Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

When Dawn Jackson moved to Victoria, she wanted to make a couple changes. First, she left behind a life of working for travel agencies and airlines. Second, she wanted to purchase property where she could raise her daughter and live the farm life she loved. Who knew that over time, she would add gymnastics studio owner to her list of accomplishments. 

Owning horses meant she needed a place for them to roam and run free. As luck would have it, Jackson was able to secure the property she would come to call home and make a life on those 30 acres. 

After being settled for a short time, and speaking with people in the area, Jackson learned of the need for a gymnastics studio. Having been a gymnast herself during her high school years, she took it upon herself to open Flat Rock Gymnastics on her property — and that was all of 30 years ago. Since that time, hundreds of girls have lived out their dream of becoming gymnasts in small group settings — where a 1-8, at most, ratio is always in play. 

Jackson said she cares about not just the physical development of the skills she teaches, but the eventual outcome of the skills the girls learn in her classes in their lives. 

“My mission is to introduce children to the art of gymnastics in a safe and fun environment,” Jackson said. “Teaching children how to set and accomplish goals. Everything from cartwheels to roundoff back handsprings. My hopes are that learning the skills of gymnastics will further help them accomplish any life goals – physical or scholastic. Hard work pays off.” 

A certified instructor in Victoria

A certified gymnastics instructor, Jackson had been a high school gymnast and enjoyed it very much. When she got to college, she put gymnastics aside for a time. She began work in the travel industry, and although she took a pause, gymnastics would find a way back into her life some years down the road. 

After making the move to Victoria, Jackson decided to set up her parallel bars she brought with her in her yard and began performing routines on them. Someone in the community saw her in motion, and the conversation of the area needing a gymnastics studio arose. From there, the rest is history. 

Flat Rock Gymnastics has all the equipment a gymnastics studio could need to teach and instruct girls of all ages. Girls from 3-18 years old can attend classes 1-3 days per week. Competitions are held yearly for strength, and the girls compete amongst themselves – not against other locations or groups. A competition was recently held amongst the girls where trophies were awarded based off skill. 

Classes are held Monday through Thursday, from 4-7:00 PM, respectively. Some days run a bit longer towards 7:30. Jackson typically teaches 3 classes per day. 

Season winds down for Flat Rock 

The season is currently winding down, with a recital coming up on June 15 at the Nottoway High School auditorium. The girls will perform gymnastics routines in Troll themed costumes, as is their theme this year. The group will also receive awards at this time, which range from medals to trophies. 

Says Jackson of her girls and the various awards they receive, as well as how well they perform in their skills, “My best girls are the girls that consistently stick with me. Consistency is key.” 

When it comes to availability and pricing, there is currently availability for placement if you or your daughter are interested in enrolling in Flat Rock Gymnastics. As far as pricing is concerned, Jackson has a unique approach. 

“I keep my groups small because I want these girls to be able to come and learn. I want sincere clients that want to learn. I like to discuss pricing with parents one on one,” Jackson added. “If I have a girl who takes multiple classes, like private lessons and a camp, a lot of times I will make concessions for those girls. The pricing is very affordable and very competitive.” 

For those interested in Victoria

For those interested in private lessons or upcoming summer camps, there are 3 available to choose from. The first tier is for 3–5-year-olds, which is a basic introductory class into gymnastics. That will be from July 8 – 11, and the cost will be $75. The second tier is for 6–10-year-olds and is also for beginner level girls.

This camp will run from July 15-18. The classes are from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and the cost is $125. The third tier is for the more advanced or intermediate girls, and this class is for 7–12-year-olds, running from July 22 – 26, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.. The cost is $140 for that week. 

For questions or more information about Flat Rock, you can reach Dawn Jackson at 434-321-2670.