Born and raised in Passaic County, New Jersey, Kaya Sharpe began dancing at age three and quickly fell in love with the art form through competitive training. She has studied ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, Horton, and Graham at Top Tier Dance Academy and Passaic County Technical Institute under Jenifer Ackermann and Cassandra Rossi, and currently trains at The Ailey School with Francis Lawrence, Adrienne Hurd, Kathryn McLellan, and Christopher Jackson. Kaya has performed in PCTI’s Winter and Spring Dance Concerts, Earl Mosley’s Dancing Beyond, and the New Jersey Teen Arts Festival, and has attended intensives with New York City Dance Alliance, Steps on Broadway Academy, and Top Tier Dance Academy. Her recognitions include NYCDA Outstanding Dancer Finalist, PCTI Dancer of the Month, and acceptance into The Ailey School’s Pre-Professional Division. Known for strong musicality, versatility, and expressive performance quality, Kaya adapts easily to diverse movement styles while maintaining solid technique.
Organization Name: DanceNJ
Award Title: Student Award for Exceptional Artistry & Community Leadership in Dance
Year: 2026
What does receiving a New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education mean to you? Receiving the Governor’s Award is such an honor, especially because it means that others can see how I am working to contribute to both NJ’s dance and artistic communities, as well as my passion for dance in all areas.
How has receiving this award influenced your artistic journey and future aspirations? This award has validated my decision to become a professional dancer and choreographer, and has influenced me to look into pursuing artistic opportunities that allow me to share my ideas on an education level, as I believe encouraging the art in schools is so important in building up and expanding the range of the artistic community.
Can you share a specific experience in arts education that had a profound impact on your development as an artist? A specific moment that had a profound impact on my development as an artist was finishing the choreography for my senior piece in my school’s dance program. Getting the opportunity to throw my ideas at my fellow dancers, and create something that would become a full-fledged work, was so valuable, and made me realize that I truly loved choreographing, as well as experimenting and working with other artists, getting to share in the joy that is dance and original ideas.
What advice would you give to young artists who are just beginning their journey in arts education? I would advise young artists beginning their journey in arts education to take risks and explore the entire breadth of their ideas and capabilities, because you never know where one little thing can take you. I would also encourage them to make genuine connections with other artists, as that is what keeps the arts alive, and fostering community not only fuels creativity, but allows art to grow and thrive.
