Kathryn Maire, also known affectionately as Kat, was born in Santa Barbara County, California in the small town of Santa Maria.

Spending her first year of life on her Granny’s farm, she quickly adapted to city life at age 12 when she moved with her parents to Orange County, CA.

This die hard Elvira fan has always wanted to be a dancer and dance teacher. She began training when she was a child, and always aspired to share her love for dance with as many people as possible by working as a teacher, while also continuing to perform and compete. 

Kathryn has been dancing for twenty-two years, with sixteen years of training in classical ballet, along with seven years of training in competitive Irish step dancing. She has trained on-and-off her entire life in jazz, modern, and musical theater. She trained and competed in West Coast Swing for a couple of years, and still enjoys dancing it socially. She then began her Ballroom training eight years ago, began competing one year later, and currently specializes in ballroom today. She also specializes in Blues dance, which she began to study seriously at the beginning of last year. 

Kathryn went on to describe her favorite musical styles to dance to as Latin Ballroom and Blues. Adding, “I mainly competed in Latin Ballroom, and I absolutely love the music — it gives me so much life and ignites a fire to dance. Since I began studying Blues, my love and appreciation for the music has grown and I can never resist dancing when I hear it.”

Her favorite dancer has always been Cyd Charisse, elaborating “She’s pure beauty, class, and talent.” Kathryn’s hobbies apart from dance are going to the gym, baking, reading, and playing video games. 

If she wasn’t working at ATOMIC, Kathryn would probably be a nutritionist, as personal health and nutrition is something that she’s also passionate about. She would also love to help people be their happiest and healthiest, and luckily she doesn’t have to leave ATOMIC to do that, as she already spreads health and happiness in her lessons as an instructor here at ATOMIC.

When asked what made her want to work at ATOMIC, Kathryn answered, “I had been to Atomic for social dancing a couple of times and loved the atmosphere. It was a wonderful environment full of people who love to dance, and that really drew me into wanting to be a part of such an enthusiastic team of dancers. “ She added that, meeting so many amazing people and making wonderful friends over the years that she’s worked there is what she enjoys most about working at ATOMIC. She then went on to add, “Dance is more than just a hobby for me, it’s my identity. I’ve been training in some form of dance since I was three years old, and I am the person I am today because of the way it has shaped me,” in response to the questions what dance means to her and how it has affected her life.

Kathryn, along with other ATOMIC staff members take great pride and effort in passing this feeling and legacy onto the next generation of students and dancers. Remembering that special feeling that they once had when they first started dancing, staff try to leave that same sentiment with their own students, who soon discover that dance will positively and profoundly shape their lives as well. This further demonstrates that those who gift the gift of dance this holiday season will truly gift a gift that keeps on giving!

 

Fun Facts:

  • Superpower you wish you had: Wolverine’s healing ability. 
  • What dance you might like to try that you haven’t yet? I’ve always wanted to train in Belly dancing!
  • Guilty pleasure : Spongebob Squarepants. “It’s one of my favorite shows.”
  • People would be surprised to discover: That Kathryn is a total metal head who loves going to metal concerts, metal music festivals, and blasting it in her car. 
  • The character that best embodies her: “Elvira has been my idol since I was very young. Her all-black outfits, her sense of humor, her wit everything about her!”