers in the world for master classes.
But dance is really just the beginning.
What truly sets The Circle apart is that we’ve built an ecosystem around the artist, not just the art. We believe the future of performance isn’t simply about training harder; it’s about recovering better, living healthier, and building stronger communities.
That’s why we’ve included yoga, meditation, breathwork, sound healing, wellness workshops, and community events that allow people to care for themselves just as intentionally as they train.
This August, we’re incredibly excited to launch Circle Morning Club, our signature fitness program. It’s designed to become part of people’s daily routine, with high-energy dance fitness, strength and conditioning, mat Pilates, mobility, and recovery-focused classes that help people start their day feeling energized rather than depleted. We want fitness to feel joyful, social, and sustainable, not intimidating.
Then, on our second anniversary this October, we’ll officially open our upstairs Recovery Center, which is something we’re especially proud of. Members will be able to experience sauna therapy, compression therapy, PEMF, red light therapy, meditation spaces, mobility equipment, and a quiet co-working lounge- all under the same roof as their movement practice. Our goal is to normalize recovery as an essential part of wellness instead of treating it as a luxury.
At the end of the day, people don’t just come to The Circle to dance. They come to make friends, build confidence, heal, challenge themselves, and become part of something bigger.
I think what we’re most proud of isn’t a particular program, it’s the culture we’ve created. People walk through our doors and immediately feel it. It’s welcoming, supportive, and deeply community-driven. We intentionally built a space where beginners feel just as celebrated as professionals, where people cheer for one another instead of competing, and where movement becomes a vehicle for connection.
Ultimately, our vision has always been much bigger than opening a dance studio. We’re building what we believe is one of the first dance-based wellness social clubs; a place where movement becomes the starting point for a healthier, more connected life.
We want people to come here to dance, train, recover, work remotely, grab a healthy juice, attend a meditation or sound journey, take a fitness class, meet new friends, and truly feel like they belong. We want The Circle to become part of someone’s daily rhythm, not just somewhere they visit once a week for class.
The future of wellness isn’t siloed anymore. People don’t want one place for fitness, another for recovery, another for community, and another for creativity. They want a space where all of those things naturally come together.
That’s exactly what we’re building at The Circle: a home for people who want to move well, recover well, live well, and be surrounded by a community that genuinely supports them. Our goal is for The Circle to become the blueprint for what the next generation of wellness communities can look like—where dance isn’t just something you do, it’s the heartbeat that brings everything else together.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is that you don’t have to build a business alone. We’ve leaned heavily on the incredible resources San Antonio provides for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Organizations like Launch SA have been invaluable, not only for education but for connecting us with other founders who have already navigated many of the challenges we’re facing.
Beyond that, we’ve made networking a part of our everyday lives. Whenever we walk into a business we genuinely admire, we don’t just make a purchase and leave. We ask if the owner or founder is available, compliment what they’ve built, introduce ourselves, and look for ways to build a real relationship. We believe community isn’t something that just happens, it’s something you intentionally create.
My advice is to lead with curiosity instead of asking, “What can this person do for me?” Ask people about their journey. Celebrate what they’ve built. Look for ways to support them before expecting anything in return. Those conversations are the ones that turn into authentic relationships, and those relationships are often far more valuable than traditional networking.
I also think it’s important not to wait until you “need” a mentor. Some of the best mentorship happens organically through consistent conversations with people you respect. We’ve found that when you’re willing to ask thoughtful questions, stay humble, and genuinely engage with your community, people are incredibly generous with their knowledge.
At the end of the day, business is built on relationships. Every partnership, opportunity, collaboration, and friendship we’ve created in San Antonio started with a simple conversation.
Pricing:
- $17 Drop in class
- $62 Four Class Pack
- $116 Eight Class Pack
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thecirclestudioSA.com
- Instagram: TheCirclestudioSA
- Facebook: TheCircleStudioSA
