COME TO DANCE,
WALK AWAY INSPIRED!

KAR Dance Convention 2016 | Experience the hottest new choreography styles this season at our convenient one-day event!

Where
Duke Energy Center
525 Elm Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
When
November 6, 2016
8am – 5pm

Faculty Members

Kira Dimartino
Jazz

Moving bodies while moving souls, Kira immersed myself into the dance culture twenty-eight years ago. Studying relentlessly, I moved through Dance Connection Scottsdale, Ballet Arizona, Ballet Etudes, Edge Performing arts California and Millennium Dance Center mastering all styles and movement as well as incorporating a fierce history in theater arts. Professionally, dance led her to the Phoenix Suns Dance Team, Royal Caribbean Broadway Revue, Superbowl XXX, Miss Dance of Arizona, Ballet Arizona’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and various Industrials. Her performance credits also include a back-up dancer for Ricky Martin’s, “She Bangs”, MTV’s “N-Synce Reunion Special,” “Broadway Review”, model/dancer for Matrix Hair, and local commercials for Toyota and Fiat. However, Kira’s true passion has always been teaching and choreography. Currently, she is one of the most sought after Master Dance Teachers in Arizona who is currently teaching and choreographing for some of the industry’s top dance students.

Kristen Hibbs
Musical Theater

Kristen Hibbs was born and raised in sunny San Diego. She started dancing at the early age of 3. At the age of 14, she was assisting dance classes under the guidance of San Diego Dance Centre owner, Sharon Keller. While being mentored by Sharon, Kristen was also busy competing for SDDC in regional/national dance competitions. She was also a member of the Rancho Bernardo High School dance team. Kristen graduated from Rancho Bernardo High School in 2000. In the summer of that same year, Kristen joined the United Spirit Association staff and taught dance camps for high schools all along the California coast. She then went on to dance on the national championship dance team at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Ca. In 2002, Orange Coast College won a berth to the UCA national finals in Orlando, Florida. "Coast" was the first junior college to win the national title in division 1A. It was a great experience for Kristen and her dance career. While dancing with OCC, Kristen made her way to North Hollywood to train at the nation's famous dance studios; Millennium Dance Complex and The Edge Performing Arts Center. Later that year the OCC dance team was asked to be part of the hit comedy "The Hot Chick". Kristen moved home from Orange County in 2003 and became a head instructor for the San Diego Dance Centre. Kristen has had the pleasure of training with some of the nation's most respected instructors and choreographers, including Dee Caspary, Mandy Moore, Mia Michaels, Cory Finn, and Mark Goodman. Kristen has always aspired to one day own and operate her own dance studio. In August of 2007, Kristen acquired the San Diego Dance Centre. She is happy to be living her dream as a studio owner and is looking forward to her future endeavors.

Mario Velez
Hip Hop

Mario Velez Jr. is a professional hip-hop choreographer and dancer\performer. Mario has toured and worked with artists such as Omarion, TLC, Rock Steady Crew, Fergie, My Chemical Romance, Brandy, Boyz II Men, Doug E. Fresh, Paula Abdul & many others! He has also toured with the world-renowned Harlem Globetrotters! Mario is currently performing and choreographing for the National Recording Artist, Jasmine Hormez and for Automatic Response Dance Crew which was featured on the show’s first season of “ America’s Best Dance Crew!”. He has also done work with the NBA and WNBA Phoenix Suns Dance Team, The Seattle Supersonics, The Warrior Girls , The Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Mercury Hip-Hop Squad. He has trained dancers that have worked with artist such as: Lady GaGa, The Jabbawockeez, Jason Derulo and pricipal dancer David Hallberg from ABT, and many others. Mario has also started an exciting and very passionate Dance Studio called Diverse Elements. His diversity also includes choreography for shows, Splash and Bottoms UP in Las Vegas NV, and Jubilation in Reno, NV. This was all possible because of his long time partner and wife Melissa Velez. Mario has one saying that he lives by-"Hip-hop is not just rapping and music, it is a culture, a way of life!"

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.

Raymon Ashley
Hip Hop

Raymon Ashley found his passion for dance at the young age of 8 years old, while residing in Northern California. He went on to attend the University of Arizona where he continued to study dance and furthered his training extensively in the styles of Ballet, Modern, Jazz and Tap where he graduated with his BFA in Dance. Raymon immediately went on to pursue a professional career in dance, booking jobs with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble as well as the David Taylor Dance Theatre, both companies located in Denver, Colorado. Raymon has had the honor and privilege of working with legendary educators and choreographers, Donald McKale and Milton Meyers. After pursuing his career in the "company" world of dance, Raymon made his way to San Diego as well as Los Angeles where he turned his sights to the "commercial" industry of dance. He booked steady work dancing in Industrials, Pepsi and Ford commercials as well as Music Video's with some of the music industries top recording artists. Once Raymon fulfilled his passions as a dancer, he began pursuing his career as a dance educator. His fresh, upbeat approach to teaching has made him one of the most popular and in demand teachers in Southern California as well as across the Country as a guest teacher. When not traveling as one of our fabulous Directors, Raymon spends much of his time traveling with "Fusion Dance" and "KAR Dance" Conventions. The VERY MOST rewarding opportunity in Raymon's life, is being the proud father of his amazing son, Rylan.

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