Studio Insider
#thekjway
NOW REGISTERING FOR FALL 2018 KJ CLASSES
Click here to register for our Fall 2018-2019 dance season!
Classes are filling quickly! Grab your spot today!
WELCOME BACK!
We have had a wonderful start to the year. The studios have been full of hard working dancers and excited parents! We are so excited about this season...we have special plans for all of our KJ families in 2018 - 2019!
You are part of a studio that loves to build up and encourage young dancers while focusing on Grace, Poise and Selflessness. #thekjway keeps our entire faculty working toward pouring into the gifts and talents of our students as well as training them to have character, to be competent, and to show compassion while training their bodies!
STUDIO EVENT CALENDAR
NEW!! NEW!! NEW!!
LIVE KJ STUDIO CALENDAR
LIVE UPDATES & IMPORTANT STUDIO DATES - FOUND HERE!
STUDIO CLOSINGS, EVENTS, DEADLINES, AND PERFORMANCE DATES WILL BE POSTED TO THE CALENDAR & THE EVENTS TAB THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
STUDENT OF THE MONTH
Every month a student from each of the studios is selected by the KJ staff as someone who stands out amongst their peers. KJ Dance is committed to instilling character, compassion and competence in our students and KJ families. The dancers chosen each month go above and beyond in class exhibiting these fine characteristics. Congratulations to these amazing dancers. We are extremely proud of you, and thank you for leading by example!
CONGRATS TO OUR COMPETITIVE TEAMS!
WE PROUDLY WELCOME THESE NEW FACULTY MEMBERS FOR OUR 2018-19 SEASON
LEXI JOHNSTON
Lexi Johnston danced professionally with Charlotte Ballet from 2015-2018. She began taking ballet classes at age 6 with Longview Ballet Theatre under the direction of Pat George Mitchell in Longview, Texas. After graduating from high school, Lexi continued her studies in classical ballet and contemporary dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) under Susan Jaffe. She graduated in May 2015 with a BFA in Dance with a concentration in Ballet. At UNCSA, Lexi performed in works by George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, Susan Jaffe, Emery LeCrone, William Forsythe and Ethan Stiefel. She attended summer intensives at Jacob’s Pillow Ballet School, BalletX, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Miami City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, The School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet and Tulsa Ballet. While dancing with Charlotte Ballet, she performed in various classical and contemporary works such as Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16, Mark Diamond’s Bolero, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s Sleeping Beauty, Dwight Rhoden’s The Groove, and George Balanchine’s Rubies. Lexi was also a member of Charlotte Ballet II for the 2015/2016 season.
Born in Kilgore, Texas, Lexi also was a Kilgore High School Hi-Stepper and served as Captain for two years.
Welcome to our wonderful family, Lexi!
LEO MORIMUNE
Leo’s extensive training began at the age of 8 on a full scholarship with the San Francisco Ballet (under the direction of Helgi Tomasson) and continued for 10 years. Leo studied ballet, jazz, modern, blues, afro Haitian, and choreography under the direction of Elvia Marta at the School of the Arts San Francisco. His training was also with the Dance Company of SF, under the direction of Chris Jacobsen, where he studied contemporary, ballet, lyrical, hip hop, and jazz and studied backup dancing at Push entertainment under the direction of Denise Lee.
Leo has danced in the San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker from 1994-2002, in 1994 also dancing in Ruslan with the San Francisco Opera. In transition of becoming a commercial dancer he has Choreographed/Assisted/Danced for artists such as Carlos Santana, Jackie Chan, Paula Abdul, 50 cent to name a few. As a company dancer, he has performed for choreographers such as Dee Caspary, Justin Giles & Chris Jacobsen. Currently pursuing a career as choreographer/instructor, he has toured as a convention teacher for LA Dance Magic & iHollywood dance, and now guest teaching in dance events for Universities and numerous dance events across the country.
We are proud to welcome Leo to the KJ family!
Meredith Madden
Meredith Madden is originally from Plano, Texas where she grew up dancing at KJ Dance. She left Texas to attend the University of South Carolina to obtain a degree in Dance Performance and Choreography. While training and going to school, she taught all styles of dance at a nearby dance studio.
After graduation, she moved to New York City to pursue her career as a professional dancer. Meredith continued her training at Broadway Dance Center. She starred in music videos, tv appearances, performances around the city and a quick tour in China. Meredith left New York to be in a show in Guam as a dancer and magic assistant. Upon her return, she travelled the country as a dancer in various shows including 'Cirque Le Noir', Broadway’s ‘The Illusionists’ World Tour, and ‘The Magic of Adam Trent’.
Meredith recently returned to her home state of Texas and is so happy to be back with her second family, KJ Dance.
ALLEN PHAM
Allen is working with our VIBE Hip Hop Crews this year and we are thrilled to welcome his incredible talent to the KJ Family this season!
Leah Mitchell
Leah Mitchell is from a loving, supportive family of six, and a dancer born and bread in Plano, Texas. Here is where she began developing her love for dance (age, two) at the prestigious KJ Dance of Plano, where she was a devoted company member and multi-nationally ranked competition dancer. The training, love and support she received from Kristy Blakeslee, Audrea Cowan and her staff of dedicated, proficient instructors (combined with her own dedication, tenacity, and passion for dance), led her to her desire to further her education, and became the recipient of a dance scholarship and conclusively a BFA from Southern Methodist University.
While studying at the University, she worked with and performed works by Robert Battle, Jessica Lange, Ohad Naharin, George Balanchine, and The Martha Graham Dance Company. Before graduating, she had already began her professional career as the assistant choreographer and principal dancer for an off broadway production tour of Symphony on the Dance Floor, where she travelled the nation and performed at the critically acclaimed BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) in New York city. During the summers she worked/performed industrially as a dancer for Mary Kay Cosmetics and Sally’s Beauty Supply.
Post graduation, she continued her education with invitations to company mentorship programs, such as; Dana Foglia’s International Dance Intensive, San Francisco Conservatory Summer Program, & Bacheva Dance Company Summer Intensive. She has toured internationally with a number of national dance companies and touring productions. She recently returned from a tour in China with Daniel Ezralow’s* international Modern dance company PEARL, where she was the dance captain and Principal dancer of a show commissioned by the Chinese Government.
*Daniel Ezralow Choreographer known for Katy Perry, Beatle’s movie Across the Universe.
Professionally, Leah is represented by the Top dance Agency, Bloc Talent Agency in Los Angeles, California, and is a working member of the SAG/AFTRA Union. Her most recent projects include working with artist, such as KATY PERRY, Adam Levine, Mary J. Blige, Pit Bull, and Paula Abdul. She has performed in the 59th GRAMMY Awards, Latin American Music Awards, and annual ARIA + Venetian NYE Shows in Vegas. You can watch her featured on episodes of Castle, Black-ish (Season 2 Finale with P. Diddy & Mary J.Blige), Dallas Cowboys’ Cheerleader Making The Team, and seasons 9 & 10 of So You Think You Can Dance. She was featured in movies like Scary Movie 5, and commercials for The Greatest Showman, McDonald’s (with Mindy Kaling), Apple, DELL and Toyota.
Leah is passionate about teaching/choreography & sharing her love for dance with aspiring young artist. She is so happy and proud to be apart of the KJ Dance Family Legacy, and excited to positively develop and inspire the talent of young dancers, so they too can grow up with the confidence, kindness, and determination to do what they love and achieve their hopes and dreams, whatever they may be… the way KJ did (and still does) for her!
Welcome back to our very special KJ girl!
CONTACT US
Questions about billing or charges to your account email kjdancebilling@gmail.com
Costume questions contact kjdancecostumes@gmail.com
To contact the Frisco office, email kjdance.frisco@gmail.com
For information about studio rentals, birthday parties and private rentals email kjdancerental@gmail.com
Kj Plano- 972-473-4017
Kj Frisco- 214-469-1770
*Please always leave a message, and we will return your call as soon as possible.*
KJ YARD SIGNS
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