Happy Birthday Kati!

There are few of us in the current DBDC Performing Group who have been there since the beginning. When I first met Kati in 2009 she was almost a child, barely 18 years old. It has been a privilege to witness her growing into this beautiful woman and amazing dancer she is now. Kati is one of the most talented and sweetest people I have ever met but she is also one who never makes any noise about herself. Among all the flamboyant extroverts we naturally have many in the performing group she is more introvert and quiet one, very modest and humble by nature. I sometimes have the feeling that she doesn’t even realise herself how important and amazing she is. As today is her birthday I wanted to dedicate this blog to Kati and make her stand in the spotlight she really deserves to stand in.

Kati during our first show ever (2010)

When you see Kati on stage you would never know that she hadn’t really been dancing at all before she first joined Danny’s classes. When she dances she lights up and shines brighter than probably any of us. Her moves are always beautiful and elegant and there is nothing forced about her dancing. It all comes from inside, from the passion towards Indian and many other styles of dancing she is always eager to try out an bring into her own choreos as well.

Kati's elegance on stage in Estonia show (2014)

Kati is not only a dancer, she has also become a very talented choreographer and dance teacher (watch the video below to see what I mean). She is so far the only choreographer (besides Danny of course) in DBDC whose choreos we have also performed. She teaches her own Bollywood Elegance classes and is in lead of the kids classes and kids performing group as well. 

Kati is one of the full time employees at the DBDC studios. You would think that teaching Bollywood elegance twice a week, kids classes thrice a week, b-burn class once a week plus leading the kids performing group (B-Star Girls) would keep one woman busy enough but there is so much more to Kati. Before she became a professional dancer and choreographer she studies to be a graphic designer. And I must add that she really stands out as an artist and graphic designer as well! This woman is someone you would call a multitalent – she stands out in everything she does. If you see any posters on the studio walls or any advertisment in Facebook or other social media, that is usually Kati’s work of art as well.

Samples of Katis graphic designer skills

And her amazingness doesn’t end there. She is not only a graphic designer but costume designer as well. Most of our recent costumes are her designs  as well as all the kids costumes. And she not only designs but takes care of all the other practicalities from taking the measurements of dancers to organizing the fittings  and all the coopeation that needs to be done with our tailor.

The red costume is one of my favorites designed by Kati

This is still not everything. Earlier I wrote a post about DBDC after school club and Kati is also part of that. She is one of the teachers in the club and on top of all the work she is currently studying to become a physical education assistant. When I first met Kati she was almost a child. Now she is a role model for all the kids in her class and in DBDC after school club. All the little girls adore her and many have said they want to be just like her when they grow up. They try to mimic her style of dancing and I'm sure in future years, when her kids start to take over the adults performing group, we will definitely see Kati's impact even stronger than we see today. 

Kati with her B-Star Girls

It shouldn’t be unclear anymore why this young woman deserves all the appraisal and also gratitude of the rest of us who would many times be in big trouble without Kati. When we have the busiest practice seasons for bigger events she doesn’t count the work hours and sometimes she seems to be working day and night. Yet she never complains. And she never fails. And like I said she never makes any noise about herself.

So today I want to make noise about Kati. She seems to be a superwoman and since she always works like a train people probably don’t even notice that she also gets tired sometimes. But, I have to repeat, she never complains. Or never seeks any attention. I think this could also be the reason why it is not always so easy for everyone to even realize how much she works for everyone else. I have sometimes asked how she does all this and the answer seems to be very clear to her. She is living her dream. DBDC has given her to fullfill her dreams, even the ones she probably didn’t even dare to dream about before. There is fire and passion inside her that drives her ahead, such creativity in her mind and her heart that most of us can only dream of.

There is fire inside her

Today is her birthday but I cannot publish this before evening. In DBDC we have had the habit of surprising our dedicated  members on their birthdays with cakes and other surprises  but I’m not sure if even after all these years Kati expects anything from us on this day. She is organizing her own birthday party although even if she hadn’t done that we surely would’t have let her birthday pass without a good celebration. But we will surprise her in another way tonight. This blog is part of the surprise. This is just one way to tell her how much she means to us and how much gratitude we own to her. I know we are often busy and don’t say outloud the things that we think in our minds but I hope after tonight it won’t be unclear to Kati that we love her and  thank her for everything she has done and for everything she is to us. I feel honored to have been there to witness her growth from this shy little girl into a beautiful, powerful, elegant, goofy, adorable young woman she is now. Kati never was an ugly duckling but today she definitely is a swan.

Happy Birthday to world’s most amazing Kati!!

The Beautiful swan she is today

DBDC After School Club - Play, Learn And Dance Together!

If you ever step into DBDC studio during weekday afternoons you might be welcomed with bunch of little dancers going all ”Boom kah boom boom kah” – in other words DBDC after school kids club practising their dance number to the latest favorite hit songs of the age group of about 7-8-year-olds. I have been really impressed by the excitement and enthusiasm I encounter every time I have had the chance to visit the studio during this time so I decided I need to find out a little bit more. First of all how does a dance studio turn into a kids club all of a sudden? And what do the kids think about the concept.

Danny is the mastermind behind most creative new ideas at DBDC. At one point he was working at an English language play school where he noticed that many parents came to pick up their children already in a hurry to reach their dance practises or other hobbies that take place in the evenings. Working with kids has always been one of DBDC’s top priorities and once the studio was opened in Tullintori, Danny and his crew started to work on  the idea of creating the most fun after school club there is: a club that combines afternoon care of the youngest school kids with hobbies and learning English (the club language is English although the staff speaks Finnish as well). So when the kids are in the DBDC After School Club,  they don’t necessarily need to rush to other hobbies in the evenings since there is dance class or some other activity each day in the club itself.  Wonderful opportunity to save some time and energy for both parents and the kids!

But what do the kids think? I spent one afternoon with them trying to find out what DBDC after school club is like from their point of view.

We <3 Bollywood!

Elli and Maia, 1st graders from Tammela School praise ”Miss Kati’s Dance Classes”. By that the girls mean Bollywood  dance class that takes place every Monday. Bollywood is not the only dance style the kids learn but it seems to be the most popular one especially among the girls. Boys like Urho, Daniel and Niilo vote for Hip Hop although they seem to be very excited about the ”agent” and ”superman” routines in the Bollywood classes too. The weekly menu offers ballet classes as well. Elli and Maia who both do ballet also in their free time explained with sparkling eyes that at DBDC ballet is not as strict and in many ways it is more fun because it includes more playing and less technique than their regular dance classes.  

So they have all these wonderful dance classes but it doesn't end there! Aliya told me that dance is not the only thing they learn at DBDC. Once a week they have yoga class too. Aliya told me she likes yoga because stretching is good for you. Smart kids in the club! The Club has weekly schedule and different dance or yoga class or games or crafts each day. Everything about the club is very organized and it is amazing that even though the kids are clearly having so much fun and so many activities, things never get out of control. Respect towards the common rules is clear. In the weekly schedule there is enough time for free play as well. 

Daniel planning the next move

Aline and Niilo told me that they especially love to draw. Daniel on the other hand loves to play chess and he often challenges the other boys or Mr. Santhosh or Mr. Danny for a match or two. Aliya said she likes ”just to play” with her friends and kids are happy about the fact that when they go outside at the end of the day they can play in the closeby Sorsapuisto park.

After talking to the kids I was really impressed by the excitement with which they talked about their after school club. When I was wondering if there is still something else I might want to know, Maia reminded me about the fact that they have nice snack every day and that is one of the best things about the club in her opinion. I also found out one thing that every single kid without exceptions seems to love: the Friday Movie time.

Drawing made for Danny.

So the kids love their after school club, no doubt about it. But what about parents? I asked some of them few questions as well and they convinced me that DBDC after school club really is something different. Initially parents chose to register their child with the DBDC club for the obvious reasons of dance, international environment and possibility to learn English. But in the end what they are most happy about is the wonderful atmosphere of the club that is not easy to put into words but you have to see and experience it yourself. They have managed to create a special kind of group identity and kids find joy in simply being part of the "Danny's group". Parents are really happy with the club teachers and the special humor they have created with the kids. The after school club is their common "thing", something they are all proud of being part of. 

My son is starting school this year and I have to say I am sad that his school isn’t close to Tullintori so that I could register him in the DBDC club. Kids are being picked up by the after school club staff from three schools closeby Tullintori (Juhannuskylän koulu, Tammelan koulu and Sammon koulu). But luckily DBDC organises a summer club for 6-10-year-olds so also the kids who are not in these three schools can join the fun in the summertime (needles to say my children are already registered for the summer).

There are also good news for kids and parents in Hervanta: DBDC After School Club is expanding to Hervanta and will start operating in Vapaa-aikakeskus in August 2015. Registration is open right now for both Tullintori and Hervanta clubs. You can find more info about the after school club and the summer club in www.dbdcdance.com.

Danny and the gang! 

Quite a Start for 2015

Oops, the blog has been quiet for a long time but I do have a good excuse. Or a number of them actually. There has been so many great things going on that I just forgot to update this one. 

Like I said in the previous post, most of us took a well deserved holiday in India during Christmas and New Year. Amazing trip with full of adventures and quality time together. Batteries were properly loaded and we headed back to Finland full of energy.

Above: Fun times at Marina Beach in Chennai
Below: We got the chance to visit the shooting of Jodi No. 1 Show in Chennai and spend some time with Loyola Dream Team.

It didn't take long after our return to Finland when we already pulled on our performing costumes and hit the stage. We even had our first TV show of the year already when we visited Kingi as Aku Hirviniemi's back up dancers. One of the most fun shows ever!

It is not only performing that is fun: in tv shows some of the most memorable moments happen backstage and off cameras.

Fun is also the right word to describe our first flash mob of the year which took place in the University Hospital (Tays). They had work wellbeing themed week there and we definitely succeeded in bringing some smiles on the faces of the nurses and doctors and other hospital staff when we surprised them with our dance during their lunch hour. We are always happy to find ways to bring joy to those who need it the most so it was wonderful to do this flash mob for all these people whose work is so important and demanding and not always the most cheerful kind. 

Flashmobbing :)

We have also had some lovely events at our home base, the DBDC studio. Open doors day in January was a success and it was delightful to see so many new people to find the joy of Bollywood and lose themselves to dance. The same happened last weekend when the studio was filled with heart shaped balloons and all kinds of Valentine's day treats - like the special Valentine's day Stardom class where we got to dance with the balloons (small sample video can be found here) or the crazy photo booth that encouraged both kids and adults to fool around with some funny props. 

Photo Fun during Valentine's Day

DBDC kids have been keeping busy as well. The studio is full of action when the afterschool club kids take over the dance hall in the afternoons. B-Star girls have put on a whole new gear with their dance practice and enthusiasm to perform. They have improved a lot during the years and have become quite professional performers as well, making the crowds dance and shout during their after show workshops. I think it won't be long before 2nd generation of DBDC'ers take over the big stages.

B-Star Girls rocking the stage in Karosen koulu, Tampere

It is hard to believe the year is only in the beginning and we have already done all of this. I have a feeling it is going to be one wonderful DBDC year again!