Kara Meier
~B.A.A. Broadcast and Cinematic Arts, Dance~
Kara N. Meier is the Owner and Artistic Director of L & L Dance Studio. The studio is has been sharing the love and art of dance for the past 17 years.
Kara has been teaching dance for over 22 years. She has been studying dance since the age of nine and is constantly keeping up to date on the dance world through conventions, workshops, intensives and webinars. By being a Product Specialist for Saab, Kara was able to travel around the U.S. working for the auto show circuit. While traveling she took master classes at The Lou Conte Dance Studio (Home of Hubbard Street Dance) in Chicago, The Center of Contemporary Arts (Coca) in St. Louis, and Zennon Dance Company.
Kara was a member of Orchesis Dance Company at Central Michigan University, under Yvette Crandall. She completed her B.A.A. with a minor in Dance and finished with honors.
At the age of eighteen, she started a summer dance program at Hurley Health and Fitness Center. She helped kids of all ages learn the basics of ballet and jazz and helped them gain appreciate for the art form. Throughout her early career, she would travel around the community in local schools and work with girls ages 6-12 with the Growing Up Girls Program. The program helped promote positive body images, healthy habits and overall confidence.
Kara has been an active Member of Chicago National Association of Dance Masters for the past 17 years. CLI Studios has been an active part in keeping her creativity fueled and up to date with the latest in the dance world. For quite a few years, the studio held on-line classes with CLI from Los Angeles with top choreographers in the industry to learn from.
L & L Dance Studio grew their competitive team 15 years ago. During this time, Kara has choreographed many award winning routines and top placements throughout her career.
A few fun dance facts from the past: Kara was a certified Zumba instructor and taught a few classes for MTV in 2010. Also classes from L & L Dance Studio where featured in Woman’s World Magazine for their Dancing Miracles Class.
Sharing her passion of dance with others is so important and a huge part of Kara’s life. She wrote and it created this piece 2019. It still stands true today for the studio and atmosphere the teaching staff aims to create each year.
“They walk through our doors a blank canvas. We never know what to expect but always have high expectations. It starts with a passion inside and it is our job to help it grow. We see the potential, we pray for the commitment. To reach their full potential it takes years, tears and fierce determination. They overcome depression, bullying, divorce, death, anxiety, health, fears and so much more than we could ever know. This space is their safe place. We guide them through months or years but no matter what, they always take a piece of our heart when they leave. Our greatest gift we can give them is our love and our time. Creating a dancer is never the same, it is never perfect, and always with its frustration from both sides. It is worth it, always worth it. Whether they take it somewhere it matters not, the experience, the discipline will help in so many other areas. Creating a dancer is a calling and a blessing from above. Creating a dancer is challenging but so rewarding. Creating a dancer is not just teaching them how to move, but how to be an artist in the most physical of ways. As an audience we know you have no idea what they have overcome to step out onto the stage and bare their soul. This is a glimpse of their story.”
A visual of the piece can be seen on L & L Dance Studio’s YouTube page.