The Kathy Hansen School of Dance (KathyHansenDance.com)

Instructors

A Dance Education
At Kathy Hansen School of Dance, we pride ourselves on the quality of our dance education. Our studio dancers are known for their technical excellence…our dance education emphasizes a healthy synergy of techniques that never go out of style and the emotion and passion that bring performances to life. Most importantly, we never lose touch with the idea that dance should be FUN!

Kathy Hansen
Owner / Director / Instructor / Choreographer

For Kathy Hansen, dancing has been a life-long passion. Since the age of seven, Kathy has been a dancing mainstay in the Twin Tiers of Southern New York and Northern Pennsylvania. During her competitive dancing days, Kathy won many awards, and at the age of eighteen, opened up her own studio in her hometown, Owego, NY. Today, her studio enters its 30th year and continues to produce competitive dancers that hold numerous titles statewide. In fact, many students go on to dance at the collegiate level, and some pursue the life of a professional dancer, as well. Many alumni of Kathy Hansen School of Dance have taken their love of dance to the next level and have opened their own dance schools.

And its important to note that non-competitive students are not lost in the shuffle of this award-winning dance studio. As Kathy reminds everyone, dancing should be first and foremost fun, a message often repeated to dancers of all ages and skill level, including the young participants of the several public school dance programs she has administered.

With Kathy, dance education is a two-way street. While teaching occupies most of her time, Kathy still finds time to keep abreast of the latest trends by attending master classes and workshops with the top "teachers of teachers".

"We emphasize technique married with passion"

JoEllen Hansen
Instructor / Choreographer

JoEllen Hansen brings a contemporary, often cutting-edge perspective to dance, yet remains true to the core beliefs of technical excellence that has distinguished the Kathy Hansen School of Dance. Of course fifteen years of Kathy Hansen instruction and a blood line to the studio owner (better known as "mom" to JoEllen) could tend to do that. But standing in her own light, JoEllen brings a wealth of experience and accomplishments that any studio would truly value.

As a dancer, JoEllen has won many awards over the years including the American Dance Awards Dancer of the Year, High Score Soloist, and in 2002, the Young Choreographers Award, just to name a few.

JoEllen is a graduate from Point Park College. She earned her Bachlelors of Arts Degree (specializing in Jazz Dance) from this performance-arts school while also dancing with the Conservatory Dance Company and the Pittsburgh Playhouse Dance Company.

A budding choreographer, her recent tap piece Drumbone was a selected performance at the American College Dance Festival. JoEllen has earned many choreography awards on the pieces she has set for students of KHSOD.

JoEllen is also on the staff at Binghamton University where she teaches Tap, Ballet and Jazz. She is also the dance choreographer for the Binghamton Bear Cats Dance Team.

As a teacher who continues to perform, she brings a unique perspective and a familiar face back to the dance family at Kathy Hansen School of Dance.

"A devoted educator generously shares with her students the knowledge and insight she has gained from years of study and experience…some of these students in turn become teachers, and the cycle begins again."

Robyn Bennett
Robyn Bennett received her early dance training from Donna Brooks Dance Academy, Elmira NY.
Robyn graduated from Dean College in Boston Mass. with an Associates Degree in Dance. While at Dean College she received the Gregory Hines Tap Award. While living in Elmira NY with husband Josh and daughters Ella and Emilyn, Robyn still finds time to choreograph the Southside High School Footlighters shows. We welcome Robyn to our teaching staff!