COME TO DANCE,
WALK AWAY INSPIRED!

KAR Dance Convention 2015 | Experience the hottest new choreography styles this season at our convenient one-day event!

Where
Causeway Bay Lansing
6820 S Cedar St
Lansing , MI 48911
 
Host Hotel
Causeway Bay Lansing
6820 S Cedar St
Lansing, MI 48911
517-694-8123
$99.50
When
October 25, 2015
8am – 5pm

Faculty Members

Andrea Woodward
Jazz


Andrea Woodward is the owner of Hermitage Dance Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, where she has been training, inspiring, and educating dancers since 1997. Andrea is certified by Dance Masters of America and holds a B.S. degree from Cumberland University. Along with her dance training and certifications, Andrea is also licensed in Strong Nation Fitness, Zumba, and Zumba Toning.

Andrea has won countless awards for her stylistic and emotional choreography, as well as her students’ technical ability. In 2014 she was nominated for Choreographer of the Year at the Industry Dance Awards. She has also won Teacher of the Year and Choreographer of the Year numerous times over the years at Kids Artistic Revue Nationals. Andrea has been on KAR Dance Convention’s faculty since 2011.

Along with teaching in the studio and on the convention circuit, Andrea continues to choreograph for a variety of events, including awards shows such as the Nashville Women Who Rock Awards, in which she was also the recipient of the “Inspiring Arts” award. She has also served as the choreographer for the Opening Number for several National Finals events. Some of her student success highlights include dancers on So You Think You Can Dance, convention tour faculty, NBA dance teams, recording artists and more. Andrea is passionate not only about teaching, but also the business side of studio ownership and sharing what she’s learned with the dance community. 

Andrea hopes to bring a challenge and fresh perspective to every student, allowing them to leave behind their image of perfection and dive deeper into their artistry.


Cori Heckmann-Moody
Tap

At the young age of 3, Cori Heckmann-Moody began her dance training and fell in love with the rhythms and sounds of tap. After thirteen years of training and assisting, it wasn't long before Cori knew she wanted to share her passion for tap with others. For twelve years, Cori directed the tap programs for several studios throughout California, and in 2015 opened her own studio, Roseville Academy of Dance in Roseville, CA. With recognition from today's most popular dance competitions, Cori has won numerous awards for her choreography, most entertaining acts, and highest scoring tap performances at both the regional and national level. Her students have received high point awards, title awards, scholarships, and have taken home top honors from many dance competitions. Cori spends her free time continuing her dance education, choreographing and teaching master classes for studios throughout the United States, judging dance competitions, and running a private lesson based business, CHM Dance Productions. Cori loves teaching dance and is very excited to be returning for her fourth year with the KAR Dance Convention.

Marco Cruz
Hip Hop

Marco Cruz is a Choreographer, Dancer, Artistic Director, Judge, Master Class Instructor, and Leader in the Contemporary and Hip Hop Arenas. His musicality and attention to detail have been described as captivating, inspirational and breathtaking. His passion for dance is what has made him one of todayʼs most sought after choreographers and a true original in his field. His professional persuits have no end, he has performed in, choreographed, and directed music videos, commercials and award shows for recording artist such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Rihanna, Naturi Naughton, Olivia Newton John, Kenny Loggins, and Kwanza Jones; and production companies including Paramount Pictures, ABC, Nickelodeon, Disney, Power of Youth, Variety Magazine, and Nigel Lythgoe’s Dizzy Feet Foundation. Cruz is no stranger to the world of competitive dance. His works have placed first against some of today’s most elite dance studios. He has earned several National Championship Titles at some of the most prestigious competitions: ShowStoppers, Hollywood Vibe, Starpower, Hall of Fame, Hollywood Connection, Jump, The Dance Awards and KAR just to name a few. Dance education and instilling a respect of the art of dance is of primary focus for Cruz. Several of his students have chosen to pursue dance education at the collegiate level. Likewise, many of Cruz’s students have excelled in dance and the entertainment industry and have moved on to dance professionally for companies such as Joffrey, Ballet Hispanico in New York, Lines in San Francisco, Santa Barbra’s State Street Ballet, and many more.

Michelle Chandler-Smith
Lyrical

Michelle has studied under the guidance of Joe Tremaine, Gus Giordano, Dave Massey, Doug Caldwell, Sean Greene, and several others. She has also had the privilege of performing as a member of the jazz-based Eastside Moving Company and the modern-jazz Company Fusion, both in Seattle. After three years at Chapman University in Orange, California and a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Theatre, she began her teaching career in Bellevue, Washington at Backstage Dance Studio. Several of Chandler-Smith’s students have won title awards regionally and nationally and have gone onto careers with Holland America, Carnival Cruise Lines, Stiletto Entertainment and are seen in many industrial pieces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York City, as well as Company work in Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Pennsylvania, Saipan and London. Michelle also sits on the judging panel regionally and nationally for KAR, Rainbow Dance and other esteemed Dance Competitions. Michelle continues to teach master classes, convention classes on staff at Kids Artistic Revue (KAR) and Dance Masters of America (DMA), and shares her choreography across the country, all of which she feels so honored and blessed to continue to do. Michelle is now Co-Owner/Director at Inspire Academy of Dance which opened this past summer 2016 in the Seattle area. Michelle is truly excited to be sharing her choreography, knowledge and insight with students willing to pursue the heart and soul of dance as an innovative and expanding art form.

Sarah Hilarides
Musical Theater

Sarah Hilarides has been teaching professionally for 13 years now . After graduating from Oakland University with a Bachelors of Arts in Musical Theater and Dance she moved to San Francisco where she worked as a professional Stage actress and choreographer. She has choreographed many shows such as Miss Saigon, Grease, Into the Woods and many more. She has danced in many shows and music videos along with her musical career. Sarah has been choreographing around the country for the past 5 years and has worked with many dance schools and colleges along the way. She is really excited to be on staff this year and can't wait to put the love of learning and dance into children's hearts!

Your Dancers
Will Thank You!

Convention Price List / 6 classes + showcase at only $235

6 Classes

$185
 Jazz
 Tap
 Contemporary
 Hip Hop
 Musical Theater
 Audition Workshop

6 Classes +
Protege Performer Audition +
1 Parent Observer Band

$255
 Jazz
 Tap
 Contemporary
 Hip Hop
 Musical Theater
 Audition Workshop

$20 Parent Observer Band

Register Now