Founder & Creative Director, BallroomBees With a background rooted in elite performance former Canadian and British Colombian Champion, a degree in dance from George Brown College, and a career spanning the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and Hollywood choreography, Katya Virshilas has dedicated her expertise to a new stage: the classroom. As the Founder and Creative Director of BallroomBees, Katya has translated her professional mastery into a play-based, educational methodology that breaks down the barriers to dance. Driven by the belief that movement is a fundamental component of cognitive and physical development, Katya creates curriculum frameworks that integrate physical literacy, social-emotional learning, and movement coordination into daily educational practice. Her work emphasizes accessibility, using movement to foster resilience, confidence, and motor skills in children across Hong Kong and beyond. A TEDx speaker on the power of "Not Yet," Katya is a passionate advocate for growth mindset in education. Alongside her husband, world champion Klaus Kongsdal, she develops comprehensive programs and resources that empower educators to integrate dance into Physical Education with confidence. From animated series to turn-key curriculum design, Katya’s work is redefining how children engage with movement, proving that dance is not just performance it is a vital, accessible tool for holistic education