Ethos | Katie Drablos

Katie Drablos, a Dallas native and Southern Methodist University Dance Performance graduate, made her mark in New York City initially as a Radio City Rockette in 2009 & 2010, and has kept dancing, teaching, and choreographing her way through the city ever since. Notably, she’s served as Al Blackstone's Associate Choreographer for productions like Oklahoma & Hairspray, performed at iconic venues such as The Joyce Theater in NYC, and choreographed works which have premiered at venues from The Ailey Theater in NYC to Princeton University to as far as Mexico City & Prague.

Katie is a passionate dance educator teaching young people and adults across the country, internationally, and at Steps on Broadway. She specializes in contemporary, jazz, lyrical, and theater jazz. She collaborates with live musicians and visual artists often and curates shows and classes across NYC venues. A cancer survivor with a heart for storytelling, she showcased her directorial and choreographic prowess in three, self-produced full-length NYC shows, "35: a celebration of being alive,” “Almost 36,” & “Only the Best.” All shows were vehicles to fundraise for oral, head, and neck cancer patients. An abridged version of her most recent show, "Only the Best," was presented as the live entertainment for the HNC Living Foundation gala in Kansas City in fall 2024. To be alive and to turn the pain into art is Katie’s way forward, despite cancer.

Hi y’all. I’m switching to first person narration for the rest of this page! My legal name is Kathleen, but everyone calls me Katie. I was raised in Dallas, but after 16 years and counting, I am a hardcore New Yorker now. I am also a 38-year-old stage four tongue cancer survivor, grateful to be alive, and mindful of how lucky I am. I have two parents, three siblings, and one niece whom I adore. My older sister, Alana, has Down syndrome and I hope to be more like her as I grow up. I love coffee and chocolate, reading fiction novels, taking long walks, having deep conversations, meeting new people, listening to the same song over and over, traveling to places off the beaten path, practicing yoga, writing in solitude, wearing bright colors, not wearing makeup, and learning about philosophy. I am a sensitive soul with a fierce belief that all of us human beings are important, equal, and never really know what each other are going through. Dance helps me to stay grounded in non-judgment and feel all of my feelings.

I teach, choreograph, direct, and make art, collaborating with kids of all ages, adults, both professionals and non-professionals, musicians, videographers, actors, visual artists, and friends & family. My work is driven by emotion, lyrics, and musicality. I use my personal stories in classes and shows as a way to connect beyond the choreography and music. I listen to my students and fellow collaborators to learn about their humanness. I call everyone by name as much as I can. I encourage imperfection and individuality to find greater freedom and possibility inside and outside of the classroom/stage. Dichotomy and paradox in the human condition are central themes I explore. My artistic ethos is rooted in raw honesty, personal connection with others, advocacy, and hope.

My deep commitment to the arts extends beyond the studio and stage. Philanthropic endeavors, especially for people with disabilities and those affected by cancer, are important to me. I have taught dance classes and workshops to people with disabilities in various non-profit settings and created a video starring a woman with Down syndrome. From 2022-2024 I directed, choreographed, wrote, and performed in my dance narrative trilogy of shows benefitting cancer patients and will continue to mentor and connect with cancer fighters. I am driven to create bold work motivated by the time in history, such as my 2020 video project “VOTE,” which captured 20 diverse females dancing together in vote masks. I am also on the curation board at a theater in NYC and help fellow artists get their voices heard and work seen.

I create art, with others, because it is what I love to do, what I feel called to do, and how I make meaning out of pain and trauma and transform it into joy and hope. The suffering in this world is sometimes just too much, and I have found dance to be the best healing balm. Dancing with reckless abandon to tunes that make my heart sing has proven to be my recipe for glimpses of freedom from suffering. I make up moves and share them to, hopefully, give others a chance to experience this too.