Kennis Marquis Master Dance Educator

Kennis Marquis is a renowned choreographer and dance educator from St. Louis, Missouri. With over 20+ years of experience, Kennis has made a unique and longstanding mark as an industry professional and true-to-style Hip Hop instructor. For over two decades, he has offered high energy, stamina-building Hip Hop classes all throughout Los Angeles, in all of the most coveted studios—Millennium Dance Complex, Playground, TMilly TV, Debbie Reynolds, DR Legacy, and Movement Lifestyle, as well as countless company studios across the US and abroad. Additionally, recognizing his vast knowledge of Hip Hop and his ability to teach all levels, Hip Hop International World Dance Competition nominated Kennis as one of their elite judges for over 6 consecutive years.

As a dancer in the early 2000’s, Kennis grooved alongside Hip Hop star Q-Tip, R&B powerhouse Faith Evans, sultry girl group Before Dark, and even performed with Pop sensation Lady Gaga on her 2017 Super Bowl Halftime Show. While working as a professional dancer, Kennis was often simultaneously working as a choreographer creating visual stories for artists such as One Direction’s Zayn Malik, Britney Spears, P. Diddy, LL Cool J, Ludacris, and Tamar Braxton. On camera, Kennis has been a special guest judge on Ukraine’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” while also working behind the scenes as a choreographer for ABC’s “Dance Machine” and the second season of MTV’s “Taking the Stage.” Choreographing world tours, music videos, television shows, award show performances, and even the Wii video game console’s “Just Dance” and “Smurfs Dance Party,” Kennis’ professional dance experience is just as important to him as his acclaimed role as dance instructor.

Take one Kennis class and you begin to understand the importance of ingraining a foundation of Hip Hop into your dance vocabulary. Whether you’re already a professional dancer, an aspiring professional, or you just want to look good at the club, Kennis passionately believes in spreading the value of authentic Hip Hop movement to all types of dancers. In his choreography class, you not only learn fundamental and original Hip Hop steps, you build stamina, work on execution, and most importantly, you’re pushed to discover who you are as a performer. Throw in tips like how to build a long term professional career and a notes on proper etiquette, and you leave prepared to take on any audition, competition, performance, and/or your next Friday night out. In his very own “Grooves by Kennis,” dancers and movers of all types and backgrounds come together to learn basic Hip Hop grooves and movements in a non-choreographed, follow-the-leader style format. It’s a stress free environment where you dance to all genres of music, build up your endurance, get a great workout, and jam out with people who simply want to just dance.