KLJ Movement, Performance and Dance Company Members
Kyra Johnson
Founder & Executive Director
Kyra Johnson (she/her) started dancing at the age of 10, however, her mother would say moving started in the womb. She began her training locally from studios and dance teams. Ms. Johnson continued her advancement in dance and earned a BA in Dance and a BS in Psychology from University of Wisconsin Stevens Point (UWSP). She has a foundation in styles of modern, jazz, hip hop, and ballet. Following her Dance degree, Ms. Johnson has been a member and choreographed twice for Madison Contemporary Dance. She continued development at Barrio Dance Studio in Madison, WI, where she performed in a music video for D Major Music and was an instructor. Outside of dance, Ms. Johnson is Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT).
Madalin Berube
Company Lead
Originally from Minnesota, Madalin (She/Her) grew up dancing from a very young age and continued to carry her curiosity and desire to dance into adulthood. She received her BA in Dance from University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, where she studied numerous styles including modern, ballet, jazz, and improvisation, broadening her technical skill set and artistic expression. After receiving a scholarship to study Early Childhood Dance Education at the 92nd Street Y in New York, she found her calling as an educator. She is currently teaching at Preschool of the Arts (PSA), and has a passion for working with all ages through various forms such as choreography, movement workshops, and dance films.
Aczareyen Lyles
Company Assistant
My (he/him) passion for dance started at a very young age. My grandmother used to take me to the dance studio while her and my godfather rehearsed swing dance routines for hours on end. As I got older I began to take the route of music, however, dance was always what I was drawn back to. During my teenage years I trained and took classes in the area before starting to compete. I currently train and teach ballet, jazz, majorette and more! Dance has made me a very determined and resilient person. During my journey as a dancer I have heard “No.” a lot. It’s made me fight that much harder to be who I am today at 25! I wouldn’t change a single thing about my path. I have the opportunity to not only coach dance, but to be a performer again as well. Nothing will ever be out of my reach as long as I continue to learn, grow, and execute. Being a company member at KLJ Movement has provided so many opportunities for me. I’m looking forward to my personal growth and the growth of this incredible organization.
“Tenacity”
The quality of being very determined; persistent forward momentum with a game plan; to never stop trying to achieve a goal even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
Mara Rosenberg
Mara was born in and grew up dancing in Madison, WI. She trained at the Madison Professional Dance Center. She danced competitively for three years. After high school, Mara performed professionally with Madison Contemporary Dance. She attended Grinnell College receiving a Bachelor's in Sociology, as well as completing college dance courses and performing with the dance ensemble. Mara has taught dance for the past 9 years, focusing on healthy physiology and empowerment through all styles and levels. She is now dancing for KLJ Movement and teaching dance in the community.
Register for classes
Our Movement workshop series are 5 week sessions, in styles of hip hop, heels, modern, and jazz (adults only). Go to our company programs tab, under Movement Workshops.
Our Scholar Dance Program registration has officially closed!