Known as “Ms. Kenda” in the dance world, Kenda was formerly trained by Mr. Kelly Brown and the Phoenix School of Ballet. Kenda has an MFA from The Boston Conservatory and a BFA from Ottawa University. She has been in the professional dance world for over 28 years, performing, choreographing and instructing dance throughout the United States, Europe and Australia.Kenda is a former instructor of Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education, Arizona Ballet, Phoenix School of Ballet, Boston College and Boston University. Ms. Newbury has trained and performed with some of the world’s most influential artists and companies such as Stanley Holden, Mdm. and Msr. Messerrer, Jurgen Schneider, Jelko Yuresha, Sean Curran, Ralph Lemon, Gus Giordano, Luigi and Frank Hatchet and Ballet West, Phoenix Ballet, Chicago Lyric Ballet, Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble and Impulse Dance Company to name a few.
Ms. Kenda is the director of AZDance Group, a professional non-profit 501c(3) dance company integrating ALL populations. One of the company’s outreach programs, AZDance’s Movement E-Motion (MEM), is comprised of individuals with different abilities – performers aged 13 to seniors with Down Syndrome, Autism and/or physical challenges. The Mission of AZDance Group is to service the community by creating and producing professional dance performances of the highest quality, to nurture its artists and audiences and to contribute to the arts education of that community. For further details visit facebook.com/azdanceMEM orazdance.org; consider donating (through our secure Paypal link on our website) – Sponsor a Dancer with Downs! We need your financial help! AZDance Group and AZDance’s Movement E-Motion has a long list of accomplishments including being nominated to the Arizona Governor’s Arts Awards, Phoenix and Carefree Best Business from 2009 to present and performing throughout including in Poway, CA the past two years for Bender’s DANCEINSPIRATION, at Tempe Center for the Arts, The Orpheum Theater, Herberger Theater Center, Mesa Arts Center, and more. AZDance’s MEM group is a huge part of the company’s large-scale productions such as A JOYOUS CHRISTMAS (traditionally held over Thanksgiving weekend or first weekend of December) and the company’s spring concerts. AZDance’s Movement E-Motion (MEM) is successful due to the volunteer commitments of those assisting the MEM on stage, including Leah Dodd, Maggie Waller, Julisa Marin, Erin Tatum, Hiroko Perry, Shaeleigh O’Brien, Briana Santa Cruz, Linda Ramseyer, Nicole Person-Rennell, Katie Rennell and Trisha Wheeler. To hire this group at your next event, gala or showcase, contact the director. May you be inspired!