Annie Hawkins Kinney is the owner and operator of Amethyst Ballroom. Annie began her love of dance at the age of 3. She studied Ballet throughout her childhood and joined the Florida Ballet at age 16, where she studied and performed Classical Ballet, Liturgical Dance, and Contemporary Ballet. Mrs. Kinney also attended Douglas Anderson School of the Arts where her focus was on Ballet, Modern, and many other styles including Tap and traditional African Dance. She then went on to Jacksonville University, where she majored in Dance and Choreography. She made the transition into Ballroom dancing in her early twenties, with the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Jacksonville, and went on to teach at and manage multiple locations Northeast Florida. During the eight years she was with Arthur Murray, Annie had the pleasure of participating with her students in Dancesport events throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, while developing her love of dance as well as her teaching methods.
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In 2012, Annie established DanceFit in Palm Coast Florida, and continued teaching and competing while performing with her then-partner at local and regional events. She also had the opportunity to help organize the Palm Coast Dance Classic event for 2 years, before relocating to Illinois. After moving to Genoa, she continued sharing her love of dance and established Amethyst Ballroom in 2021. Annie enjoys hosting local dance events in the area several times a year, and is a member of the Northern Illinois chapter of USA Dance. She also enjoys teaching Ballroom and Latin classes for USA Dance as well as other community groups in the Genoa, Sycamore, Dekalb, and Rockford areas. Amethyst Ballroom also takes part in many Dancesport competitions in Chicago and beyond, and are so proud of our competitive-level dancers! Whether you want to compete, perform, or just stand out on the social dance floor, we are here to help. And we offer personalized wedding and event choreography for all your needs.
Latin, Niteclub, Salsa, Country Western, and Wedding Dance.
Classes are taught in a fun and easy way, so that ANYONE with the desire can learn to dance!