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About the Director

In 1987 Miss Katie Grinnell began her dance training in the small city of Oneida, New York at The United Academy of the Performing Arts. While Katie was training at The United Academy she also trained in ballet at Ballet Arts by Delia. In 1990 Katie began competing all over the United States in various dance and talent competitions. Throughout these competitions Katie won hundreds of local and regional awards such as the 2003 Dance Masters of America highest scoring 13 & Over Soloist, and over 10 regional/national titles. Along with competing Katie has also performed in many stage shows such as the "United Kids of America" which performed at Ground Zero and the Pentagon. In 2003 Katie performed in the Pro Bowl, while in Hawaii she also competed in a competition where she also won a college scholarship.

After 16 years of extensive dance training in Tap, Ballet, Acrobatics, Jazz, Musical Theater, Lyrical, Modern and Pointe, Katie went on to pursue her dream of becoming a dance teacher into the competitive world of dance, in college. Training with some of the best dance instructors in the United States Katie received some of the finest dance training from such teachers as Jill Silverman (a ballet instructor for the famous Boston Ballet), Nailah Bellinger (a modern instructor and choreographer who is closely affiliated with the Rhee Gold Dancing Studio and Competition) and Bob Thomas (a tap instructor who has danced with the Boston Orchestra and in several shows in Germany). Katie graduated from Dean College as a High Honor Graduate with a degree in the Arts specializing in Dance Performance and Education. Currently, Katie spends time in the summer attending at least one national competition to attend national teacher training seminars. Along with these classes she has also has attended the Dance Teacher Summit in New York City where she has taken dance teaching seminars, workshops and classes. In May of 2020 Miss Katie completed her Progressing Ballet Training Certification (PBT) in all levels. As a choreographer Miss Katie’s work has been recognized with choreography awards from several competitions including DanceXplosion, Hall of Fame and The Power of Dance, That's Entertainment! and Starquest. Miss. Katie has some of the best training that gives her the knowledge to share the art of dance and her everlasting passion for dance with the children of the future. Opening a dance studio has always been a dream of Miss Katie’s since a very young age, her dream has finally come true with Star Performance Dance Centre!

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