Kathie Nejman
Tiny Dancers, Jazz, Tap & Musical Theatre
Kathie Nejman loves being a part of the fantastical emjaez family celebrating Season 20! Kathie has been at emjaez Dance Studio since Day 1 and couldn’t be more proud of her dancers and our amazing dance family.
Kathie grew up dancing and performing in the Greater Cleveland area and is proud to call it home to her dancing career. Kathie has been truly privileged to grow up studying under the renowned teacher and choreographer, Dee Hillier and was a proud member of the Dee Hillier Dancers, where she was instilled with a love of performance and an education of the dance legends. Her dance training also includes a ballroom background where she competed as a professional dancer and instructor. Kathie continues her dance education with an annual trip to NYC to take classes at the renowned Broadway Dance Center to bring her students the latest and greatest in teaching techniques and choreography.
Her teaching career spans over 30+ years and she is honored to teach and choreograph for numerous dance studios, performance teams and high schools throughout Northeast Ohio. Kathie has also had the honor of being a Teaching Artist for Playhouse Square’s Community Engagement and Education Department for almost 15 years. In 2019, Kathie was also brought on to the teaching staff of Playhouse Square’s Broadway Summer Camp, teaching along side the national touring company of “Come From Away”.
In 2010, Kathie was a Choreographer and Director/Stager for Norwegian Cruise Lines, based in Florida where she assisted in the installation of entertainment casts on various ships. Her choreography has been performed throughout their fleet of ships.
Kathie is most proud of being the founder of “Dancing For A Miracle”, a local performance fundraiser that invited Cleveland dancers to come together to help a child or family in need within our dance community. Over the years, “Dancing For A Miracle” had raised over $50,000, and has helped lighten the burden for some very special families. “We dance today, to give hope for tomorrow.”
Kathie hopes to always inspire and challenge every dancer she meets along the way with becoming their best self, to enjoy the journey and to share their gifts with the world with love and kindness at the forefront. <3