Meet Showcase Choreographer: M’Kayla
M’Kayla’s artistic journey began at the age of three after she took her first ballet class and never looked back. She began training competitively at Drewitz Dance Productions from the age of 5-17 where she trained in various genres of dance including tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical and many more. She also had the opportunity to train at Hattori Williamson School of Ballet focusing on ballet and contemporary dance from 2016-2018. M’Kayla has had the opportunity to perform and compete all across the world at various dance competitions, conventions & intensives including places like Germany, New York City, Seattle and Las Vegas. Through her years of competitive dance she has been awarded several titles and high scoring overall awards such as Miss Junior Candance. M’Kayla was also a part of the 2019 Team Canada National Tap team that competed in Reisa, Germany.
M’Kayla is currently studying at The University of Calgary, working towards a Bachelor of Arts in Dance, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Economic as well as working to complete her second year of Decidedly Jazz Professional Training Program. Throughout her post secondary journey, she has had various performance opportunities, including Calgary based Artist Michele Moss’ 2021 “Why Dance” where she performed as both a soloist (tap) as well as being part of group pieces (contemporary & jazz) that centered around the idea of identity. She also is a part of NAPPY Collective as a season two company member getting to be a part of both their live work as well as dance film.
As a first generation Canadian with first generation immigrant parents that were born in Suriname, South America, M’Kayla often utilizes her technical training by incorporating aspects of her everyday life as a Black woman in North America to express herself through movement. This connection provides her the opportunity to volunteer in different dance studios in Suriname through YEEPI Foundation. She is a young choreographer that works in the stylings of Contemporary, Jazz, and a specialty in Tap.
Currently, she is teaching at Elite Dance Academy & Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in Calgary, Alberta, where she choreographs for all ages, both recreationally and competitively. She also is the director of Fancy Footwork Dance Projects that specializes in working with people of all ages to create a positive environment that enriches the knowledge of tap dance & its relationship to music. M’Kayla offers private sessions for various individuals seeking growth in their dance technique. Teaching is something that M’Kayla has always had passion for, and she hopes to spread her knowledge to others as well as to continue to learn and grow from others throughout her artistic journey.
