Artistic / Executive Director

As the Artistic/Executive Director of Missouri Contemporary Ballet, Karen Grundy states, “My goal is to give dancers a positive yet disciplined space to discover their center core and expand their hearts and minds, while also allowing them to explore the diverse aspects of dance.”

Karen Mareck Grundy was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, where her dance training began at the age of 3. At age 8, Karen began her training in modern dance with Ronnie Greenblatt who trained under Martha Graham. Her extensive classical ballet and jazz training was under the direction of Inez Mourning and Belinda DeBecker. Grundy’s love of contemporary ballet was discovered in working side by side with L. J. Ballard as a dancer and as an assistant choreographer. Karen has been a member and featured dancer in various dance companies including Opus Dance Ensemble, New Works Project, and Ballard’s Cafe Dance Co. She performed in Las Vegas for 11 years as a featured and lead dancer, as well as working in television. During this time, while working with various choreographers, she was also fortunate to work closely under the direction of Ron Lewis, director and choreographer for Liza Minnelli. Grundy has taught master classes throughout the country and as an assistant for choreographer Tiger Martina.

In 2000, Karen was brought to Columbia, MO to teach at Columbia Performing Arts Centre, she taught there for 9 years. She has trained dancers who have gone on to The Juilliard School, The Lines School, Dance Kaleidoscope, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, and Broadway! Her dream was to always have her own company, and before starting Missouri Contemporary Ballet in 2006 she was the Artistic Director for Cedar Lake II. Grundy has created a style that is fresh and innovative, by maintaining her classical ballet, modern training and adding a twist from the productions of Vegas, making her work accessible to all. Karen is thrilled to be able to create her vision while collaborating with artists of all genres, and the many supporters of dance in Columbia, across the state of Missouri, and throughout the Country.