Factory? gets a new boss

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Oregon woman is new owner of J.J.?s Dance in Perrysburg
PERRYSBURG
? A new owner is twirling into J.J.?s Dance Factory.
J.J.?s owner and director, Jacquelyn Searfoss, is retiring in February, after running the business for 28
years. That?s when Kati Kerekes will officially take over the business.
She?s getting her feet wet as J.J.?s dance director starting now.
?This is a new venture for me,? Kerekes, who is 26, said from her Oregon home. ?I was looking to start
something on my own after teaching at Toledo Ballet for awhile.?
She plans to give J.J.?s a facelift, inside and out.
Down the road, Kerekes said she would like to offer more workshops to dancers, rounding out their
learning experience so
?they get more than a dance routine out of it.?
She?s already making good on the workshop promise, bringing in former Detroit Pistons dancer Christian
Medel into the studio for a hip-hop lessons this week.
Kerekes has been dancing since before she could tie tap shoes, at age 3. As she got older, she traveled
the country, taking classes and teaching. She ended up back in Northwest Ohio, taking classes at Bowling
Green State University.
Some of her favorite dance memories are learning from Tammy Metz-Starr and Halifu Osumare at BGSU.
?That was a very life-altering experiencing taking a class from her,?
Kerekes said of Osumare. She said the teacher had a way of connecting dance through mind, body and soul.

Kerekes has experience working with people of all ages and all ranges of ability. Her previous pupils
have included persons from Lott Industries, senior citizens and children as young as 2 1/2.
?I really just try to do it all and give the gift of dance in whatever possible way you can.?
Kerekes can teach about any type of dance class.
?I?m trained in tap, jazz, ballet, modern contemporary, but my passion is modern-contemporary and hip
hop. That?s my most fun to teach.
It?s just really fun. I respect the history and culture that come with it.?
Hip-hop, she said, is an American-based genre and has become popular in the years that she?s been
teaching.
?The kids love it and there?s just that connection in class.?
Earlier this month Kerekes traveled to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to attend a Dance Educators
of America conference. She got a chance to learn from Raymond Lukens, a faculty member of the American
Ballet Theatre, and other professionals in almost every different dance genre. She also attended
workshops on running a dance business.
?It?s just a wonderful weekend for me as a dancer, a teacher and a choreographer,? Kerekes said.
This is the second summer for her to participate in the UNLV program, which has a three-term
certification, she said.
J.J.?s Dance Factory offers ballet, pointe, lyrical, modern dance, jazz, tap, hip-hop and combination
classes for 3-6 year olds. Approximately 100 students are enrolled.
The studio is located at 27072 Carronade Dr. For more information call (419) 874-9401 or visit www.jjsdancefactory.com.

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