You may find Kathryn digging through the camp closet, joining in on a game of freeze dance, or welcoming families to our latest community event. As our Children’s Program Director, Kathryn designed and developed a series of successful & popular camps including Page To Stage, Mix It Up, Summer Safari , Storytellers, Water Wonder, Up, Up & Away, Around the World, Moonwalkers, Let The Games Begin, Dance Pawty Animal Jam. The camps build off of themes combining dance, expressive arts and enrichment. She launched a School’s Out schedule for children in grades k-5, built around half days and launched First Friday’s: Parents’ Night Out from September-June.

Kathryn is in charge of daily operations as well as community relations, creating opportunities for volunteerism studio-wide. She started our annual food, clothing & toy donation drive to benefit: Manna Community Kitchen, the Northampton Survival Center, and the Jack Dunphy Toys for Tots program . She also runs our studio fundraiser for TEAM AIWA, to benefit Safe Passage in the Hot Chocolate Run. As Team Captain, she’s helped grow our team and earnings each year, helping secure a coveted top 10 spot for overall team earnings twice in a row. The studio has raised more than $15,000 to date.

In addition Kathryn got us involved in The Syrup Stampede 5k , to support Empty Arms Bereavement and the Pride march in downtown Northampton. She developed & launched our first Latin Night & Social Dance series at Ascendance for adults. Kathryn spearheads our volunteerism with the Meridian Performance Company, setting up meet & greets and work sessions. We spent time helping at It Takes a Village in Huntington and meeting with various leaders to learn more about local organizations and their impact in the community.

Kathryn grew up dancing and eventually competed for her hometown studio in Westfield. Dance was an important part of her personal development, and she credits her youth dance instructor for helping bring out an inner confidence, a foundation that carried over into a decade long career in tv broadcast journalism. She feels very fortunate to be able to work at Ascendance and give back to children through this artistic format that has given her so much. Kathryn, her husband John, and their two children, Jack and Grace, live in Florence (along with their crazy and lovable pup, Ginger).