Dance Student Spotlight: Kenzie Krommes

My name is Kenzie Krommes, and I am 16 years old. I dance at Allegro Dance and Limelight dance studio in Pennsylvania!

@kenziedances_

Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.

(Due to word count constraints, some answers were edited) 

My mom put me in dance when I was 2 years old because she thought it would be cute. I haven’t stopped since!

I also tried soccer and cheer but had to quit due to scheduling conflicts. I don’t miss the running of soccer, but I do miss the stunting of cheer.

From ages 2 to 6, I was doing ballet and tap combo classes! I remember a princess camp I took because of the adorable crowning thing at the end! I don’t think they do it anymore sadly.

When I was 2 years old I got to be in my first winter dance recital at Limelight! 

At my first spring recital, I got to do the studio’s traditional penguin dance from Sesame Street! We have these cute little costumes that go over our tutus and these glasses with big noses! I don’t believe they’ve done it since 2019 due to covid.

Around 2012, I was taking an 8-10 ballet class and 6/7 hip hop! I really wanted to take hip-hop, but I couldn’t do the 8-10 class time. I remember everyone having no idea I was 8 in that hip-hop class since I was the same height as them! I loved my hip-hop song and using ribbons in ballet.

The next year I took musical theater, which was quite fun because in the winter show all the musical theater classes were in every show as the opening act!

So, in the 2015-2016 season, I saw the Nutcracker! I loved it so much I wanted to take classes at that studio to be in that show. So I took ballet at the Nutcracker studio, as well as at Limelight, where I had been for years. I also took contemporary and hip-hop at Limelight. This was the first year they offered contemporary to this age group! By far my favorite style besides ballet! After that season, I was able to audition for Nutcracker. 

That season I met my dance teacher, who I dance with to this day! I was a party girl and flower girl in my first Nutcracker! I also got to do my first year en pointe at that studio! At my new studio, I was in a company class which was fun because we got to do public performances. It was my first time, and I enjoyed it! I also was doing hip-hop, and I got to do a front aerial off of people. Overall, that teacher pushed me in so many ways, and I grew so much!

Around 2017 I had joined my dance teacher's new studio she opened, which is called Allegro Dance. That year I did a modern/contemporary trio with two of my friends! I left my old ballet-based studio and was dancing at Limelight and Allegro only!

The next season we got to have our first Nutcracker! I was an Arabian dancer, which was modern, flowers and snow which were both ballet flat! This season I got my 10-year trophy at Limelight, which was super cool! This year we also got to perform at our first Arts on the Avenue, which is a local arts festival! 

In 2019-2020 I was a Spanish lead, snow, and flowers Demi-soloist in Nutcracker at Allegro! This was my first time having a big role, and I was so excited! That season, I took modern for the first time. We all know how 2020 ended up. I was taking some online classes from both my studios and just dancing for fun for myself. I did a Break-The-Floor free convention which was fun! 

This 2020-2021 season I’m so grateful we were able to do Nutcracker this year. I was Snow Queen and Marzipan, both a dream come true, as well as flowers. I loved this a lot, even though we only had one show that was streamed with a small audience! I’m so excited to be performing again on the real stage! I’m doing musical theater at Limelight, and it’s gonna be at the outdoor location, but Allegro is on the stage! My recitals were, May 29th for Limelight and June 12th for Allegro!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?

Things haven’t been that bad. I’ve never felt overwhelmed with how much passion I have since I thankfully get to express it through my dancing every time I dance!

What personal limitations if any did you go through in your young career?

Thankfully, I’ve never had any major setbacks when it comes to physical injuries and whatnot. Mentally, I sometimes just shut down. Taking corrections has always been hard for me for some reason, so I’ve had to really work through it. I tell myself that the corrections are simply supposed to help me improve. I also tell myself that if I want to get better, I have to make the corrections!

Has anybody ever tried to limit you on what you could do? If so how did you fight it?

Sometimes teachers have limited me because of my age. Anyways, what I did to deal with this is simply take another class and have fun with that. I would tell myself I’m better than teachers think; I am capable of so much more than they know. I know I can do so much, and I use that to push myself even more in my training I do at home.

How do you conquer negative talk?

I honestly tell myself that negativity doesn’t matter! I also tell myself that I am talented and amazing no matter what anyone says! Just keep being you no matter what others think and you’ll be fine!

What is your favorite quote?

“Finding ballet was like finding this missing piece of myself.” - Misty Copeland

So, what’s next? Any big plans?

My studio's 2021 nutcracker is probably the next big thing! I’m still not sure when auditions are and whatnot, but I’m super excited for them!  We also have summer intensives at Allegro Dance, so I’m excited about that! Next season I'm hoping to be assisting in classes, but we'll see where things go! Also, I’m going to be starting tap again for the first time since I was 7!