The mission of California Dance Company (“CDC”) in Redding, California, is to bring their love of dance to all ages by sharing its beauty, power and vision in fresh and unique ways. Their program offers something for everyone whether it be hip-hop, ballet, aerial silks, or musical theater. During their 20 years in business, they have produced many working dancers: Laker Girls, Sacramento Kings dancers,49ers Gold Rush girls, and Carnival Cruise dance captains. These positions have offered their dancers opportunities to travel the world, perform for thousands, and make a positive difference in their lives and communities.
Sonya Kennedy, Studio Owner and Director, believes her studio is different from other studios because CDC strives to create professional dancers who have an incomparable work ethic rather than focus on creating technical dancers.
Within a dance setting, CDC teaches their students that no matter what profession they ultimately decide to take on, they must be composed, dedicated, and have a “no quitting” attitude. CDC uses dance as an outlet to teach many life lessons on and off the stage.
Sonya’s proudest moment coaching occurred in 2011. She had the privilege of taking her student, Alyssa, to the International Dance Organization’s World Championship in Riesa, Germany. After a few years without making it to the podium, Alyssa’s solo placed 1st that year! She was the first American dancer in her category to ever do so! Watching her on that podium draped in the American flag was one of the most memorable experiences of her life.
The biggest mistakes that Sonya sees dancers make are frequently trying to compare themselves to one another instead of focusing on their own corrections, and improving upon those. Any dancer who tries to compare themselves to another will always be let down. She tries to teach her dancers that although they may have their own weaknesses, each of them has a unique gift and talent which another may not!
Sonya’s goal for the future has to do with the community. At the beginning of 2015, Sonya and her teachers decided that they would like to do more community performances throughout the year. Their kids love to perform and CDC loves that their community gets to experience all the talent their studio has to offer! Especially during the holidays, they have the privilege to perform at various retirement homes and charity performances. CDC loves giving back to their community and hope that these performances continue in the years to come.
As a child in Canada, Sonya had the wonderful privilege of growing up in a studio. The impact it had on her life was immeasurable. When everything may have tended to go wrong in her life (family, school, friends, etc.), the studio was the one place where she could be herself. As a result of this experience, she chose to create a studio like she had as a child. She loves that she has opened a place where other kids can feel comfort in an ever-changing world. Despite the amount of awards or accolades they win, creating that studio will always be her biggest accomplishment.
The mission of California Dance Company is to bring their love of dance to all ages by sharing its beauty, power and vision in fresh and unique ways. They invite others to share their vision with them. Take a dance style you haven’t tried before, find a new fun way to get fit, make new friends that share your love of dance and improve your skills in all disciplines. They offer classes for everyone!
Whether you want to dance for fun and fitness or are committed to taking your skills and passion to the highest levels possible, they can help you reach your goals. With a full schedule covering a broad spectrum of styles – including Hip Hop, Tap, Ballet, Ballet Technique, Jazz, Jazz Funk, Jazz Lyrical, Tiny Tots, Minis, Mommy & Me, Modern, Modern-Cirque, Lyrical, Contemporary, Aerial Silk, Variety, Leaps & Turns, Intensives and Adult classes. They are sure to offer what you love!
Their instructors are all seasoned professionals and performers with a commitment to make each dancer the best they can be. They teach all ages, from 2 to 92. So come on in and share your love of dance with California Dance Company.
Sonya has been in many competitions throughout Canada and the United States, as a gymnast, figure skater, and dancer. Among her achievements, she was crowned 1999 Entertainer of the Year in Fresno. Sonya has taken dancers to the World Dance Championships in Germany four times to represent the United States. In November 2011, her dancer received the Gold Medal in the Junior Solo division. This marked the first time the United Stated had ever taken gold in that division. Sonya’s students have gone on to be selected as dancers for the Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers and Arizona Cardinals. Sonya has danced and modeled in hair shows, fashion shows and productions. She has been the recipient of numerous scholarship, performance, and choreography awards at countless different events!
At California Dance Company, you can throw the coolest party ever! From birthday parties for all ages to bachelorette aerial silks parties, they have got you covered!
Kids’ birthday parties at California Dance Company are the best! They can tailor any party to your child’s desires. Want a Princess Party for your little dancing diva? Or an Xtreme Boys Hip Hop Party for your rough-n-tumble boy? Maybe your ‘tween would love to gather a bunch of friends and learn some cool new dance moves for those junior high dances? Whatever it is, they can do it! And the best part? You don’t have 15 little ones tearing up your house!
And who wouldn’t want to spend a couple hours sipping champagne and learning some great Aerial Silks tricks or Burlesque choreography? They have the perfect setup for adult birthday parties, bachelorette parties, or whatever else you would like to celebrate! They can turn off the lights, let down the silks, and have a great time.
If you would like more information about California Dance Company, visit their website at www.californiadancecompany.com, call them at 530.365.7749 or email them at cdcoffice@shasta.comf. You can also “Like” them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, watch them on YouTube, and connect with them on Instagram.
Please post a comment if you have had any experience with Sonya Kennedy of California Dance Company.
Written By Cyndi Marziani
Owner
BDancewear.com
