PROJECT MANIFEST: Help us save our dance studio!
PROJECT MANIFEST:
Kinetic Energy Alive Dance Productions needs your help! Our beloved local dance studio is in dire need to raise money to continue keeping our doors open during this pandemic. We, the students of Kinetic Energy Alive, want to share the message to the community that dance is essential to all of our lives and gives us a place to congregate safely, express ourselves, receive mentorship, encouragement, support, create art and empower our lives. We must keep our studio open!
In the interest of health and safety, the studio was forced to shut down for seven months beginning in March. During this time we took on a ton of extra expense to renovate our studio spaces making more room for our small classes so we could reopen safely and comply with CDC guidelines. We were also forced to cancel our Ten Year Anniversary Showcase which was a major source of income for the studio. This fall we were able to open only for a short seven week session, with strict heath & safety protocols being our priority. Unfortunately, as we approach the winter season in a second wave of the pandemic and increased daily cases in our community, it is unlikely we will be able to continue running our classes as planned. We are now in true need of community support. We need your help raising the funds to maintain our studio location as we all work through this pandemic.
Though we are unable to hold live performances and share our stories of inspiration and hope with the community as we normally would, we are excited to use this opportunity to share our stories with you through social media. We are launching a campaign titled PROJECT MANIFEST and will share with you personal stories of our students and how important dance is in their lives and how through dance they have manifested strength, confidence, self love, worth and acceptance and a community to call home.
For now, we need your help to stay open so we can continue to come together and keep dancing, at a time when we especially need dance in our lives. We need to keep our studio open safely and be able to cover rent and utilities during such a difficult economic time, but most importantly, inspire others through dance.
We wanted to tell you what dance means to us and why we need this in our lives. Please read below and learn how dance has empowered our lives and why we are asking for your help.
Please watch some behind the scenes clips from our studio!
STORIES FROM OUR DANCERS:
Paloma K., Age 10
I used to be lonely, nervous, and sad. Sure, I had my family and friends, and lots of things I could do, but it turns out that’s not all you need in life to be happy. Then I started dancing. And all of that changed.
Slowly at first, so that I didn’t realize it, I began to get stronger. The weight began to lift from my shoulders. I began to accept who I was, and to understand my limits. Dancing proved an outlet where I could get through my problems. Now, the weight is not entirely gone, and there are still times when I panic or despair. But all in all, dance has replaced my fear with confidence, and swapped my sadness with joy. That is the story of my dance. Thank you.
Isaiah D., Senior in High School
In our current times, it is easy to see dance as simply a form of entertainment. Whether it be on social media, in our favorite dance shows, or on the Broadway stage, we are used to extremely fit and flexible dazzling us with their flashy outfits and outstanding technique. We are used to waiting for the next “wow” move to stun us. We are used to seeing dancers constantly striving to improve themselves, to keep up with fast-paced and competitive environment they are in. As a child, I too became accustomed to this idea that the performing arts was a constant and never-ending climb toward perfection. Then I met Kea.
I first was taught Kea when she taught a Hip Hop class in my after-school program. I was at first intimidated by her electric energy, but it was so contagious that I couldn’t help myself but to let go of any expectations of myself and just dance. Although I am sure I messed up the choreography countless times during that class, I finally came to discover what it means to dance. It most certainly isn’t strife for unattainable flawlessness, but the experience of being undeniably joyful expressive with other people that you love and trust. The overwhelming state of bliss when you allow your body to become free from the chains of expectation and criticism and truly embrace the raw emotion of the present moment. The ability to simply become “now” instead of what you were and what you could be. When I joined the studio in 7th grade, and was able to rediscover that pure ecstasy of dancing again. 
Over my years at Kinetic Energy Alive, my dance and performance abilities have significantly improved, thanks to the conditioning and technique I have learned across many styles of dance. As I train, I am constantly reminded by the beautiful people around me my purpose as a dancer. It is not to show off astounding technique or to play entertaining roles for my audience. Instead, I am becoming more and more able to discover myself through movement and emotive expression, and to share that person with the world. I have yet to uncover my full identity, but I am determined to continue to search, with every turn, leap, fall, and rise.
Marlee L., Adult 
I have been dancing with Kea and Kinetic Energy Alive for seven years. I have been involved in the company in a variety of ways over these years; as a dancer, a creative consultant, a teacher, a parent and a friend. I have seen and felt the powerful and positive impact that Kea has had on my self, other individuals and the community. I have witnessed the manifestation of visions and been involved in the deep process of transforming message and intent into expression through movement. At Kinetic Energy Alive we don't just dance; we question, we listen, we explore, we process, we transform, we hold space for each other to feel, speak and express. Kea invites all ages, all levels of experience, all perspectives to join together and share their struggles, their successes, their joys and their sorrows, we share our stories through the expression of our movement. We recognize that we are not alone. Through our dance we communicate the shared life experience that unites us. Dancing with Kea and Kinetic Energy alive is an invaluable experience, my life, and this community, would be lacking without it.
Bella W., Age 12
Hi, my name is Bella, I am 12 years old and have been dancing with Kinetic Energy Alive for 4 years. I love dance and it has impacted me so much because I love being able to express myself through dance in a way that is also so much fun. Dance has made a huge impact on my life because when I am dancing or before or after I go to dance class I feel so much happier. Kinetic Energy Alive has helped me to become a more confident, creative, and expressive dancer and person. I love dance so much and I don’t know what I would do without it or without the amazing environment at Kinetic Energy Alive.
Nate L., Age 19
Mental health is, in my opinion, the most important aspect of the human psyche. Persons that deal with any kind of mental health should do all in their power to learn and grow from what our emotions and feelings tell us. Dance plays a very important part in understanding and expressing these feelings. Without creativity we can easily fall into a pit that is not so easy to come out of. Dance and creativity helps us do this. K.E.A. has always been there for me, no matter what I may be going through. K.E.A. lets you express what you are feeling in a safe and nurturing environment. Without K.E.A. and dance, I would have lost out on friendships, a place of positive energy and most importantly, I would have lost out on a piece of my soul that has grown and grown while dancing with K.E.A. This part of my soul is the place that has learned how to deal with my emotions and to question what they tell me. This part of my soul is the place that holds love and empathy. This part of my soul is dance.
Sadie L., Freshman
As teenagers, it can be very challenging to find a way to express yourself and feel like your voice is heard. Through dancing with Kinetic Energy Alive I have been able to find my voice, meet some of my favorite people, and learn what it's like to be absolutely accepted no matter who you are. In March, the dance studio had to shut down because of COVID-19 restrictions. I know that was absolutely necessary to keep ourselves and others safe but it was still hard. We didn't get a goodbye. One day it was fine and the next we couldn't go anywhere or see anyone. Life is so unpredictable and yet, through all of that, I had dance. I relied on it to get me up on my darkest days. When life seemed like it had lost its purpose I would hear Kea’s voice in my head telling me that I was not alone. That this would pass. That it would be a story to tell. So I got up. Day after day and put my best foot forward no matter how everlasting my situation seemed. When the studio opened again it was all I could think about. I was so happy that I would be able to go back. To see people again. Dance to me is as essential as breathing. It's part of my life that I don't want to ever lose again. Life is not always easy. There are days when it's hard to understand why I get out of bed every morning. It is so important to find people and things that make you happy, and through Kinetic Energy Alive, I have.
Raya L., Age 12
“We can’t always choose the music life plays for us, but we can choose how we dance to it.” -Unknown
Everyday, we breathe. Everyday, our hearts beat. Everyday, I learn to live a little better, to love a little stronger, and to dance a little harder. Somedays, I don’t like the music that is playing, I look around, and I say to the world “Switch the channel please.” but it won’t. So I have to learn to dance. And that is what KEA does; it teaches us to dance to the world. To move and change, to adapt and be adaptable. It teaches us the importance of camaraderie and friendship. It helps us to be the next generation with pride and dignity. KEA shows us that we have the power to be whoever we want, and do whatever we choose. KEA has taught me a variety of dance techniques and expression through movement, but also how to speak my voice and have people listen. A generation of human beings with the capacity to have their voices heard, and hold space for other’s truths, that is how we can choose our music. 
Adrian P., Age 17, Junior 
K.E.A. (Kinetic Energy Alive) has done so much for me, and impacted my life in the best ways possible. Let's start off by pointing out that K.E.A has done alot more for me than just teach me how to dance. I have learned so much about culture and respect and self love over the past years, and those are lessons I, or anyone else at K.E.A, will take with them for the rest of their lives. Dancing, training, teaching, and performing with everybody at K.E.A has brought me many friendships and I am so thankfull for that, and all that Kea does for our lives and dance experience. Being the most amazing mom and teacher that she is, she has taught me so much about inspiring others, and really making a difference in their lives. I fully recommend dance, of any form, to everybody. It is a great creativity, energy, and positivity outlet, and at K.E.A, it is the most comfortable place to express yourself and just be you.
Leanna C., Age 17, Junior
Sometimes it’s challenging to feel confident and beautiful in a society that is so focused on comparisons. Often we observe what we do not posses, cultivating jealousy and fueling self hatred. I personally know what this feels like, and while I’m not perfect, dancing with K.E.A. has helped me strengthen not only my body but also my mind. With every new leap or turn or spiral I recognize that it is truly a miracle that my body is able to perform like this. The mere act of walking, running, even standing still, is a gift commonly overlooked. When you dance, and feel muscles engage, feel your tendons stretch, and you focus on how incredible these small movements are, the appreciation grows for how much you can do. Then you can recognize the effort each fiber of your body has to put in for even the slightest movement. The way I dance with Kea has forced me to look past what I might not love in myself, and focus on the power I posses.
Cora L., Age 10
Dancing with KEA makes me feel happy and like I can be myself. Sometimes it's hard to feel accepted by friends. When I escaped to the world of dance my heart opened up and I saw that I wasn't alone, I was surrounded by loving people that were actually really kind. I felt like I could be myself. I also love music and different kinds of music and at the studio we hear all sorts! There are no haters there, just supportive, open people who have truly been a light in my life.
Clara C., Age 12
My name is Clara. I'm 12 years old and I love to dance. I live almost an hour away from the studio, however I still come here for all my classes. I moved about a year and a half ago from Camden to Bristol but I couldn't bear to give up dancing with such an incredible company, so we drive to dance every Wednesday and Thursday for my classes. At first I had tried going to other dance companies, but they didn't have the same feeling as coming to Kinetic Energy Alive does. So we started dancing here again and I felt at home again.
I love to dance because it makes me really happy and I feel like I can express myself in a way I’m comfortable with. Rather than me just saying how I feel, I can dance. It really helps me feel happiness especially during this pandemic and it has really helped me with any bad emotions that I'm feeling. If I’m ever not feeling great I know what to do. Dance. I feel empowered when I dance and especially at Kinetic Energy Alive because it's an incredible community that I feel safe and loved in. I’m welcomed with open arms every time I come in for a dance. When I wake up and I remember I have dance later it just powers me through the rest of the day and always gives me something to look forward to. The people are incredible, what we learn is incredible, and the dances we perform are always incredible. When I dance it just makes everything okay.
Dance at Kinetic Energy Alive really helps me be less shy which is something I've always struggled with. When I first started dancing 4 years ago, I was really shy with everybody. But now, I can feel a difference in how shy I am now vs how shy I once was.
Kinetic Energy Alive is where I know I am safe, loved and capable of so much. It has an incredible atmosphere, where you can feel like you have a place to be. It has such an impact on all of our lives that you just can't find anywhere else. And it’s a good way to get in your exercise!
Sofia H., Freshman, HS
Community. Community is a word you may hear a lot in your day to day life. In the past you may have overlooked it, as you felt you never belonged to a community, never had one. However contrary to what the dictionary says, community is not simply based on a place, a neighborhood per say. In my opinion, community is more of a feeling. So I’d like to give you my own definition of what a community is. Communtity is something that is created by people. A feeling that happens when people connect over a shared love. In my case, my community connects over dance. My community is open, loving, and supportive. They’re determined, and strong, and welcome everyone with open arms. In fact, I’d say my community is more like family. The studio is more like a home away from home, where I can feel supported and loved. My name is Sofia Howell, and I joined Kinetic Energy Alive Dance Productions almost three years ago in search of beginning dance again. I’m a freshman in Camden high school this year, which was a big change, since I had been enrolled in a small school all life. Yet throughout this, I felt supported by my dance family. Dance was, and is a place where I can go to let my emotion and voice show through movement and creativity. Dance has inspired me to become a better person, then I thought i could be, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I hope that after hearing this, you will also realize how vital this community is, and how important it is to support it.
Anna H., Freshman
Everyone needs some sort of physical activity. Whether it be taking a walk, doing a sport, doing a workout or dancing. It’s so important to keep your body healthy and strong. At KEA we strengthen not only our bodies, but strengthen our minds and our emotions. The connection every person has in this studio is precious.
KEA is such a big part of me and it has impacted my life in many different ways. The second you walk into the studio there is a community there waiting to not only dance and create with you, but to get to know you: your personality, your favorite music, your stories and you as a whole. This studio is filled with acceptance, love, kindness, understanding, beauty... The list could go on. KEA has taught me to be myself, love everything and everyone, speak my words, let my creative side flow and I am forever grateful for that. It lets me express my emotions and feelings through dance which is so beautiful. At the studio we don’t just dance. There’s thought, love, conversations and connections that goes into every little detail. Each person's input is thoughtfully heard. It’s not just one singular person choosing what we do, when we do it, and how it's going to be done. It’s chosen as a whole. The connection between not only the dancers, but the teacher is a huge part of this studio.
Who knows where I would be now if KEA wasn’t in my life, and that terrifies me. This studio is a place of comfort and happiness that I can't see my life without. I’m so lucky to be a part of this studio and surround myself with amazing dances, people, creative minds and an absolutely unbelievable teacher. All of that is because of Kinetic Energy Alive dance Studio and I want that to continue for as long as possible. Not just for me, but for everyone.
Sydney D., Age 18
Dancing has always been a part of my life. Whether it be for fun with friends, or helping me with stress. It has always pushed me to understand what is important in life and encouraged me to express my emotions whether they be sad, happy, or too difficult to put into words. It didn’t matter, dance was my outlet. Every day since I was a kid, I was looking forward to dance classes. It was a necessity during hard times because dance had the power to let me relax and forget about the anxiety I was holding onto. I have been dancing since the age of five and I met Kea and started dancing in Kinetic Energy Alive Dance company at the age of 14. Before dancing at her studio, I had never danced with others that shared the same passion the way I did, and when I started with her it was extremely empowering.
Dancing at Kinetic Energy Alive Dance Studio showed me hard work, technique, sweat, passion, commitment, responsibility, but most importantly gave me and so many others a place to feel acceptance and love. Kea has not only been my teacher and director she has been my mentor and friend, helping me with personal issues. The students in class were not just dancers, they were amazing friends. The people that came to the show were not just an audience, they were our supporters, believers, and listeners.
Dancing is a way of expression and expressing myself in an amazing environment at the studio was an amazing chapter in my life. As I go out into life I keep the memories and lessons I have learned at the studio close to me. I have learned some of the most important lessons in life from Kea, and the students at the studio. I will always be grateful for not only the dancing skill I received, but how I became a better person because of my time there.
CeCe K., Age 9
Watch my video story:)
Lily M., Freshman
Lily M., Freshman
Dance strengthens me mentally, physically, and emotionally.
At Kinetic Energy Alive I feel at home and at peace. I feel like everyone and everything surrounding me is a beautiful bubble of pure love, joy, grit, and grace. The bubble is a force field blocking out everything negative and welcoming everything positive. KEA is a shared space that invites questions, emotions, concerns, and happiness with open arms. I’m terrified of the idea of life without dance and the K.E.A. community. We support, we build up, we encourage, we strengthen, and we love each other so profoundly at K.E.A.
So as a dancer, I’d like to express my feelings about Dance and how it has impacted my life so strongly. Dance has completely changed my life. I have new values, relationships, and principles in my life because of dance and specifically K.E.A.
I started dancing when I was 10 I believe. I started dancing because I was interested in the culture and in dancing in general. Every year since then dance has been a huge part in my life. I look forward to the next year of dance after each year ends.
Why do I look forward to dance and why has it impacted my life so much? Well, for starters it has helped me grow physically. Dance focuses on extreme flexibility and strength training. Everyday when I go to dance I’m welcomed with a loving greeting from Kea and my peers. We begin by turning on warm up music and stretching all the parts in our body from head to toe. This is one of my favorite parts because once I enter the studio I instantly surround myself with the people I love, and the people I love dancing with. We stretch our bodies and increase our flexibility extremely each class. Within warm ups and the entire class we build our strength by doing exercises to help our dancing.
Emotionally, dance has helped me grow immensely. I have learned things about myself that I would have never learned otherwise. Without physical activity my emotions would be all over the place and I would never be able to get along in life healthfully. It has helped me be intact with my emotions. Dance has given me the opportunity to express my feelings, thoughts, and emotions, through dancing which is such a magical thing.
Mentally, dance has brought me further in life. I have had to face challenges and struggles and be able overcome them with a full heart. One of the things I have learned in dance is having the courage to seek out a challenge. This has taught me one of the greatest lessons in life, to be able to want to improve and become greater.
Without K.E.A. I would not be the person I am today. I have grown and learned the unimaginable. Dance, unlike many other sports, focuses on how you feel and how to express that through dancing. I have been so lucky as to be able to surround myself with such amazing people with such amazing hearts. Everyday I can depend on the people at dance to be there for me, and support me. Dance is one of the most important things in my life and I wouldn’t leave it for the world. My heart is so full of love and appreciation for the beautiful place I am lucky enough to call my studio, Kinetic Energy Alive.
We hope that this simple campaign can help build more awareness and understanding of how important dance is to the development of necessary skills like confidence, using your voice, expressing emotions and thoughts not easily spoken, processed or understood. Concepts like respecting your body, self-love and so much more. Dance creates mental, emotional and physical health benefits and wellbeing for all people.
Dance truly has an impact and helps people of all ages address daily challenges like depression, obesity, mental illness, self image, bullying and so many more serious issues, in a healthy and creative way. Director Kea Tesseyman says, "No matter the size of the feeling or thought, dance it out so that the bad can be transformed into art which helps others to identify with your struggle and find freedom and acceptance in their own... and the good you share, can help to heal the world."
