SUMMER BALLET CLASSES

June 15 – August 9
(8 weeks)

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Katina Johns

Katina Johns

Director of Ballet

At HappyFeet Dance and School Performance we strive to provide our students with the absolute best education and learning environment! With ballet as the foundation of all styles of dance, it is essential for students to receive excellent training at all stages of their progression. This fact is why we specifically hand pick each ballet teacher who has unique and invaluable skills and knowledge to pass on to their dancers.

Katina Johns, Director of Ballet, whole-heartedly believes that if you give every student full and equal attention, encouragement, and consistent training in a nurturing environment, each will flourish to his/her fullest potential! Her philosophy will forever stand: “My single request is that you give me your very best”!

Dancing is about the joy, the passion, the discipline that the art form brings each person; not solely about who can jump the highest or do the most pirouettes. Our ballet program is designed to reach students of all ages, levels, and experiences. Here at HappyFeet we love each and every student for exactly who they are and truly believe that we can transform them into the very best dancer they can be!

Our goal at HappyFeet is to foster both ballet technique and passion for the art form, beginning with our youngest dancers. We understand the importance of building a firm foundation from the bottom up. Our beginner ballet students will learn the basics of ballet from a true classical standpoint. The teachers on staff have professional training and experience to ensure that our students receive the absolute highest level of ballet education.

In addition to holding our technique training to the highest standard, we want the classroom to be a fun and safe place for dancers to explore new movement and develop their own artistic voice, free from judgement and unnecessary pressure. Katina Johns has countless experience working with dancers of all ages and levels and finds that a nurturing and encouraging environment, paired with exquisite technique coaching, brings out the best in each dancer!

Our staff at HappyFeet realizes that students LOVE to perform, and of course we love to provide them with the best opportunities to do so! Dancers in the ballet program will have the unique chance to dance in a minimum of two ballet performances each season, including our one-of-a-kind annual production of The Nutcracker and spring Dance Celebration! Rehearsals are led by our professional ballet instructors, ensuring that each dancer is fully prepared, polished, and confident when they step on the stage. There is nothing more rewarding than watching our students truly shine on stage!

In addition to our performances, dancers are given the opportunity to dance at several prestigious competitions including: KAR, Revolution, StarQuest, and Showstopper. This coming season we are excited to announce that we will be bringing students from HappyFeet to compete at the most famous classical ballet competition, YAGP! YAGP is currently the world’s most expansive global dance network. Over 12,000 dancers are involved in some way through the outreach and educational efforts of YAGP each year. Students may perform in solos, duets, trios, quartets, and/or group pieces when competing.

Our ballet class levels accommodate students from ages six through adult! The reason we begin ballet technique at age six and not at a younger age is because at this slightly older age, the dancers have a stronger comprehension of how the body works, better focus and retention skills, stronger coordination, and therefore will progress in the grasping of instruction at a faster more efficient pace!

Beginner ballet students start at the age of six! Whether it is a dancer’s first time in a studio, or his/her first official ballet class, this class is the perfect place to be. Throughout the semester, students will be introduced to foundational ballet concepts and learn to execute basic ballet steps- the beginning of an endless repertoire of delicate movement!

After the completion of beginner ballet, dancers progress to intermediate ballet. Typically students in this level class range from ages 9-12, but vary depending on prior training and experience. Over the course of the semester, students will steadily progress in mastering more difficult steps. The class allows for the breakdown and explanation of new vocabulary to ensure that each student understands the new material presented to him/her and no one gets left behind! Intermediate ballet is a special and critical time for dancers to cultivate not only strong technique but a unique artistic voice.

Advanced ballet is currently our highest level ballet technique class at HappyFeet. The students, usually ages 13 and up, have already begun to develop a deep understanding of classical technique and have started to tap into discovering artistry within their movement. This class level is designed to challenge dancers to step outside their comfort zones, explore new heights of movement, focus on small, yet mesmerizing details, and fully come into the character of their artistic voice. We aim to prepare students for a professional career, if they desire, or simply continue to transform them into the most successful dancers and people that they can be!

Stemming off of our hierarchy of class levels, HappyFeet offers a multitude of classes to support the development of a well rounded dancer, as well as our adult students! Some of these classes include: pre-pointe, pointe, lyrical, and conditioning classes.

While HappyFeet prides itself in their promise to individually concentrate on every student within a class, there is no denying the incomparable  benefits of private coaching. Private lessons allow the teacher and student to form a special bond through which the instructor can better determine and utilize the method of teaching that best resonates with the dancer. Katina Johns remembers some of her most monumental breakthrough moments, both as a student and professional, to be during private coaching sessions.  They truly change the life of young and experienced dancers alike!

If a student must miss their regularly class for any reason, she/he may always make-up in an equal or lower level ballet class. Please ask an instructor for permission if a student would like to take a high level make-up class. In the occasion there are no appropriate level ballet classes for a student to make-up in, she/he is welcome to take a similar level class in an alternate style (i.e. jazz, contemporary, etc). Regarding the cancellation of a class by an instructor, a group make-up class will be scheduled if at all possible. We ask that students do their best to be at all of their registered classes to promote progression and consistency, but we understand extenuating circumstances may arise! Happy Dancing!

Ballet apparel is conveniently available for purchase at the HappyFeet Dance School and Performance location!

  • Beginner Ballet: Light pink leotard/pink tights
  • Intermediate Ballet: Black leotard/pink tights
  • Advanced Ballet: Black leotard/pink tights

Director of Ballet: Katina Johns

Ballet instructors:

  • Sandra Pudasaini
  • Katina Johns

Katina Johns is a professional ballet dancer, currently performing with Ballet North Texas. Prior to moving to Dallas, she danced professionally in Madison, WI, and New York. Katina is proficient in many styles of dance including, ballet, pointe, pas de deux, contemporary, and modern. She has trained extensively with world renowned teachers, mentors, and choreographers all over the country. As a teacher, Katina has been sharing her passion for dance with her students of all ages for over seven years, focusing on technique, artistry, and most importantly a genuine love for dance. She has taught and choreographed all ages and levels of students ranging from 3-adults, including professionals! Katina values a positive and encouraging learning environment in her classroom. She is thrilled to be a part of the amazing staff at Happy Feet Dance School and Performance! 

Katina attended Adelphi University, from which she graduated summa cum laude in 2017 with her B.F.A. in dance performance. Under Frank Augustyn, former principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada and recipient of the first place prize for best pas de deux from the International Ballet Competition in Moscow, she  was individually mentored in pas de deux, pointe, and ballet technique. There she also trained under instructors from companies all over the world, including Pennsylvania Ballet, Alberta Ballet, NDT, and other European companies. Her modern technique training was overseen by dancers from the Paul Taylor Company, the Graham Company, and Azsure Barton’s Company. In addition to her technique classes, Katina deeply studied Pilates and the outstanding effects it has in regards to technique, strength, flexibility, and injury prevention. Along with her college performing experiences, which included repertorie from many famous ballets, Martha Graham, Adelheid Strelick, and many more, she danced professionally all over New York, including with Eglevsky Ballet. She guested in roles such as The Sugar Plum Fairy and The Dew Drop Fairy to name a few. Outside of Adelphi, she was coached by other famous dancers including Ali Pourfarrokh and Katherine Healy. 

Growing up, Katina began fostering her passion for dance at Berks Ballet Theatre in Reading, Pennsylvania at the young age of 2. There she performed with the company and danced many lead roles in their performances! Her company was a part of Regional Dance America through which Katina was awarded several scholarships, including the Jonathon Phelps award for excellence in contemporary work and passion for dance. Additionally Katina has gone to professional summer intensives around the world such as, LINES Ballet, Zion Dance Project, ABT, and Nashville Ballet.

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