Katonah Art Center to Expand into Dance

KATONAH, NY, July 08, 2012

The Katonah Art Center is expanding. KAC founder and director Loren Anderson will take over the dance studios recently vacated by Arts Caravan. The newly renovated Dance Studios will have a grand opening in September. Ms. Anderson is delighted. "I have always wanted to offer dance at the Katonah Art Center and for the Center to be a true multi-arts space for the community. We are aligning classes, so that families with children who take both art and dance will have easier schedules now." Dance and art class brochures will be available in mid-July.

While the Katonah Art Center may be new to the dance world, they are wasting no time in offering as much variety in their dance classes as they do in art. Classes will be offered in ballet, point, point prep, hip hop, jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, yoga, tai chi, barre fitness, cardio dance, zumba, exotic chair dancing and multi-arts for kids (half-time in art, and half-time in dance). There is truly something for everyone.

The Katonah Art Center is happy to be able to keep many of the Arts Caravan instructors on staff. Dance Director Jeri Kansas is one of them. Ms. Kansas started her dancing career as a Rockette at the age of nineteen, dancing on the stage of Radio City Music Hall. She has also danced in the original Broadway production of Sugar Babies with Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney, as well as in David Merrick's hit show 42nd Street.

Also from Arts Caravan is hip-hop instructor Jennifer Castle, who has danced for MTV, and VH1, and studied under Janet Jackson's choreographer and with dancers from the Geoffrey Ballet. "Students become very attached to their teachers; and we are glad that so many will be staying at the KAC," says Ms. Anderson. "We have an incredible roster of teachers."

KAC is thrilled to introduce the new ballet teacher Lauren Lee Hamilton, who was recommended by Kristen Prescott, formerly the ballet teacher at Arts Caravan. Ms. Hamilton was the soloist for the Northwest Florida Ballet and the Montgomery Ballet Company. Currently she is a company dancer with the Connecticut Ballet.

For dance students who have already registered for lessons elsewhere but would prefer to return to their former instructors and dance studio space, Ms. Anderson has a spectacular offer. She will credit their deposits towards fall enrollment at KAC in order to allow students to stay with the instructors that they love. This is good news for everyone.

Ms. Anderson adds "The Arts Caravan's closing left a void and left a lot of teachers and students without a home. I think it's important to keep continuity for teachers and students."

The Katonah Art Center is located at 131 Bedford Road, Katonah, New York. For more information about the Katonah Art Center's New Dance Studios or KAC classes, call 914 232-4843 or visit the KAC website at http://www.katonahartcenter.com.

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