Meet the Merchant: Kendra Hughes-Wintels from Kinetic Elements Dance

How Did You Get Started & What Inspired You to Open a Shop in Downtown Grimsby?

"Kinetic Elements Dance started off as a performance collective in Toronto that I started way back in 2009. When I moved to Grimsby to start a family, to settle down... I was teaching all over the general Toronto area and it just really felt natural to open up my own dance studio. What inspired me to open a dance studio in Grimsby was the community really needed a place for dancers to come of all ages where they could dance and express themselves in a positive community."

Is there a story behind your business name or logo?

"So I'm a bit of a science nerd so kinetic energy is the energy of movement so it's Kinetic Elements, and of course our tagline had to be Unlock Your Potential"

What's one product or service you're especially proud of?

"One particular one that I'm super proud of is our performance company which is a program for dancers that want to perform more and for whatever reason don't have the time or ability to do the competitive program."

What does the Grimsby community mean to you?

"The Grimsby community to me means belonging, friendliness... just this great community that has shown us so much love the whole time since we've been open since 2019, and we're just so proud to be a part of it."

What's one thing people might not know about your business?

"I think what people might not realize about my business is that dance is a great way to express and use as a tool. It's a place where people can come when they're happy or if you've had a bad day or if you're mad and just express yourself and leave it all out on the dance floor and move your body and feel good about yourself."

What impact do you hope your business has on the community?

"I hope that the impact that Kinetic Elements Dance has on the community is a place to bring people together as a gathering space. There's not many spaces like that in this community yet. You know, we have Halloween parties, we have other events that are for people of the community so if you're not already a dancer here, you can attend these one-off events and you don't have to feel like you have to be here from September to June in our regular dance classes.”

What do you love most about what you do?

"I love meeting with the community and sharing my love of dance with them because to me, dance isn't just a hobby or something fun to do (though it is fun to do), dance for me is a tool to connect with people but also to express myself and I love sharing that with other people and giving them the tools to express themselves in different ways.

You can find Kinetic Elements Dance at 3-5 Main St. W, Grimsby

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