Kelli Gautreau is changing the world one dance video at a time through her brilliant foundation “Dancing 4 Change”. “Dancing 4 Change” is a group of artists and dancers who work together to create videos that help raise awareness for various important causes. Kelli believes that the visual arts have the ability to change minds, open hearts and bring people together. Kelli and her group of dancers, who are all young minds brought together because of their love for dance and change, are passionately changing the world one music video at a time.
Kelli grew up in Ontario, Canada. In her hometown, at the age of five, she started learning ballet, jazz, tap, and gymnastics in her mother’s dance studio (The Broadway Dance Academy). Kelli realized dance and jazz were her true calling, so she furthered her love for the craft by getting a BFA in music dance theatre from Brigham Young University. After graduating, she became apart of the jazz faculty at her own university. She became a certified dance teacher under the British Association of Teachers of Dancing and taught young dancers across north and south America.
After Kelli completed her BFA she moved to New York so she could further her dance career, and to run Dancing 4 Change.
What is Kelli Gautreau’s personal life like?
Kelli is happily married and is a dancer, choreographer, director, animal lover, and food enthusiast. She has an older sister and loves her three nephews. She has a Morkie named Punky. She lives and works in New York.
What are Kelli Gautreau’s biggest accomplishments?
Kelli has been in love with dancing since she first started learning how to, in her mother’s academy. She knew she wanted to be a professional dancer at 10. At 15 years old, she was awarded a scholarship from a dance competition in Canada and that allowed her to go to a workshop in NYC for a week. She moved to NYC, (having the loved the city for a very long time) the day she graduated. She has taught dance in Brigham Young University and Five Towns College in NYC. She has performed all over the USA and has taught dance all over the world. She will be performing in a Broadway Benefit this March, the cast of which is full of celebrity names. The performance will be to raise money for Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids.
Kelli loves teaching children and choreography. Dancing 4 Change allows her to pursue both of her passions. She believes that keeping a goal-oriented mentality has helped her reach success.
What is unique about Kelli’s foundation, “Dancing 4 Change”?
Dancing 4 Change is the first of its kind. Kelli comments that they deliver public service messages in the form of dance. Instead of listening to a topic, children can watch their films and experience the message for themselves through visual arts. Dancing 4 Change has made several informative and beautiful films. The first of which is (See Me) I’m In Here! which was to help raise awareness for teenagers facing isolation because of mental illness. Among several other notable films was (Stop) Cyber Bullying!, a film aimed at helping children see the dangers of cyberbullying. (Our) Little Secret! is focused on helping children see the dangers of predators online.
Kelli comments that some of the subject matter visualized in their films may make people uncomfortable. However, she believes the topics that make people uncomfortable usually need to be discussed the most.
Has Kelli suffered any tragedies in her life?
Kelli comments that she has been lucky and has never had to face a tragedy in her personal or professional life. However, the hardest and most frustrating thing she has had to go through has been her journey of getting an American green card. She applied three times and was rejected the first two. She has only been accepted this year and is finally going back to Canada to celebrate Christmas with her family in February. Kelli says everything that could have possibly gone wrong with the procedure did go wrong the first two times. She says she has hired and fired more lawyers then anyone her age could have. However, despite the complications, her story has a happy ending.
What are Kelli Gautreau’s goals for the future?
Kelli wishes to change the world. While people tell her this dream is too big, she is not discouraged. Her short term goal is to collaborate with Alyssa Milano, Mia Michaels and PINK.
Does Kelli Gautreau have any words of wisdom to share?
Kelli lives by the following quotes and believes anything is possible if you put your mind to it;
“You can do anything you put your mind to”.
“It’s not over until you say it is. There is ALWAYS a way”.
“If you want something bad enough, you can have it”.
“A rich life is one you spend with family and friends”.
How is Kelli Gautreau making the world a better place?
Kelli hopes “Dancing 4 Change” and its videos will make the world a safer and better place. She lives by the foundation’s motto, “Raising awareness one DANCE step at a time”. She plans to make the world a better place with each film “Dancing 4 Change” makes.