Dangerkat
URBAN
Dancer and Creative Director KAITI DANGERKAT is a multi-talented supernova. She has been hailed as a tastemaker and dance revolutionary for her unconventional performance art and evolving personal style.
Combine a lifelong devotion to dance, a BFA in visual arts and a fearless sensibility and you’ll find Miss Dangerkat. Born and raised in Trail, BC, she later studied at the University of Calgary, Alberta College of Art & Design and Edith Cowan University in Australia practicing in print media, textile design and contemporary performance.
Today Kaiti is internationally known for her captivating, boundless and performance driven style that seamlessly blends voguing, waacking, house, hip hop, west african and contemporary movement. She is also recognized for her avant-garde visual aesthetic that make her performances strikingly high fashion. In 2007 Kaiti formed the House of Dangerkat (HOD) in Calgary, AB. As Creative Director, she collaborates with the most sought after designers, choreographers, performers, DJ’s and visual artists throughout Canada, Europe and the US. Her vision and artistic leadership has taken her globe trotting to choreograph, perform, curate, style/design, teach, judge competitions and host events. Select credits include: dance/music/film festivals (Juste Debout, Nordic Moves, Birds Eye View Women in Fashion, Central Park Summerstage), New York/London/Paris Fashion Weeks (Colette, Jeremy Scott, Nova Dando, Q Models), recording artists/DJ’s/producers (Diplo, Misshapes, Hesta Prynn, Kingdom, A-Trak, Jelly Jells) and nightlife legends (Amanda Lepore, Kenny Kenny, Roxy Cottontail, Ladyfag, Adam Aleksander Presents, The Box NYC). Kaiti is a recipient of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Award as well as numerous Alberta Foundation and Canada Council for the Arts grants for her work with HOD.
Using the body as her canvas, Dangerkat has a progressive approach to fashion/costume design and makeup art. Her ensembles have been featured in fashion and culture magazines such as Paper, WAD, Let Them Eat Cake, Vice, New York and Spray, with streetwear and jewellery sold exclusively in Montreal, New York and Berlin.
Sharing her unrestricted love for dance has always been hugely important to Dangerkat. In Calgary she founded the I HEART URBAN DANCE Workshop Series (2007) featuring instruction from top international choreographers; the House of Dangerkat company classes; and the Full House Bursary Program, offering free dance education to underprivileged youth. Following her teaching tour in Paris, London, Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki, Kaiti was welcomed to New York City with a slew of people requesting a new type of dance class that would pass on the high energy, techniques and inventive nature of her performances that remained etched in their minds. Now each week, WILE OUT WEDNESDAYS! open level dance classes are the “crunktastical” jam for everyone and anyone in NYC.
As of late, Dangerkat has added DJing to her arsenal and can be seen regularly at La Esquina NYC spinning with Jelly Jells. She is also embarking on a solo music project to be released in 2011.