a letter from Jessica Millete (Co-Founder and Regional Executive Director for KCVA) to the KODACHROME Family ​

On behalf of the KODACHROME Virginia Staff, I would like to thank everyone who came to our Season IV Finale: Workshop VII hosted by the University of Virginia. We ended the season with a great reminder of why KODACHROME exists. Wendy Richardson has only been dancing for a year, so she was nervous to be teaching for the first time. Because of the support and encouragement she received from her dance crew and the excited KODACHROME dance community, she was able to gain confidence in sharing her passion. David Thomas was our guest choreographer from out of town who emphasized that dance is a feeling and that you should dance for yourself. By being a great teacher, he showed that if a piece is broken down clear enough, first-time dancers will still be able to kill the piece. He made himself approachable before, throughout, and after the workshop to everyone. He was an example that even the most talented choreographers and teachers can remain humble. 

As a co-founder, seeing the growth over the past four years still amazes me. To the supporters: Thank you for coming to each workshop (sometimes every weekend!), whether it’s KODACHROME VA, KODACHROME NC, weekly crew workshops, special event workshops etc. KODACHROME exists because you are our inspiration: you train, practice, travel great distances, and grow closer to your dance family with each dance event. We want to see you succeed not only as a dancer, but in life. To the KODACHROME staff (Virginia and North Carolina): Thank you for your commitment, creativity, and teamwork. There is so much detail and thought put into everything behind the scenes. You all are vital to every successful workshop; KODACHROME would not be what it is now without your skill and dedication. 

I am excited for the future of KODACHROME. Our staff will continue to work hard to bring you a quality and unique experience and we hope to see you continue to Express Yourself and Expose Dance. See y’all at the Summer Workshops and KCVA Season V/KCNC Season III!

a letter from David Curameng (Regional Executive Director for KCNC) to the KODACHROME Family

A simple thank you isn’t enough.  From the teachers, fellow colleagues, our network of supporters, and our fellow peers, your contributions really have defined what KODACHROME is about.  If you have attended just one KODACHROME workshop, you already know it is more than just taking dance classes.  A KODACHROME workshop is about your experience, pushing past your physical limitations, and simply enjoying the LIFE that you have and the people around you.  I sincerely hope you have enjoyed this season as much as the KODACHROME staff and representatives have.  The KODACHROME team and I wanted to bring so many things to the community.  We wanted to challenge you in learning new dance styles.  You succeeded.  We wanted you to learn more than just choreography.  You gained experience and insight from the teachers.  We wanted to make sure you had the opportunity to express yourself.  You provided your story by dancing and sharing your time with us.  Together, we were able to learn so much more about each other.  This season was dedicated to building family. 

To the KODACHROME North Carolina community, I am so proud to see how far we’ve come and how much further we continue to go!  It’s hard to believe that the years of the intense dance rivalries and regional divisions, especially from my college era (2004-2009), are of distant memory now.  Since that time, I am grateful that my peers continue to take a chance and support each KODACHROME event.   I’ve witnessed improvement in dance vocabulary, heightened desire to work more collaboratively, and sustained hungriness (and willingness) to travel all across the state (and even out of state) to take the next dance class!   More importantly, I’ve witnessed the breakdown of rivalries, development of personal character, and peers finding responsibility to lead a positive impact in the community.  Where people used to be shy or tense to approach someone they didn’t know, I see these very same dancers openly reach out to new faces with open arms at every KODACHROME workshop.  I am proud to say that the KODACHROME NC community has become a family of its own. 

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​To the KODACHROME Virginia community, thank you for your support to KCNC.  From the KCVA staff helping out my team in our early years to fellow KCVA workshop attendees more than willing to travel a few extra miles down south, your support  exemplifies the KODACHROME mission.  The road trips, the friendships made, and the stories of our KODACHROME weekends throughout the year have brought our two communities closer together.  Many of us travel so frequently now between both states that the only thing that separates us is the normal weekday.  I will never forget those that have influenced my KODACHROME beginnings, and I always enjoy watching other KODACHROME peers leave a lasting impact on new members of our KODACHROME family.  Thank you again to everyone - the teachers, the staff, the representatives, and my fellow peers who have made this season unforgettable.  The KODACHROME community continues to succeed because of the passion of dance we all share and the desire to always expose each other to positive energy.  There is only one way to look from here and that’s up!

All the best,

David Curameng

Regional Executive Director, KODACHROME NC