Cross training in various styles from the age of four, Kayci Treu has always loved to dance. At age ten, she began focusing primarily on the study of classical ballet in the Russian Vaganova style, with contemporary and Russian character dance supplementing the ballet core. At age thirteen, she was accepted to the Kirov Ballet Academy of Washington D.C’s Intensive Program where she trained for the next three summers. She spent hours in the studio honing her personal technique and artistry.
Cross training in various styles from the age of four, Kayci Treu has always loved to dance. At age ten, she began focusing primarily on the study of classical ballet in the Russian Vaganova style, with contemporary and Russian character dance supplementing the ballet core. At age thirteen, she was accepted to the Kirov Ballet Academy of Washington D.C’s Intensive Program where she trained for the next three summers. She spent hours in the studio honing her personal technique and artistry.
Kayci studied on talent scholarship at her home ballet academy and taught classes for the younger levels. She was also accepted in to the pre-professional performance company and performed principal and soloist roles in many classical ballets and several original pieces with artists from around the world. While she could have chosen to dance full-time, she instead elected a multi-faceted approach: enrolling in multiple AP courses, singing in the high school chamber choir, attending early morning gospel study, and serving in student government as the president of her graduating class, filled her time outside of the studio.
When the time came to apply for universities, Kayci had no question in her mind about where she wanted to study. A dedicated student from her youth, Kayci was rewarded with an academic scholarship to attend her dream school, Brigham Young University. One of the many benefits of attending this prestigious university was the opportunity to study ballroom dancing at the largest collegiate ballroom dance program in the nation. Kayci’s parents met through the BYU ballroom program, and from her childhood Kayci dreamt of learning ballroom there as well. Now after years of dreams and hard work, she dove in head first.
Brigham Young University boasts an internationally acclaimed ballroom program with over 4,000 students enrolled in classes each semester. There are five performance companies, the chief of which —The BYU Ballroom Dance Touring Company— holds multiple national and international championship titles. Kayci advanced rapidly through the program, making it to the Showcase Company (second only to the Touring Company) less than one year after making it on the beginning team. After only one year on Showcase, she was invited to join the Touring Company, fulfilling a life-long dream and opening up the opportunity to travel and perform around the world.
While performing with the BYU Ballroom Company, Kayci also began competing quite seriously in the open international categories of Latin and Ballroom. She attained high honors in her gold level medalist exams and also passed the ISTD Licentiate Latin Teaching exam with high honors. On the competition floor, Kayci advanced rapidly to achieve multiple Utah Championship titles in Latin and 10-Dance only a few short years after beginning her ballroom career.
Brigham Young University boasts an internationally acclaimed ballroom program with over 4,000 students enrolled in classes each semester. There are five performance companies, the chief of which —The BYU Ballroom Dance Touring Company— holds multiple national and international championship titles. Kayci advanced rapidly through the program, making it to the Showcase Company (second only to the Touring Company) less than one year after making it on the beginning team. After only one year on Showcase, she was invited to join the Touring Company, fulfilling a life-long dream and opening up the opportunity to travel and perform around the world.
While performing with the BYU Ballroom Company, Kayci also began competing quite seriously in the open international categories of Latin and Ballroom. She attained high honors in her gold level medalist exams and also passed the ISTD Licentiate Latin Teaching exam with high honors. On the competition floor, Kayci advanced rapidly to achieve multiple Utah Championship titles in Latin and 10-Dance only a few short years after beginning her ballroom career.
In addition to competing in International Latin and Ballroom, Kayci found a love for the cabaret style and an amazing partner in Benjamin Ralph. Together they worked hard and were twice named the United States National Cabaret Champions. They performed their award winning pieces around the world as featured soloists with the BYU Touring Company, and were also invited to perform at business and private events. Their partnership came to a close a year after Kayci’s graduation from BYU, when she turned her focus solely to 10-Dance with her partner, and now husband, Casey Treu.
In addition to competing in International Latin and Ballroom, Kayci found a love for the cabaret style and an amazing partner in Benjamin Ralph. Together they worked hard and were twice named the United States National Cabaret Champions. They performed their award winning pieces around the world as featured soloists with the BYU Touring Company, and were also invited to perform at business and private events. Their partnership came to a close a year after Kayci’s graduation from BYU, when she turned her focus solely to 10-dance with her partner, and now husband, Casey Treu.
While it was difficult pursuing a dance career, finishing her degree with university honors, and performing on a nationally acclaimed performance team, all at the same time, Kayci has no regrets. Each of these pursuits led to amazing opportunities and has formed the foundation for future endeavors. She hopes others will pursue their dreams and realize that anything is possible with determination, hard work, and a lot of prayer. God has given every person gifts that are unique to them and life’s greatest joy and fulfillment can be found in developing them and using them to serve others.
2x U.S. National Cabaret Champion
Kayci Treu and her cabaret partner Benjamin Ralph are two-time National Cabaret Champions with their pieces “Gravity” and “Piece by Piece.” Each is a unique piece of artistry and athleticism, with difficult lifts and beautiful expression melded together in a way intended to touch the hearts of viewers. They’ve performed both pieces for thousands audiences around the world.