Owner & Director

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Miss Kat's love for dance began at just two years old, leading her to explore various dance genres and participate in numerous classes and workshops throughout her childhood. She joined a gymnastics team at age 8 and competed through high school, winning medals in multiple events. By age 10, she knew she wanted to teach dance and gymnastics.

At 12, she began assisting her dance teacher and became an assistant teacher by 14. She started teaching her own classes—including jazz, tap, and acrobatics—at 15. Her mentor supported her aspirations by bringing her to professional seminars and master classes in Boston and New York with artists like Art Stone, Frank Hatchett, Jo Rowan, Steven Boyd, the Manhattan Dance Project.

At 17, Miss Kat took over studio management due to her mentor's injury and officially became the owner/director at 18. Alongside running the studio, she taught after-school dance programs in local elementary schools.

Throughout her career, Miss Kat has choreographed for various community and children’s theater groups and served as the Director and Choreographer for the Miss Senior Sweetheart Pageant of America for 27 years. She has also judged dance and cheerleading competitions.

Miss Cassie began her dance journey at Kats when she was just two years old. More than 20 years later, she is proud to still be part of the Kats family—this time as a teacher, sharing her lifelong love of dance with her students.

Over the years, she has trained in a variety of styles, including jazz, tap, lyrical, acro, ballet, and pointe. She attended The Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where she majored in dance and gained additional experience in modern. After high school, she pursued a degree in elementary education at the University of Rhode Island.

Today, Miss Cassie is a 3rd grade teacher by day and a dance teacher by night—a balance she treasures. She has experience teaching ballet, jazz, tap, acro, and lyrical, and she takes pride in building strong relationships with her students while encouraging them to reach their fullest potential.

Miss Cassie received the Princess Jessie Award in 2014 and the Heavenly Gingers Scholarship in 2016.  

Miss Bree has been part of the KDCPA family for over 20 years, beginning her journey as a student and later assisting in dance classes starting in 2008. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business and Non-Profit Management at Southern New Hampshire University. During her years as a student, she trained in jazz, tap, ballet, pop jazz, pointe, lyrical, and hip hop. She was also an active member of the Page to Stage theatre program, participating in every performance.

Passionate about the performing arts, Miss Bree has taken dozens of master classes in a wide variety of dance styles. Some of her favorites include working with The Boston Tap Company, Bob Boross, The DC Tap Fest, and several Broadway professionals. She has also mentored and assisted students in our theatrical arts program and enjoys performing with local community theatre companies.

Her experience extends to every side of the stage—acting, directing, choreographing, and stage managing with the Academy Players of Rhode Island. Above all, Miss Bree’s greatest love is the stage, and she is dedicated to spending as much time there as possible. She looks forward to sharing her passion for the performing arts with all the students at Kats Dance Centre & Performing Arts.

Bree received the Princess Jessie Award in 2010 and a Heavenly Gingers scholarship in 2017.

Miss Sam joined the Kats Dance Centre family in 1998. Five years later, she became a junior assistant and eventually progressed to teaching her own classes. Over the years, she performed at Disney World with Kats Dance Centre & Performing Arts on three separate occasions, where she also received additional training through classes taught by professional Disney dancers. She further expanded her skills by participating in master classes and workshops such as The Manhattan Dance Project and Off the Curb.

Miss Sam continued performing as a Company dancer and teaching on staff until the age of 20, when she “retired” from teaching to pursue her dreams of starting her own beauty business and family. Now an accomplished hairdresser, wife, and mother, we were overjoyed to welcome her back a decade later. She returned to the studio answering our call, proudly declaring, “Team Kats for life!”

Miss Alana has been part of the studio for over eight years, training in ballet, jazz, lyrical, acro, and hip hop. She was also a valued member of the competition team and enjoys taking master classes whenever she can. In addition to performing with KDCPA, she danced in the Lincoln Variety Show and served as co-director during her senior year. Attending the Soul Dance Convention further fueled her passion and inspired her to pursue a career in dance.

After several years supporting the studio as a staff assistant, we are excited to welcome Miss Alana to the teaching staff. She looks forward to sharing her love for dance with her students and hopes they grow to enjoy it as much as she does.

Miss Bella began dancing at just 15 months old—and she hasn’t stopped since! She has trained in jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, lyrical, musical theatre, and acro. A graduate of West Warwick High School, where she ranked in the top 20 of her class, she now attends Clark University, pursuing degrees in Political Science and History. At Clark, she is an active member of the Dance Society and currently serves as Treasurer on the executive board.

Her college experience has allowed her to expand her dance repertoire, gaining exposure to contemporary and modern styles. In March 2025, she attended the American College Dance Association (ACDA) at Rhode Island College, where she participated in convention-style classes and learned from distinguished dance professors from across New England.

One of Miss Bella’s favorite parts of teaching is seeing a student achieve a goal they’ve been working toward—whether it’s a step they’ve practiced for weeks or years. While her school schedule keeps her from being at the studio as often as before, she cherishes every opportunity to spend time with her Kats family each week.

Isabella received the Princess Jessie Award in 2023.

Miss Emma began her dance journey at Kats at just four years old. Starting as a dancer, she worked her way from junior assistant to teacher, gaining experience and skill along the way. Over the years, she has trained in a variety of styles, including ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, and tap.

A proud member of the Kats family for over 20 years, Miss Emma also played soccer, where she found that the discipline, coordination, and strength she developed in the dance studio enhanced her performance on the field. She attended Regis College, where she was both a member of the college dance company and a ballet instructor.

Today, Miss Emma is a registered nurse, yet she continues to teach dance—a true passion she can’t imagine leaving behind. She loves sharing her knowledge, inspiring her students, and watching each of them grow and shine.

Miss Cassie began dancing at just two years old, training competitively in jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, lyrical, hip hop, and modern. In 2009, she earned the title of Young Choreographer from Dance Olympus, a recognition of her early creativity and talent.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance from Rhode Island College, where she was a four-year member of the Rhode Island College Dance Company and served as dance captain for the production of Urinetown.

Before joining Kat’s Dance Centre & Performing Arts in 2021, Miss Cassie taught throughout New England for over eight years. She continues to expand her expertise by training at Broadway Dance Center and attending various conventions and conferences.

Passionate about sharing her love for dance, Miss Cassie is honored to be part of the Kats Dance Centre family, where she inspires and challenges her students to grow both as dancers and individuals.

Miss Kayla-Rose is a proud graduate of both Rhode Island College and Dean College and has been part of the KDCPA family for over 20 years. Trained in jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, pop jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and acro, she joined our staff in 2006 as a Studio Assistant, where she built the skills and experience that shaped her as a teacher. Over the years, her passion for the performing arts has only deepened, and she continues to love being in the classroom—helping dancers pursue what they love most.

As a teacher, Miss Kayla-Rose shares her love of dance by inspiring students, fostering connections, and setting meaningful goals both in and out of the studio. She teaches a wide range of classes, including jazz, tap, ballet, acro, and musical theater, and proudly serves as the director of our Competition Team!

Her creativity extends beyond the studio. Miss Kayla-Rose has worked as a choreographer and stage manager for several From Page to Stage productions with Miss Lynn in our performing arts program, and she has also taught and choreographed for Lincoln’s after-school programs. Her choreography has been showcased in musicals with the Academy Players of Rhode Island and Bristol Community Theater.

We are grateful to have Miss Kayla-Rose on our team and look forward to many more years together. Her creativity, dedication, and ability to challenge her students make learning both fun and inspiring.

Miss Kayla, the youngest daughter of Miss Kathie, has been part of KDCPA for over 25 years. She trained extensively in ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, hip hop, pop jazz, lyrical, and acro. Her teaching journey began early—she started assisting classes at age 11, became an assistant teacher at 13, and was leading her own classes by 15. In 2009, she was named Assistant Director. Though a young teacher, she drew her deep love and respect for dance from her mother and her older sister, Jessie.

In 2019, Miss Kayla made the bittersweet decision to step away from full-time teaching to pursue her lifelong dream of opening her own bakery. Today, she is the proud owner of Gingersnaps Bakery, located on Front Street in Lincoln, which was recently honored as Best of Rhode Island by 30th Best. There, she spends her days creating cookies, pastries, and custom cakes that bring joy to her customers.

While we miss seeing her in the studio every day, the entire KDCPA family is incredibly proud of her achievements. Dance and teaching will always be in her blood, and she returns to the studio whenever she can. Her ultimate goal as a teacher has always been to inspire and motivate her students—because there’s no greater reward than watching them grow, improve, and succeed.

Miss Shana joined the Kats Dance Centre & Performing Arts staff in 2009. A Lincoln native, Miss Shana grew up in her family’s dance studio, the Brae Crest School of Ballet. Under the direction of her mother, Ana Marsden Fox, and grandmother, Herci Marsden, she developed an early love of ballet. 

Miss Shana received her BA in Communication from The University of New Hampshire, where she minored in theater & dance. For the past 13 years, she has been the resident choreographer for Rhode Island’s Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation Flames of Hope events, where State Ballet of RI dancers literally ignite the opening ceremonies.  

Miss Shana is on staff at The Brae Crest School, and is part of The State Ballet of RI Board of Directors as a Vice President.  Miss Shana also serves SBRI as a rehearsal assistant, choreographer, wardrobe volunteer, and audition judge. An avid admirer of the arts, Miss Shana passionately continues her family tradition of loving and living ballet.