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KDA CELEBRATES NATIONAL DANCE DAY with COMMUNITY EVENT at DIGNITY HEALTH THEATER

KDA (Kern Dance Alliance) will host its National Dance Day celebration on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 10:00 am – 8:00 pm at Dignity Health Theater. The daylong dance convention will offer accessible classes, workshops, and seminars taught by local, national, and internationally renowned artists. National Dance Day 2026 is focused on celebrating movers of all ages, levels, and abilities and inspiring every walk of life to keep moving. The event will also feature a vendor marketplace open to the public and focused on health, wellness, the arts, and an improved quality of life.

The KDA National Dance Day will feature 40+ beginning-to-advanced $5 classes for children through adults in styles ranging from folklorico to line dance, hip hop to swing, ballet to tap, jazz, lyrical, musical theater, bachata, Charleston, Lindy Hop, Scandinavian folk dance, Zumba, Pilates, and more. Returning favorites include Seniors: Dancing Through the Decades, ADAPTIdance® for All, youth and family classes, college and high school dance team prep sessions, and classes led by international renown guest artists.

Taught by 25 Kern County dance instructors, as well as 5 celebrity dance artists representing many of America’s finest dance institutions, the event will offer the Kern County community an opportunity to to try a dance class for the first time or advance a dancers’ technique by training with today’s most respected instructors. National Dance Day 2026 is generously sponsored by KGET – Channel 17, Stockdale Podiatry Group, and Core Chiropractic.

ABOUT NATIONAL DANCE DAY Established in 2010 by American Dance Movement co-founder Nigel Lythgoe of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, National Dance Day is an annual celebration dedicated to dance that encourages people of all ages to incorporate movement into their lives. Celebrated nationally, KDA will host its community holiday at Dignity Health Theater.

NATIONAL DANCE DAY TICKETS + SCHEDULE National Dance Day tickets are ONLY $5 a class. To purchase National Dance Day tickets and view the full schedule, visit kerndance.org/DANCEDAY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION kerndance.org/DANCEDAY / email info@kerndance.org

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NATIONAL DANCE DAY 2026 (CONDENSED) ITINERARY

10:00 am – 8:00 pm – Classes, workshops, seminars, marketplace, and Open Stage

10:00 – 10:45 am – Mixed Level Zumba with Nesi Sheldon; Pilates Strength and Conditioning for Dancers with Stephanie Bartell-Vadas; Beg Hip Hop for Kids Ages 3–6 with Catalina Arias; Beg/Int Folklorico with Felisa Patiño-Longoria

10:45 – NDD PROCLAMATION with Mayor Karen Goh and local dignitaries

11:00 am – 12:20 pm – Pro Master Class: Int/Adv Musical Theater for Broadway with Jessica Lea Patty

11:00 – 11:50 am – Seniors: Dancing Through the Decades with Jennifer Thompson; Mixed Level Hip Hop with DAT Krew Academy; Beginning Ballet Ages 3–6 with Riley Juliet Thompson; Mixed Level Line Dancing with Joel Hoffman

12:30 – 1:50 pm – Pro Master Class: Int/Adv Ballet with Adji Cissoko

12:00 – 12:50 pm – ADAPTIdance® for All with Myka Steele; Mixed Level Lyrical with Meghan Boggess; Mixed Level Tap with Victoria Marchetti

2:00 – 3:20 pm — Pro Master Class: Int/Adv Ballet Pas De Deux with David Kim

1:00 – 1:50 pm – College Dance Team Prep for HS Students with Lauren Shearon; Mixed Level Ballet Ages 7+ with Kristen McLaughlin; ProLevel Connect Seminar with Jessica Powers; High School Pom Team Experience for Elem/Jr High Students with Rosanna Markham; Mixed Level Country Swing with Josh Harless

3:30 – 4:50 pm – Pro Masterclass: Int/Adv Hip Hop with Lil Buck

2:00 – 2:50 pm – Int/Adv Jazz Technique with Kaci Crowell; Mixed Level Hip Hop with Naomi Rivera; Mixed Level Musical Theater with Riley Juliet Thompson; Mixed Level Urban Bachata with Veronica Hidalgo

3:00 – 3:50 pm – Mixed Level Jazz with Valentina Serrano; Int/Adv Turns and Leaps with Mindi Schiefelbein; Mixed Level Scandinavian Folk Dance with Bernie Johansen

4:00 – 4:50 pm – Advanced Contemporary with Romy Hernandez; Beg/Int Contemporary with Riley Juliet Thompson; Movement is Therapy: Dancing in 3D with Andrew “Dance Fever” Jones; Mixed Level Lindy Hop Swing Dance with Tony Fraser and Suze DeArmond

5:00 – 6:20 pm – Pro Masterclass: Int/Adv Contemporary with Marissa Powers

5:00 – 5:50 pm – Beg/Int Adult Jazz Funk with Ashley Choate; Mixed Level Solo Charleston with Reuben & Pamela Sosa

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Jen Thompson

Vice President | Board Member

Jennifer Thompson is a proud Bakersfield native who fell in love with dance before she even started school. She grew up training under the guidance of renowned local instructor Georgia Peck, laying the foundation for a lifelong passion for movement and expression. Jennifer pursed her academic education with equal enthusiasm, earning both her BA and MA in English from National University. For over 20 years, she has worked as an English teacher with the Kern High School District, where ahe has inspired generations of students with her love of literature and language. Recently, she has decided to begin a new chapter-transitioning from teaching English to teaching dance. She is thrilled to channel her passion into helping build and strengthen the fine arts program, where she can continue to inspire students through the transformative power of the arts. In addition to her work in education, Jennifer has proudly served as a board member with Kern Dance Alliance for the past four years. She loves the opportunity to bring dance to her community, spreading joy and encouraging creative expression in people of all ages. Outside of the classroom and studio, Jennifer has raised two grown children who are now pursuing their own passions-a journey that continues to inspire her both personally and professionally. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her dogs, diving into a good book, and-of course-continuing to take dance classes herself.

Marcie Hronis

President | Board Member

Marcie Hronis is a distinguished author, dedicated arts advocate, accomplished business proprietor, and renowned interview specialist who resides in the vibrant community of Bakersfield, California.

With a dance career spanning nearly two decades, Marcie honed her craft through rigorous classical ballet training under the esteemed Royal Academy of Dance, achieving the pinnacle of her dance education with a distinction in the Advanced II examination. Marcie’s artistic journey included a passion for modern dance, where her formative training was shaped by the profound influences of Lester Horton and Martha Graham.

As the proprietor of Marcie Hronis Communications, she has garnered accolades and recognition as an award-winning interview coach, serving a diverse clientele across the nation.

Marcie is a published author, having penned the highly acclaimed vegan cookbook titled “Believe it or Not” available worldwide on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Wal-Mart.

Furthermore, Marcie has assumed the esteemed position of President of Kern Dance Alliance, stepping into this role in 2023 following the legacy of Andrea Hansen. Her enduring commitment to the organization is exemplified by her role as a founding board member. Additionally, she has played a pivotal role as one of the co-creators of ADAPTIdance: DANCE + DISABILITY, Kern County’s exclusive adaptive dance program in collaboration with the League of Dreams.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Marcie shares her life with her husband, Demetri, and together, they are parents to two children. Both of their children are engaged in pursuits ranging from classical dance, singing, and piano, to the expressive world of painting.