Kanyok Arts Initiative Expands Educational Offerings With A Gap Year Training Program Ahead Of Fifth Anniversary Season

Kanyok Arts Initiative, , an intimate New York City training program that bridges aspiring artists from the studio to the professional stage through a re-imagined "triple-threat" curriculum, announces the KAI GAP YEAR, a year long program to support extended dance, acting, and voice training for recently graduated high school seniors. The program will begin in September 2022, as part of the Initiative's Fifth Anniversary season.

After an extensive performance career across Broadway, founder and director Laurie Kanyok has brought her professional experience to redefine dance education, mentoring her students and encouraging them to push boundaries in their technique and performance potential. While many KAI graduates have been accepted into prestigious college programs, conservatory programs, and have booked Broadway and regional shows, the KAI GAP YEAR program is designed to provide a launch pad of extended training, mentorship, and preparation to students who want to dive deeper into their craft and consider where in the industry they will excel in the most during a particularly pivotal year. In addition to more than 20 hours of technique classes per week in multiple styles of dance, voice and acting, the training program will also offer additional coaching, audition workshops with top NYC casting directors, physical therapy and maintenance seminars, resume building, college application and submission guidance, career direction, internship opportunities and more.

"Dancers of today have a very different landscape than we did when we were young. Their options are much broader," explains Kanyok. "Every teenager is different and making decisions like spending 4 years in college or entering into the professional realm should be carefully examined and supported," she continues. "I fully support the ones that need a little extra time to weigh these decisions, which for some may seem monumental and daunting," she continues. "For others, a gap year might mean spending a year outside of a competition dance studio to refine technique and fully prepare themselves for a career in the arts. We help all our students to look at these decisions with an open eye and we arm them with the tools that best serve them for a career in the arts."

"I joined KAI in its inaugural year, commuting to NYC as a high school student to train at KAI and have now joined the CATS Broadway National Tour, which I solely credit to this program," adds KAI graduate Brianna Kim. "With the pandemic hitting during the end of my senior year of high school, I made the decision to take a gap year and continue training at KAI. Without the guidance, support, and continued mentorship from Laurie and the entire faculty, I would have never had the opportunity or been able make the decision to move directly from pre-professional to beginning my journey as a professional performer. I continue to reach out to Laurie and all my teachers who I truly look up to for advice, as they themselves have incredible industry experience, and am always excited to update them as I tour."

For more information or to audition for KAI GAP YEAR placement, visit https://kanyokartsinitiative.com or contact info@kai-nyc.com.