COME TO DANCE,
WALK AWAY INSPIRED!

KAR Dance Convention 2024 | Experience the hottest new choreography styles this season at our convenient one-day event!

Waitlist Only

Where
Gas South District
6400 Sugarloaf Parkway
Duluth, GA 30097
 
Host Hotel
Holiday Inn Gas South
6310 Sugarloaf Pkwy
Duluth, GA 30097
770-476-2022
Standard King $119 per night plus tax

Standard Double Queen $129 per night plus tax

Reservation cut off October 10, 2024
Book a Room
When
November 10, 2024
8am – 5pm

Faculty Members

Alexandria Kessinger
Jazz

Dance has always flowed through Alex Kessinger’s veins. Raised in Southern California, she began her journey as a dancer at the age of 4 at her mother’s studio, West Coast School of the Arts. Alex started working as a dancer and child actor at the age of 6, where she developed her portfolio through numerous commercials, print work, and feature films like Disney’s The Santa Clause 3. While building her professional career, Alex also trained as a competitive dancer, winning impressive awards and national titles along the way. After winning a national title in the United States in 2011, she was chosen to represent the US at the international competition Spotlight in Australia, where she won the gold. 


After her competitive dance career, Alex furthered her education at Chapman University, where she was one of the few students awarded both a talent scholarship and a scholastic scholarship. She graduated Cum Laude from Chapman in 2016 with a BFA in Dance Performance and a minor in Theater Technology. 


Currently, Alex works as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer to dancers across the country. Some of her achievements as a dancer include dancing with Jojo Siwa, assisting Michael Rooney on national commercials, performing on television shows such as GLOW with Marguerite Derricks, working as a digital backup dancer in Paula Abdul’s tour “Straight Up Paula”, and dancing in and choreographing for various music videos. Most recently, Alex became a full time faculty member on The Dance Xperience Convention.


Alex’s teaching philosophy involves creating a safe environment for dancers to feel comfortable in exploring their capabilities while challenging themselves to be better, bigger, and stronger with every step.



Chryssie Whitehead-Disbrow
Musical Theater

Living by her favorite quote, “Be who you needed when you were younger,” Chryssie Whitehead joins the faculty of KAR Dance Convention with a wealth of industry experience spanning 25 years. Originally from the Southern Strutt dance studio in South Carolina, Chryssie is delighted to return to her roots as a convention dancer, eager to pay it forward to the next generation.

Chryssie's journey in the performing arts began immediately after high school when she danced for the iconic Rockettes. Since then, she has built an illustrious career in film, television, and Broadway as an actress, dancer, and singer. After studying musical theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), Chryssie made her Broadway debut in the revival of A Chorus Line, playing Kristine. Her additional Broadway accomplishments include roles in Chicago and Company (Lincoln Center with Neal Patrick Harris). Chryssie’s favorite regional roles include Bombalurina in Cats, Lola in Damn Yankees, and Cassie in A Chorus Line.

Her credits in film and television are equally impressive, featuring work in the West Side Story film, Grey's Anatomy, Switched at Birth, Castle, The Mentalist, Warehouse 13, Private Practice, Grimm, and the romantic comedy Revenge of the Bridesmaids with Raven Simone.

Transitioning to the creative side, Chryssie has directed and choreographed professional and educational productions such as Chicago, A Chorus Line, Rent, All Shook up, Into the Woods, Shrek, Grease, How 2 $ucceed in Business, and Beauty and the Beast. As a dedicated educator, she currently directs showcases and teaches on the musical theatre faculty at AMDA College and Conservatory for the Performing Arts in NYC, Broadway Dance Center, and Steps.

Beyond her commitment to teaching and performance, Chryssie co-founded www.BroadwayArtsCommunity.com, a performing arts mentoring & coaching company. She's currently touring with a show she wrote based on her life’s journey, aimed at spreading hope and normalizing conversations around mental illness.

We are thrilled to welcome Chryssie Whitehead to our faculty at KAR Dance Convention, confident that her wealth of experience, passion for mentoring, and unique insights will inspire our students. Learn more about Chryssie at www.chryssiewhitehead.com.

Ki'Leigh Williams
Tap

Ki'Leigh Williams, a midwestern native from Indiana began her professional dance career at the age of 10 performing with the off-broadway show, Tap Kids. Growing up in a dance studio allowed her to learn styles such as Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Hip-Hop.  After graduating high school, Ki'Leigh attended Point Park University receiving her Bachelors in Forensic Science while teaching Tap & Hip-Hop for their community classes and International Summer Dance Intensive. After graduating, Ki'Leigh moved to to reconnect with movement on the West-Coast. The rest is history! Ki'Leigh has taught tap & hip-hop styles in spaces such as Movement Lifestyle, Millennium Dance Complex, Point Park University and Motus The Company.  She's also been blessed to move on projects with Usher, Adam Levine, Big Boi, Jesse McCartney, AlunaGeorge, Cirque Di Soleil, Disney +: Encore, & Remy Martin.

Ryann Alvarez
Contemporary


Ryann Alvarez trained at Murrieta Dance Project in Murrieta, California under the direction of Erin Babbs. She is well versed and has trained in all styles of dance, and is best known for her work in the styles of jazz, lyrical, and contemporary. She has also been commended for her work in the exploration of the creative fusion of these styles. During her extensive training, Ryann was consistently awarded scholarships as well as regional and national titles within the competitive dance industry. 

Ryann is represented by MSA Talent Agency, one of the most exclusive agencies in Los Angeles, where she has danced alongside some of the industry’s best. Along with performing, Ryann developed a passion for teaching and choreographing, which she began at the age of 15. She was honored to travel with KAR to Australia in 2018 to teach hundreds of dancers in Perth and Sydney for some of the best studios in the country. Recently, she was the recipient of KAR’s Choreographer of the Year Award in 2021 and 2022, as well as the Antoine Olds Achievement Award in 2022. Currently, Ryann continues to teach and choreograph across the USA from coast to coast. Her students are constantly recognized for winning countless regional, national, and international awards. 

In every class Ryann teaches, she hopes each dancer will feel inspired and challenged in both their movement and musicality, while keeping an open mind and dancing from the heart.



Will Simmons
Hip Hop


William “Big Will” Simmons is a professional dancer and award winning choreographer who has danced and worked with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. He started training in Ballet and Tap at the age of 5, and then fell in love with Hip Hop at age 7 at Team Millennium in Fullerton, California. He auditioned for ABDC Season 5 Winners Poreotics junior team, Miniotics in 2009, where he began his foundational training of Popping. He then joined MSA Talent Agency and has been working professionally ever since.

Will danced on Ellen with Miranda Cosgrove, Justin Bieber’s Purpose Tour in L.A., Macy’s Glamourama U.S. Tour, and in Just Dance Disney Party. Further strengthening his Hip Hop foundation, he joined a team called GRaVy Babies and trained under many noted choreographers including Nappytabs, Dave Scott, and Kinjaz in his early years.

Prominent names in the industry he’s worked with also include Chris Brown, Jason Derulo, Missy Elliott, Janet Jackson, Prince, Lil Nas X, BTS, and TLC, for which he is currently a tour dancer. One of his most memorable moments was working with Childish Gambino in the iconic “This is America” video. He’s choreographed for various summer tours, and was the main choreographer for his role as a Mouseketeer on Disney’s “Club Mickey Mouse”, and most recently was a choreographer for NBC’s newest dance show, “Dancing with Myself”.

Will is currently a teacher at Millennium Dance Complex in Los Angeles, California. He continues to have sold-out workshops as he fulfills his passion of traveling the world, teaching and mentoring the next generation of dancers.

Will’s goal in every class is to elevate the potential of every single student while leading with their love of dance.



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