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Educate. Empower. Inspire.

KATHY COSTA MCKEOWN

Educator l Small Business Owner 

Stage-Ready, Life-Ready ™ Method Creator

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Kathy Costa McKeown is the creator of the Stage-Ready, Life-Ready™ method, an empowering, anatomy-informed approach to dance education that blends technical excellence with emotional, physical, and social development. Over three decades at her acclaimed DanceWorks Studios in Montclair, New Jersey, Kathy developed this method as a healthy, transformative alternative to the high-pressure, trophy-driven culture of competitive dance.

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A graduate of Montclair State University with a BFA in Dance, Kathy brings deep expertise in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, and Creative Choreography, giving each student a versatile and expressive foundation. Her method helps dancers excel on stage while building resilience, teamwork, and confidence rooted in body literacy and movement science. Students learn how to work with their bodies, not against them, reducing injury and enhancing self-awareness from the inside out.

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Especially impactful for teen girls navigating social media and comparison culture, Stage-Ready, Life-Ready™ fosters a supportive, non-competitive environment where dancers are seen, heard, and empowered. Rather than being ranked or judged, they are encouraged to grow through process, expression, and community.

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The result is a new kind of dancer — one who is strong, expressive, and ready for whatever comes next, both on stage and in life. Through Kathy’s internationally touring teen company, her philosophy reaches far beyond Montclair, inspiring the next generation to lead with purpose, integrity, and joy.

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Featured in a Major Motion Picture

Kathy and her beloved DanceWorks Studios are making their film debut in The Housemaid, directed by Paul Feig and starring Sydney Sweeney, premiering December 25, 2025.

 

In a role that reflects her real life, Kathy appears as a dance teache rand is filmed on location in her actual studio.

 

This on-screen moment highlights the authenticity and emotional depth of her teaching style and will introduce her method to audiences worldwide.

Global Dance Outreach & Touring Experience

As Artistic Director of DanceWorks & Company, Kathy has led her all-girl teen touring company to international stages in London, Barcelona, Milan, Athens, and Rome.

 

She believes in dance as a tool for connection, growth, and healing — values reflected in her outreach work in Cape Town, South Africa, and in refugee camps in Beirut, where she has taught movement to children through trauma-informed, arts-based healing.


Her Stage-Ready, Life-Ready™ method stems from these global insights, blending elite training with cross-cultural empathy and a deep sense of purpose.

Certifications, Author, Continued Learning

Kathy is a certified Life Coach specializing in youth and young adults, and the author of How to Heal a Cracked Heel; Let’s Google It.

 

She also holds certifications in Pilates Mat and The Ellové Technique, and continues to refine her teaching through ongoing professional development in New York City.


Her understanding of anatomy-informed movement is a key pillar of her method, helping students build strength, avoid injury, and learn to work with their bodies — rather than against them.

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Board Affiliations & Awards

Kathy serves on multiple influential arts boards including:

  • Dance New Jersey (Board Member)

  • NJPAC Advisory Council for Dance

  • Montclair Dance Festival (Board Member)


Her contributions to the arts have been recognized with the Del Keiffner Award, Best of Montclair Dance Studios and inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who, honoring her decades of impact in dance education and youth mentorship.

Speaking Style & Mission

Kathy is known for her honest, humorous, and heart-centered voice.

 

She speaks passionately on topics including:

  • Teaching Dance for Life, Not Just the Stage

  • Creating Resilient Dancers in a Comparison Culture

  • Mentorship and Emotional Safety in the Arts

  • Dance as a Global Connector

  • Anatomy-Informed Movement for Young Dancers


Whether on stage, on screen, or on a panel, Kathy inspires audiences to move with purpose — and live with joy.

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