Meet Andrew Ton | Co-Founder & Director

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

Hi Andrew, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Believe it or not, opening a dance studio was never our goal. For over a decade, Taylor and I focused on dancing, performing, and teaching in our communities—dance is what brought us together. While owning a studio now feels like the natural next step, it never really crossed our minds until recently.

Taylor was teaching at a fantastic studio in Richmond, TX, and working with local high schools. I was coaching junior and senior teams, and it was one of the most rewarding times of our careers. When our family moved to Dallas, those same students needed a new studio. We traveled back to connect them with local options, but nothing felt like the right fit. After six months, we made the decision to move back to Houston and open our own space.

It’s been the best decision we’ve ever made. The bond we share with our athletes is incredible, and we see every day how impactful great teachers can be in a child’s life. We’re now committed to giving our dancers the tools they need for life beyond the studio. At Portal Dance Lab, we’re not just about the hours spent dancing—we aim to connect our dancers with Houston’s vibrant community and the broader dance world, nationally and globally.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Running a successful dance studio is also counterintuitive. Early in our careers, we realized that while putting on a great show could win us trophies, true success came from focusing on the process, not just the result. It takes courage to tell parents that we’re not chasing trophies for the sake of winning, without sounding like support participation ribbons. But once they see our dedication, they understand. We’re competitive and love to win, but we believe the best way to build a lasting legacy is by developing dancers with strong character—those who work hard, play hard, and rise to the challenge.

Dance is deeply personal. There’s something uniquely vulnerable about performing in front of others—it’s up there with public speaking and skydiving. At Portal Dance Lab, we prioritize finding great instructors who are not only skilled technicians but also passionate educators invested in our athletes’ growth. We’re fortunate to work with some of the best teachers in the world, but we’ve partnered with only a select few who understand that their time at PDL is about the students. Our team boasts impressive credentials, but we believe our success is measured by how well our dancers grow, both on and off the stage.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Coming to Texas? We are definitely starting with some Whataburger and a drive down Bellair. We’re definitely finding our way to Harlem BBQ, a personal favorite. If they want to dance, that’s easy, too. We can drop into Soundbox Studios, Soreal Dance Studio, or Garage 713 Studio. Genji’s is our version of Cheers. Great Asian food, drinks, and karaoke.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We would not be here without the support of Soundbox Studios. They played a huge role in our early dancer development, giving us opportunities to teach, perform, and set pieces on stage. Soundbox was the primary reason we moved to Houston. Fun fact: they allowed me to propose to Taylor and have our gender reveal at one of their annual birthday bash shows. When we had an opportunity to open a studio, they acted as mentors and opening showed support for our new studio.

Beyond that, we would not have the courage or confidence to actively pursue our dreams without the support of our family. They give us the runway to act fearlessly. We can invest so much into our teams, because they never let our cups run empty.

Website: https://portaldancelab.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portaldancelab/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554361072668