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Date: 8/21/2019
CHICOPEE – One might think a career in television would be satisfying professionally, but Ashley Kohl was looking for something else.
“It was so much fun,” said the former host of TV22’s “Mass Appeal” program. “It brought so much energy into my life, but something was missing.”
That missing part was dancing and teaching dance.
Kohl will be opening her Ohana School of Performing Arts in a new location on Sept. 5 in Chicopee with a ribbon cutting and reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Kohl has danced most of her life and said, “I wanted to teach dance for all abilities.”
Kohl’s dance studio had been located in South Hadley, but earlier this year the building was sold and Kohl found herself having to find a new space in six weeks.
What she described as a “silver lining” was the fact she moved from a space that was not compliant with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) into one that is compliant with ADA standards.
The space is also larger, which will allow the studio to expand.
“It’s even better than I imagined. It really is a dream come true,” she told Reminder Publishing.
The school currently has 300 students.
The South Hadley native has been dancing since the age of two. Kohl’s background as a dancer includes studying dance at Broadway Dance Center for three years in New York City and working for The World of Disney Store in New York City where she was a full-time character performer. She was a Master Faculty member at NADAA Dance Conventions in New England and has taught all styles of dance at Technique Studio of Dance for over 10 years and also taught hip-hop to various ages and abilities at Hackworth School of Performing Arts. She was certified to teach Zumba Fitness in 2007 and went on to teach for five years.
Kohl said, “My goal is to bring dance to everyone, no matter their age or ability ... and to give people a supportive outlet to be creative. It’s much more than shaping incredibly trained and disciplined dancers; it’s about believing in the arts, celebrating each other and giving back to the community. We are not only shaping bodies, we are shaping hearts, too.”
Kohl believes in giving back to the community and founded “One Ohana, Inc.”, a registered 501 ©(3) non-profit organization that awards scholarships to dancers of all ages and abilities throughout the Pioneer Valley.
For more information, go to www.ohanaperformingarts.com.