Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Bratt.
Hi Kate, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Never did I ever think I’d be teaching ballroom dancing and have a “huge” family, but here I am. Being “energetic” as a child, my parents put me in gymnastics and from sixth grade until college, it was school, gymnastics, and working part-time. I loved being active and having lots of things to do juggle, so I suppose I manifested my current era from a young age. I started ballroom dancing at 20 years old after getting “too old” for gymnastics. I took one lesson and fell in love with moving to music, the character of the different dances, socializing with friends, and the huge variety of goals one could have. I danced as a student with my teacher, then found several amazing amateur partners and competed with them nationally, then started teaching and competing professionally. In 2006, I met my husband when he started working at the same studio, Dancers Studio, when it was in the old fire station on Snelling Avenue in Saint Paul. We have taught and competed together since, all while raising eight children (yes, they’re all biologically ours). In 2020, we bought Dancers Studio from the previous owners and moved into Sibley Plaza by the MSP airport. We’re continuing the legacy of the near-40-year-old studio by teaching ballroom dancing to people of all ages and abilities, by making it fun and easy!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has NOT been a smooth road. The daily struggles of being parents and married are compounded by being business partners and competitive dance partners. Luckily, I think Gordon is smart, talented, hard-working, a great husband and father, and is generally amazing, so when we have all these plates in air, we do our best to communicate to keep them all in the air!
Beyond the usual spinning of plates, in 2020, the former venue for our studio was condemned from damage during the civil unrest of that year, not to mention shutdowns from COVID, and our son was diagnosed with a rare disease. 2020 was not a great year. We had to make some tough decisions, but I like where we are headed (and our son is doing great).
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Teaching ballroom dance is my main job and it’s always interesting. I get to meet and work with people from all walks of life. Partner dancing is such a great artistic outlet, but it also gives people a platform for socializing, building their own creativity, and instilling confidence, along with many awesome mental and physical benefits!
I love teaching beginners. It’s fascinating to see how to get different people dancing, especially if they don’t have a background in music or movement. I love seeing young and old go from their first tentative steps to being able to wing a dance at a social function, or perform at a dance event. I also teach high level, competitive students; it is fun to work on the finer techniques, diagnose problem areas, and work on performance and competitive skills with these talented dancers.
I’m most proud to have been able to bring the joy of ballroom dancing to an ever-increasing volume of people. We persevered through the challenges of the last few years and are building our studio into a welcoming, growing, and successful community. While it seems old-fashioned, ballroom dancing is a great way to connect face to face in our digital world and the arts are endlessly important to preserve our connections with one another.
What’s next?
I’m hoping to continue building Dancers Studio’s attendance, visibility, and reputation to be the best ballroom dance studio around. In 2026, we’ll be increasing our youth program offerings with more age groups, levels, and dances offered. I’m planning a dance camp for ballroom dancers (beginners and veterans alike) and, of course, to throw some great parties and performances for the local communities.
My husband and I plan on competing throughout 2026 and beyond. Our style has gotten so much more artistic and athletic, it has evolved a lot since our first competition 18 years ago; the challenge of keeping up with the other couples (often half our age) is a blessing! I love getting to work with coaches to improve my understanding of each style and increase my technical prowess, as well.
On the family front, my oldest offspring is headed to college next year, which is HUGE! I’m so proud of all of my kids, with their myriad of personality traits, and I can’t wait to see what they each do next.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dancersstudio.com
- Instagram: dancersstudiomn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dancersstudio
