Nonprofit Kinetics Dance Theatre Offers Concert Dance, Classes, Performances

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — Dancing tells a story, allows the artist to express themselves and pushes a dancer beyond their boundaries. Kinetics Dance Theatre in Ellicott City, which opened in 1984 under the leadership of Dorothy Fried, Keith Nichols and Stephanie Simmons, was established to offer an "inclusive, equitable non-competitive dance for the community and for dance artists to create and perform."

KDT houses Kinetics Dance Company, presenting a repertoire of innovative concert dance; Kinetics School of Dance, offering classes in dance technique and theory to students of all ages and levels; and Kinetics Youth Ensemble, providing opportunities for devoted youth to perform and participate in dance opportunities throughout the area.

Kinetics Dance Company is KDT’s professional resident dance group. The company presents work in Howard County, the Baltimore/DC area and the greater mid-Atlantic region. Kinetics School of Dance offers a comprehensive dance education for students of all ages and abilities. Classes are available for students ages two to adult through the nonprofit. The most popular classes are the youth-based classes for dancers ages three to 17, artistic director Liz Quiñones told Patch.

The Kinetics Youth Ensemble contains four performing student companies for dancers in grades 4-12. The KYE offers students an opportunity to rehearse and refine concert dance works in preparation for performances in the winter and spring. The KYE engages the community in performances and workshops throughout the year.

"We appreciate that our community is invested in engaging in the arts as a life-long practice. It is evident that our patrons view the arts as a vital part of our community, not only for enrichment, but as a means to connect within our shared humanity," Quiñones told Patch. "We have mostly students from Howard County. We serve a diverse community of people."

Last fall, the dance studio celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Kinetics Dance Theatre can be found at 3280 Pine Orchard Lane. Learn more at www.kineticsdance.org.