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Tri-County Citizen



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PUBLISHED: Sunday, July 15, 2007
Former student carries on Bohaty tradition



CHESANING - At one time or another during their lives, most girls dream of one day becoming a beautiful dancer and twirling across a stage in a sparkling costume.

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But for one little girl that dream reached far beyond the glamour of the spotlights of the stage.

While growing up in Owosso, Kim (Urick) Remenec not only dreamed of being a dancer but also of one day owning her own studio.

And after spending most of her life working towards that goal, Remenec has realized her life-long dream by taking over ownership of the Owosso and Chesaning locations of the Bohaty School of Dance. She has re-named the two studios Kim's Dance Dynamics.

Remenec just recently took over as owner and director of the Chesaning location when owner RenČe Bohaty, after 54 years of dance, which included 43 years of teaching, decided to hang up her dancing shoes.

"I am so lucky to have someone like Kim take over my classes. She is so dedicated to dance and has done a wonderful job with our competition dancers as well as with our preschool, beginner, and intermediate dancers. In my opinion she is the only teacher in this area qualified to teach the high caliber of dance people have come to expect from the Bohaty School of Dance," said Bohaty.

Remenec took over the Owosso studio last year from Donna (Bohaty) Hall who had operated that studio for over 40 years.

The Bohaty School of Dance continues to operate locations in St. Johns, run by Marva Bohaty, and Saginaw, run by Karolyn Bohaty, which Kim's Dance Dynamics will remain affiliated with.

Remenec, who is dedicated to the education and motivation of young dancers, through her knowledge and love of dance hopes to carry on the Bohaty tradition of offering quality dance education to area students.

And although she will be at the Owosso studio the majority of the time, Remenec plans to continue teaching one day a week at the Chesaning location, just as she did last year.

To help her teach the additional classes she has hired some of the best teachers in the area. Bethany Lenhart, former president, permanent examiner, and liaison for the Cecchetti Council of America will be conducting the advanced ballet classes while Suzanne MacSuga, a former professional dancer with Bally's Jubilee in Las Vegas will be teaching many of the younger children's recreational classes. MacSuga is also a former Bohaty dancer and has been an assistant teacher for the Bohaty studios in the past.

Marva Bohaty will also teach at the Owosso studio.

Plans are to hire more teachers as classes fill up and needs are determined.

Remenec continues to further her education and keep up-to-date on changes in the dance world by attending teacher workshops and conventions. She just this past week attended a studio owner's convention in Boston where she attended dance classes taught by professional choreographers including the legendary Joe Tremaine, along with attending business classes related to studio management.

Born and raised in Owosso, Remenec has devoted her life to the art of dance. She is an alumnus of the Bohaty School of Dance, training under Donna, Karolyn, and RenČe Bohaty since the age of four. She was also a member of Michigan State University's youth competitive gymnastic team.

While still in high school she began assistant teaching for Donna and Karolyn. After graduation she moved to Chicago to pursue a professional dance career.

While in Chicago Remenec was a founding member of the nationally acclaimed River North Dance Company, a professional dance company that tours the country and has performed at Lansing's Wharton Center.

Her performing experiences range from concert work with the company, to dinner theater shows such as "Phantom and the Superstars," industrials for Avia Footwear and Marshall Fields, commercial work, nightclubs such as Ditka's Citylights, and an eastern tour with ABC television. Her extensive training has taken her to Broadway Dance Center in New York, Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood, and the Lou Conte Dance Center in Chicago. Remenec received her teacher certification through the Cecchetti Council of America passing Grades I-V with High Honors.

Remenec has taught for Donna, RenČe, and Karolyn for the past 15 years. As co-director of the Bohaty School of Dance competition team for many years she has consistently trained students who have placed in the overall high score rankings at regional and national competitions while earning top choreography awards for her work.

She has also been completely in charge of the Showboat Dancers for the prestigious Chesaning Showboat Festival's nightly performances for past two years along with having many of her numbers chosen for the amateur act portion of the show.

This past year Remenec led the competition team, which consists of eighty-one dancers from the Chesaning, Owosso, and Saginaw studios of Bohatys and Kim's Dance Dynamics, through another successful regional competition season taking home $575 in cash prizes along with a multitude of top overall finishes.

Dominating both the Bravo National Talent competition in Walled Lake and the Starbound competition in Southfield was junior line acrobatic number Moscow Circus. The number placed first overall line at both competitions and won the prestigious Standing Ovation award at Bravo for the highest scoring junior dance of the entire competition. The win also include $250 in cash.

"One of the judges who owns Advanced Productions and Entertainment, a production company in Miami, took me aside after the awards to ask if the kids would come down to Florida and perform because she was 'blown away' by their performance," said Remenec. "Needless to say we were thrilled and are currently in contact as to how to make this happen. I was flattered that she thought so highly of the dance and my students since she works with and books Cirque de Soliel acrobats and gymnasts all the time. I am hoping the scheduling can be worked out because it would be a wonderful opportunity for the kids."

Other winning numbers included Sleepytime Medley which took first overall in the petite category (ages 8 and under) at both competitions winning a total of $250. Journey Thru America, a group that was new to competition this year, placed fourth overall in the petite category.

The junior line (12 and under) swept the overalls earning first, second, and third overall with dances Moscow Circus, Hot Chocolate, and Everytime. The junior group Oh Boy placed sixth overall while Bill Robinson Medley placed first overall in the solo category winning $50, and Stumbling won first overall in the junior duo division winning &75, followed closely by Devil Went Down to Georgia which came in third overall, and Charleston Medley which place fifth overall.

Senior competition members earned third overall for their acrobatic dance Take Me To The River and fourth overall with their jazz dance The Audition. Emily Smith earned third overall placement with her solo Weapon of Choice and the small group Dueling Banjos received second overall.

Remenec received top choreography awards at Bravo for her dances Bill Robinson Medley, Hot Chocolate, and Take Me To The River. She also received an Outstanding Choreography award for Moscow Circus at Starbound.

Members of the competition dance team are Allison Alderman, Hannah Baker, Hallie Ballard, Brooke Barone, Payton Beamish, Lauren Bohac, Ryan Bohac, Ellie Beck, Alyssa Bernard, Tarryn Blankinship, Delaney Coldiron, Samantha Chadwick, Grace Cheney, Larissa Crook, Katie Civille, Nichole Constine, Jessica Darland, Kendall Davenport, Sarah Dolan, Betsy Donohue, Danielle Dougherty, Torey Dunning, Kristen Dwan, Abbey Edwards, Tyleena Ellis, Taylor Engel, Nick Fredrick, Kaylee Garlick, Chelsea Gillett, Mara Gosen, Makayla Gotham, Courtney Greger, Melissa Greve, Audrey Hanna, Grace Hearth, Alexandra Herrera, Madison Howe, Martha Jacoby, Marissa Johnson, Brooke Judd, Jaime Kleinscmidt, Skylar Kleinscmidt, Kaycee Konopacke, Megan Konopacke, Erin Konopacke, Gabby Kujawa, Madeline Legg, Anna Ludka, Maria Ludka, Emily Maike, Brooke Malatinsky, Taylor Malatinsky, Makenna Martin, Morgan McSweyn, Jennifer Nicevski, Rachael Nicevski, Olivia Oakeley, Taylor Parks, Justine Peterson, Alexandra Radina, Jake Remenec, Darryn Robinson, Hope Rose, Brianna Sedlar, Cassandra Silvers, Emily Smith, Katilyn Springsdorf, Alexa Stechshulte, Shelby St. Souver, Mary Stasa, Kayla Stewart, Allison Stoney, Emily Streng, Katelyn Sullivan, Katie VanAkker, Amanda VanHuylenbrouck, Mindy Ward, Lilliana Wiederhold, Alysha Wiegold, Courtney Wociechowski, and Ryan Willis.

Remenec resides in Owosso with her husband Steve. The Remenecs have two children, son Jake, 13, and daughter Macy, 7, both of whom danced with the Bohaty School of Dance, and continue to dance for their mother. Jake is a member of several award winning competition numbers including Moscow Circus and the adagio duo The Devil Went Down To Georgia.

Kim's Dance Dynamics, with locations on Ball Street in Owosso and within the Peet Community Center on N. Saginaw Street in Chesaning, offers classes in tap, jazz, ballet, tumbling/acrobatics, lyrical, and pointe and will be taking registration for fall classes at both studios beginning August 1. For more information call 725-6665 or visit www.kimsdance.com





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