KaRAR Performing Arts started in 2009 when Natalie Dyck and Liz Brannan determined that they wanted to provide something different to the performing arts community than had been traditionally done by other dance studios in the County of Parkland…and KaRAR Studios was born. Since KaRAR began, we have earned the reputation of producing professional quality, full range productions, which all include multiple elements of performing arts: dance, music, and theatre.
Since 2014, KaRAR Performing Arts has been a non-profit organization with a purpose to better serve our community and the students and families that reside here. Our goal in this is to make performing arts more accessible to students, and give more children the opportunity to explore their talents without the limitations of financial need.
KaRAR means to “dance with all your might”…and that is just what we want to see our students do, although we have now branched out to “perform with all your might” in terms of how we create our productions. We offer classes for a wide range of abilities and walks of life – from beginner preschoolers to intermediate dancers, trained senior dancers, and all the way to adults seeking a fun, new challenge.
KaRAR studios is dedicated to thorough technique training, establishing a friendly dance community, employing qualified, energetic instructors, using wholesome music & choreography, and fostering a school-wide love of the arts. As well, we feel strongly that all the performing arts should be celebrated, and all students should have the opportunity to be challenged in new areas – classes like musical theatre, choral harmonies and techniques, and drama are vital to the arts! We aspire to create lifelong performers!
In the fall of 2018, KaRAR Performing Arts moved to a new, larger location. Due to increasing enrolment and our established production program, additional, specialized space became a necessity. KaRAR’s new space is home to three studios, all equipped for performing arts instruction.
The two largest studios sport dance-specific flooring modelled after our performance stage, and our largest studio boasts the stage and backstage space mirroring the Shell Theatre, where our performances take place. In addition, the new studio includes costume and prop storage, as well as shared spaces intended to foster community between students and parents.
The development of this space would not have been possible without the tireless work of many volunteers. Our studio family truly came together, with support from parents and students all the way from initial demolition to final finishing. We are so thankful for every individual who helped clean, laid flooring, offered their professional skills, and even brought baking! The collective effort put into our new space evidences the family atmosphere that we are so thankful for at KaRAR Performing Arts. We are also thankful to our wider community, particularly Benjamin Moore Spruce Grove, who donated all paint and supplies to ensure that our finishing could be completed as smoothly as possible. We are grateful for this show of support, and our students in particular would like to thank Benjamin Moore for their contribution to our studio environment. We look forward to welcoming you to our new space!
