My name is Kim Black, but most people in
Alamance County, NC know me as "Miss Kim". I have taught tap
and ballet for 24 years, mostly to the younger dancers. I am
just like every other busy mom... four children, PTA mom,
Sunday school teacher, taxi car driver for the kids,
football and soccer mom.
I have the most rewarding job in the world - I turn
little girls into ballerinas! My approach to teaching young
dancers is through imagination. I love using imagination,
creating stories, and watching young children fall in love
with learning to dance. By using this approach, I can take a
rowdy class of 3-year olds, capture their attention and
engage them with my stories - they will begin learning
through imagination, walking in lines, forming circles, and
doing basic tap and ballet movements when they don't even
know it. To their parent's amazement, their child walks out
with a new found confidence, a sure sign that they just had
a great time and learned dance too! The best compliment to
me is when a little one asks, as I am hugging her goodbye
and giving her a sticker,"Can I come back and play?"
Miss Kim is who I am. Dancing since the age of 11, I was
awarded a scholarship from my local studio when I was 15. I
started teaching tap, ballet, and jazz at the age of 16. I
quickly realized that teaching the little ones was what I
loved the most. I continued teaching while attending East
Carolina University and taking dance classes. I have taken
master classes all over the east coast. I was inspired and
learned my technique from Millicent Linens, one of the best
dance teachers I know.
My experience as a mother to four wonderful children has
helped me understand how to relate to the preschool aged
youngsters. My students have also taught me how to be a
mommy too! Teaching is the ultimate for me, I get all the “I
love you’s, hugs, kisses, and “Miss Kim you are the best”...
what other job gives you that?
I have succeeded when I see a little one smile as they
leave.