Sakati’s product line, known as Sharing the Barre, is designed to empower dancers to feel confident in what they wear, to embrace their bodies with love, and to believe in their abilities.
Abigail Sakati ’20 is no stranger to the StartUp Showcase, Fairfield’s annual entrepreneurship competition. As a sophomore she pitched Tempas, a mobile scheduling platform for students, with three fellow classmates. Last year Sakati returned to the Showcase as a student correspondent and interviewed the 2019 Showcase teams and their mentors. This year she will return to the Showcase stage to pitch her very own line of body-positive dancewear, Sharing the Barre, as she makes her business case to a panel of investors for seed money.
Sharing the Barre is a line of dancewear committed to empowering dancers to feel confident in what they wear, to embrace their bodies with love, and to believe in their abilities. Dance has been a passion of Sakati’s since she was three years old and she continues to pursue dance as a member of both Fairfield Dance Fusion, the University’s competitive dance team, and Fairfield Dance Ensemble, a student-led dance club. Now as a marketing major with a minor in accounting and concentrations in digital marketing and theatre, Sakati is merging her passion for dance with her love of marketing.
“I came up with the idea for Sharing the Barre because I struggled to find dancewear for auditions that made me stand out,” said Sakati. “I then started to think about how I could pair that need with creating outfits that empower dancers, which is why my product line won’t be 'one size fits all,' like many competitors. I want dancers to embrace their bodies and to recognize their abilities when they wear Sharing the Barre.”
Another important aspect of Sakati’s business model is that Sharing the Barre is a social venture and she is currently evaluating philanthropic partners. She explained that she has choreographed and performed many dance solos designed to bring awareness to important social issues, such as the Syrian civil war and human rights. From this work, she knew she wanted her business to align with an important cause.
“I love how performers can find their voice through dance. I want Sharing the Barre to uplift dancers to love who they are and to believe in their abilities.”
