By By Matthew Nascone
Most women wonder what their significant other is going to get them for Valentine's Day and the curiosity is too much for some.
But when LaShonda Marshall woke up on Cupid's big day with no gift she was quite shocked. That shock turned to extreme joy when she opened the card that was waiting for her because inside that card was the deposit needed to rent the building that would house her own dance and cheer studio.
"I had been talking to my husband (Lawrence Marshall) for two years about starting our own cheer and dance studio," Marshall said. "And we had been looking for buildings and I was coming out of Country Charms getting my daughter a Valentine's gift Feb. 6 and I saw the For Rent sign. I tried the number and talked to the owner."
After the talk with the owner and the look through, Marshall told the owner, Cindy Boothe out of Florida, that Lawrence needed to take a look at it. Lawrence took a look and told her "It is OK." And LaShonda kept pushing for the studio.
"I kept saying Lawrence, I know this is a big step for us, but I have to do my own business," she said. "And he said 'Well maybe it will come true.' Well, Valentine's Day he didn't have a gift for me and usually he has a bag or something wrapped and ready so he gave me a card and in the card was the deposit. So he played it off with me quite well."
And the studio is now in the stage of cleanup and when it is ready it will be called Atmore All-Star Cheer and Dance Power. It was expected to be ready by April 1. The building is located at 114 Ridgeley St.
Marshall said she wanted to do something for the girls in the area who do not have the time to travel to Mobile or Pensacola for classes.
"There isn't much for girls here in Atmore so for the past eight years I have given them the opportunity to step, cheer, dance, poetry and drama with all the Expose and Elite programs," she said.
Along with the change in location comes a change of price. The programs Marshall ran in the past have been free, but cheering or dancing for Atmore All-Star Cheer and Dance Power will cost a monthly fee for each class.
In the beginning Marshall will have classes available in mini, youth, junior and senior All-Star cheer. Other classes will include, contemporary jazz, lyrical dance, hip-hop dance, pom pom dance and in the future, ballet classes.
All-Star Cheer and Dance will stay the same with the exception of the monthly fee and the Expose program is still a question mark for Marshall. Registration will take place all this month to get ready for the opening classes on May 7. The classes are open to all children age 4 and above. Registration will take place in the Escambia County High School lobby from 3:15 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. Cost for registration is $25.
Marshall will take calls at 251-368-4865 for anyone interested in a class offered.
Business hours will be from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Summer hours will start at 3:30 p.m.
The desire to open a studio has been alive in Marshall's heart since her cheering days at Stillman College.
"I love it, it is my passion and I have been doing it since I could walk," she said. "I am excited to get this started."