Kay’s Academy of Dance in The Mukwonago Times

The Stage is Calling at Kay’s Academy of Dance | October 2023

From novice to advanced, jazz hands of all abilities are invited to enroll in Kay’s upcoming 2024-2025 season. Registration continues through October 31st, after which the troupe will build a program for its annual recital in June, and a variety of traveling performances. Along the way enrollees focus on technique and artistry to advance each dancer’s skillset, with a strong attention to building self-confidence and the personal growth that comes from setting goals, making the commitment, and the achievement that follows. 

A sense of belonging at Kay’s Academy of Dance is what sets it apart, according to Molly Adams, a current instructor who began pirouetting at Kay’s as a toddler herself. “One thing that has never waivered is the presence of family and integrity in everything we do. All of the teachers have consistently provided a safe and kind atmosphere where kids know they will be treated with respect.” It’s no wonder Kay’s has cultivated generations of talent over 30 years, with a values-based approach that develops the dancer mentally to challenge oneself, learn how to collaborate, and explore the creativity within.  

Dance parent Terry Buchmann’s daughter has been a passionate student with Kay’s for eight years. What sets this studio apart is that they “offer the same high-quality classes, without the pressure that is placed on kids these days. They meet children at their level and work with them to move forward to the next.” While other studios center their mission on intensely competitive dance teams, Kay’s Academy of Dance focuses instead on Dancers in Motion (DIM) and Kids in Motion (KIM), the traveling performance troupes made up of elite students in the ballet, jazz, tap, and hip-hop disciplines. While DIM and KIM require an exceptional amount of personal drive, winning over losing is never the objective. Kay’s seeks to develop the dancer as an individual, maintaining joy for the artform and the exhilaration of the stage.

Previous memorable performances include the Sugar, Gator and Orange Bowls, and the Parade of Dreams at Disney World, among other illustrious venues with high visibility. Summerfest, State Fair and Great America welcome Dancer’s in Motion annually, and family and friends can witness every student’s progress with a tremendous finale recital. A Kay’s dancer can expect to foster lifelong friendships, a team of advocates among the instructors, and modern amenities in the academy’s upgraded studio. Overlooking picturesque Phantom Lake, Kay’s new location features convenient pick-up and drop-off, observation windows for proud parents, and a studio space boasting vaulted ceilings and the same high-grade flooring as employed by the Milwaukee Ballet Company. 

Many classes take dancers off the beaten path to sharpen their pointe and flex new muscles, such as Ballet Funk, Poms and Tricks, Lyrical, and more. The range of enrichment opportunities belies something deeper in the academy’s aims as a studio. Terry attests, “We chose Kay’s because of the variety of classes, but honestly what sold us was Miss Kay herself.” The atmosphere of unyielding support is echoed by fellow dance mom Jessica Sullivan. “We love the family feel. The staff all know who your child is and truly makes you feel welcome. My daughter has gained so much confidence in herself as a person since starting at Kay’s.”

Enrollment runs September 1st through October 31st by visiting the registration portal at KaysAcademyofDance.com, or shuffle-step on over and visit Kay’s delightful staff for more information.