Kimberly Milan

Kimberly Milan was born in the Netherlands and raised in the culturally rich environments of St. Maarten and Aruba, where her passion for dance began at age 7. She trained at the recognized Motiance Dance School in St. Maarten and Simadanza in Aruba, mastering various styles, including Afro-Caribbean, Jazz, Ballet, and Folklore, which sparked an enduring passion for dance, life, and legacy that continues to inspire building community through art.

With unwavering dedication to dance, she auditioned for Codarts, the Rotterdam Dance Academy, in 2001 and was accepted. Here, she was introduced to and learned codified Modern dance techniques, as well as Graham, Cunningham, and Mattox Jazz dance techniques.

In 2006, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Dance Education, specializing in Modern Jazz and Tap. Her talents include folkloric dance forms such as Afro-Caribbean, Street, and Musical dance, Latin styles, and Contemporary dance fusions. She has experience as a dance instructor at various studios, schools, and dance projects in the Rotterdam area and across different regions in the Netherlands.

In 2015, Kimberly returned to St. Maarten, where she embraced teaching, including English at Milton Peters College High School and dance at Sundial High School. She collaborated with notable local institutions like Rudy Performing Arts Dance School and the National Institute of Arts. Her expertise extended to creating and leading various dance projects. In 2018, she discovered a profound appreciation for Kizomba, an Angolan social partner dance, and began teaching it in 2019.

Beyond her local contributions, Kimberly has facilitated dance workshops, performed in local productions, and collaborated with institutions across the Caribbean. Kimberly debuted as a director in 2021 with her first dance production, Because it’s Her, a celebration of female strength and the timeless nature of dance, featuring dynamic women from St. Maarten. She has performed in a dance film by a local St. Maarten choreographer, Johnathan van Arneman’s work, “Atlantis rebirth” in 2021.

Currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Performing Arts at Florida State University, which she will complete her studies in Spring 2026. As an MFA candidate, Kimberly choreographed “Stages”, an ensemble work, initiated the collaboration of “The Voices of the Caribbean”, performed in “@Lifefeedback” by Tiffany Rhynard, and was cast in Kara Wilkes’s work “ More” for the curated concert, Evening of Dance. As an assistantship recipient, Kimberly Milan taught Afro-Caribbean dance and Jazz Fusion to FSU major and non-major undergraduate students and led the School of Dance’s “Young Dancers’ Workshop.”She recently presented her MFA live creative production, titled “Soualichi,” which took place on March 6th and 7th, 2026, featuring a cast of seven dancers and three collaborating drummers at the School of Dance, Florida State University. Kimberly will be producing a dance film, titled “Soualichi.” The film, “One Island, Two Nations”, based on the colonization of the Dutch and French, aims to further illuminate the significance of preserving salt in St. Maarten/St. Martin’s culture and identity. With funding from the cultural department in St. Maarten, Kimberly traveled with her cast of 14 dancers and 5 drummers to work with 5 local collaborators. Over seven days, the creative team filmed historic landmarks, honed the choreography, and further developed the film’s research. The film is scheduled to debut in Spring 2027.