“We Wanna Dance” Ballroom Bash IV (2017)

Gordon Bratt began his professional dancing career in 2005 after earning his BA in Biology from St. John’s University.  Over the last 11 years he has been a champion and finalist in NDCA competitions across the country, both in the Professional and Pro/Am categories.  Most recently his students have earned finalist and semifinalist placements at the United States Dance Championships in 2016.  Gordon’s professional motto is “the best teachers are the best students”, and he tries to live out that idea every day, exploring all areas of life as opportunities for wisdom.  Gordon is married to the love of his life (and dance partner), Kathryn Bratt, with whom he is kept busy raising 5 little ones.  He also enjoys playing music and tennis with his children, using these other activities as an opportunity to exercise his passions of learning and teaching.

It is often said that you will hear Kate Bratt long before you see her. Kate’s fun-loving personality, animated gestures, attention to detail, and copious supply of knowledge make her the ideal instructor for both new and experienced dancers. Winning regional and state competitions in elite gymnastics and holding the gym record for highest score led Kate to search for a new competitive outlet after she got “too old” for gymnastics, which naturally led her to ballroom dancing. While consistently making finals through her career in pro-am, am-am, and pro competitions is fun, seeing her students succeed on the social and competitive dance floor keeps her motivated. Kate also counts working with the youth in the local college and high school on-going programs as a fun experience.  Ballroom dancing has afforded her creative opportunities such as performing with Michael Johns (American Idol) and Gene Simmons (KISS), working on a national campaign for LensCrafters, and performing in the Minnesota Fringe Festival.  Kate continues her education in dancing by being DVIDA certified and studying for upcoming USISTD exams. In her spare time, Kate enjoys cooking, doing yoga, crafting, and having dance parties with her entourage of handsome husband, four lovely daughters, and one awesome son. Kate also composes content for a blog, Riot and Frolic, and Dance Comp Review to keep sleeping hours to a minimum.