Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerrie Korzatkowski.
Kerrie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
The summer I turned six years old I had a moment that changed the course of my life. My family took me to see a community theatre production of the musical West Side Story, I remember my feet couldn’t reach the floor and I sat forward on the edge of the seat with my feet dangling and my hands holding the edge of the seat like a bird perched on a branch waiting for the show to begin. There were a lot of people sitting in the seats around me, voices echoing through the room, loud and joyful laughter filled the air- the deep warm laughter that only adults shared mixed with the silly conversation the musical instruments were having as they squawked loudly at each other in short little bursts of excitement. I could also hear the crinkling of the plastic sleeves on the flowers in their laps and lots of papers, pages turning back and forth. There was a thick smell of perfume from the silver haired ladies, and as I sat there I watched my feet swinging back and forth in sweet little black patten shoes with my skinny bare legs. Inside me was a nervous buzzing, like a hundred miniature butterflies were flapping their wings in my belly, and the sounds around me grew louder and faster as my feet kept swinging and all I could see was the reflection of the lights from above dancing on my shoes. My heart was racing, then suddenly the lights went black and a hush fell over the room, instant, collective silence, and for a moment, stillness. A profound stillness. My legs were frozen, my hands still clenched, my breath held and then I lifted my chin in the darkness and slid my tiny body back into the cushion of the folding seat. Ready, I remember feeling ready, and then it happened. The curtain opened!
From that day on, I knew I needed more than anything to be a part of the magic! Inspired by my experience at the theatre I diligently worked the rest of the summer to produce my first show and I gathered all the neighborhood kids in my grand-parent’s garage for a one-kid extravaganza. I set up folding chairs, I made tickets and programs, and I packed the house.
Some kids had lemonade stands, I had created my own theatre, right there in my grandparent’s garage! Little did I know nearly 40 years later that ambitious little girl would still be producing beautiful shows and now passionately inspiring children to share in the magic.
I started working when I was 12 years old, not because I had to, but because I had an innate sense of service and I loved helping others. I’ve had my fair share of odd jobs, and each one added to my tool belt as an artist / entrepreneur. I had a unique way of looking at each experience as an opportunity to learn more, and I never thought twice about trying something new. I delivered newspapers, scooped ice cream, waited tables, cleaned office buildings, I was a nanny, a costume character mascot, I worked in a window factory, and I even managed a staff of 100+ elves in Santaland at Macy’s. (Yes, just like David Sedaris’s Santaland Diaries.) But the one “job” I always loved most and always came back to was teaching dance- even today the opportunity to teach is the driving force behind what helps me get up each day and push myself.
I began teaching dance as a student assistant when I was 12 years old and by the time I was 15 taught my own classes at the studio I attended as well as neighboring park districts and YMCAs. When I was 20 years old I was handed the opportunity to take over a dance studio in Iowa near where I would be transferring colleges after spending a year abroad studying dance and living in Paris, France. I was grateful for the opportunity to grow and share my love of dance with so many students while I was in Iowa. But my gypsy spirit knew there were more adventures in store for me and that yearning to collect experiences and add them to my tool-belt lead me to New York.
I had dedicated so much of my first 27 years of life to leading and creating for others that I wanted to explore my own talents as a performer and on September 5, 2001 I packed 2 suitcases and set off to start a new life in NYC. I was only there less than a week before 9/11 and I vividly remember the second moment in my life I experienced a true profound silence.
Shortly after 9/11 I began working with a small modern dance company and joined in their mission to build community through dance. I worked extensively as a teaching artist for various communities including work with under-privileged and special needs children and teens in public schools and day cares, and with inmates in women’s prisons. This was a season of my life that taught me the most about being a human being, and about the healing power of the arts.
Along the journey I met my husband David, we fell in love, he wrote a little children’s musical for us to perform and we toured the country together. Forevermore was originally created as a Children’s Theatre Company. Soon after we were married we packed up our New York lives and relocated to Chicago- today we have two beautiful children named Gabe and Violet, and have served over a 1000 children through the lessons we provide at Forevermore Dance & Theatre Arts.
Upon returning from New York we purchased The Elmwood School of Dance, a small school with a rich history (when cleaning out the back room we discovered they had performed at the World’s Fair). When we took over there were 30 children participating in programming. We began teaching a child-focused curriculum and quickly grew. We outgrew the little studio space we started in and changed the name to Forevermore Dance & Theatre Arts when we relocated to 7466 West Belmont. Here we began to expand our programming including children ages 2 thru adults. The school continues to provide a fun and enriching experience with many dance and theatre disciplines, class times, and a welcoming facility with a friendly staff and vibrant community.
Has it been a smooth road?
We have a tradition in the classroom when someone falls we applaud when they stand back up. I teach my students that the most valuable part of live performance isn’t doing it perfectly, but how we carry ourselves when we make a mistake. Dance teaches us to train for the unexpected and how to find our balance gracefully when we are falling. We are all perfectly imperfect and I whole heartedly believe having a balance of grace and grit is what it takes.
The road to success has not always been smooth- there has been a tremendous amount of sacrifice to build the school we have today. Raising a family and owning a business is certainly a recipe for a rocky road. Every time I think I’m the prefect candidate for Worst Mother of the Year- I remind myself of all that my family gains from this crazy life we live. My kids might not get to eat dinner with me most nights, and they may have to do their homework in a noisy back office many nights, but they get to witness and be a part of a process of always striving to make it better.
A huge challenge for me has been learning how to manage cash flow in an industry that has year round operating expenses but only 10 months of income. I remember a few summers back emptying the family piggy bank into a coin-star machine and getting a voucher for groceries that would need to last the entire family 6 weeks, I remember feeling defeated that although I worked 60-80 hours a week non-stop for so many years, I was still struggling to survive. I really questioned what success meant to me- I was doing such great work for so many other people’s children, but my own 2 beautiful children were not getting all that they needed from me.
Instead of giving up, I dug deeper, I rolled up my sleeves and learned more. Summers are still lean, but through continuing education and some extra work and planning we have navigated a course of action to keep us thriving year round. I owe a huge amount of gratitude to my mentor Misty Lown and the entire More Than Just Great Dancing organization for equipping me with the tools needed beyond the classroom to continue to serve and grow.
My kids have learned the value of setting goals and working hard to achieve them. We are moving into a new home and they are excited to have their own bedrooms and know that our sacrifices as a family are a big part of how we met that goal.
I’m looking forward to starting our14th Season at Forevermore with an amazing team of outstanding teaching artists and staff!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Forevermore Dance & Theatre Arts story. Tell us more about the business.
Our Mission:
Forevermore! Dance & Theatre Arts is founded on a love for the arts and a passion to educate and enrich lives.
We encourage our students to explore their potential, inspiring them to dream, and challenging them to do their best. The dedication and discipline they learn will instill them with the ability to make those dreams come true.
Our friendly, professional teachers and staff help our students develop their talents and special skills in a fun-filled supportive environment.
We give our students opportunities to perform and build self-confidence. This, along with the quality training we provide, helps to foster an enduring love for the arts and opens the doors to the empowerment of self-expression.
School Philosophy
Our school provides students of all ages with the skills they need to enjoy theatre and dance for a lifetime. We want all of our students to come away from lessons with a love for the arts. Our focus is on teaching.
To do this we strive to:
– provide a professional and supportive atmosphere
– always maintain our buildings and equipment to ensure the facilities are as comfortable and up-to-date as we can make them
– hire teachers that understand our philosophy and the type of students that come to us and offer convenient choices of class days and times
– provide customer service by offering office staff to assist people and teachers during teaching hours
We provide top quality instruction and can teach beginners through to advanced students. We do realize that most students will not pursue a career in dance or theatre and want to provide students of all interests with programs that meet their needs. Students of all abilities and interests are encouraged to learn new skills and improve. Each year we expand our programs and continually improve our facilities.
Our dance and acting teachers are all experienced in the style they teach and we use student teaching assistants to help with the youngest children. Our dance teachers also hold university degrees in dance. Our teachers are chosen not only for their qualifications, but for their ability to relate to the students.
A POSITIVE ATMOSPHERE
Dance schools that maintain a positive atmosphere promote morale in students and their parents as well as in faculty and staff. We believe that atmosphere affects the overall success of our students/faculty/parents goals. Students who know we care about them will want to be the best dancers they can be, not just for us but for themselves.
Our tag line is: “Where Art Has Heart”!
Our goal is to establish positive self-esteem and passion for the arts. Remembering that every student can develop passion, regardless of skill level. We strive for excellence without sacrificing a joy for the art. We do everything we can to communicate that we believe each student will succeed and want each student to know they are competent and valued.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We are members of More Than Just Great Dancing an international affiliation program, aligning dance studios with a higher standard of dance instruction and management principles.
More Than Just Great Dancing is a community of dance studio owners committed to providing more than excellent dance instruction. Founded by Misty Lown, owner of Misty’s Dance Unlimited, the More Than Just Great Dancing license is based on the same principles Lown used to grow her own La Crosse, Wis., studio that today serves more than 700 dance students and has given out more than $135,000 in scholarships.
The approach places the customer at the center of the dance studio world and equips licensed studios to transform staff teaching and leadership skills, provide quality programs and curricula, employ best management practices and have a positive impact on their communities.
As the only studio in our area to receive the license, Forevermore is proud to join with other industry leaders in web seminars and teleconferencing discussions as well as connect with other studio owners to share ideas, drive industry innovations, and address challenges.
Being a part of an important movement within our industry to protect and advocate for a culture that puts family first, provides positive role models, strives for excellence without sacrificing innocence, advocates age appropriate choreography and costuming, believes all children have God given worth, encourages creativity, exceeds expectations, and gives back to the community- this is what I believe the future holds for success in my industry.
Dance teaches invaluable life skills, but most importantly it helps children understand that in a fast paced world filled with instant gratification and impersonal communication- we are human!
This poem from an unknown author says it all!
That is Why I Teach Dance
Not Because I expect you to major in dance
Not because I expect you to dance all your life
Not so you can relax and have fun
BUT so you will be human.
So you will recognize beauty,
So you will be sensitive,
So you will be closer to an infinite world,
So you will have something to cling to,
So you will have more love,
More compassion, more gentleness,
More good…
In short, more life.
Of what value will it be to make a prosperous living unless you know how to live?
Contact Info:
- Address: 7466 W. Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60634 - Website: www.4evermore.org
- Phone: 773-237-5200
- Email: info@4evermore.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4evermoredance/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forevermoredance/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/4EvermoreDance
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/forevermore-dance-and-theatre-arts-chicago
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC41rVQqH8ten919iG6OG_OQ
Image Credit:
Meg McCluskey
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