With over a decade of movement experience rooted in Hip‑Hop foundations and shaped by global dance influences, Kayla Burton has grown into a dynamic Afro‑Fusion, Hip‑Hop, and Commercial dancer whose artistry blends musicality, storytelling, and community‑centered expression. She began dancing at just eight years old, first inspired by Zendaya on Shake It Up, and trained recreationally in Hip‑Hop for four years before spending her teens exploring choreography informally through school projects, self‑directed routines, and online dance culture. During this time, her passion for K‑Pop blossomed, leading her to teach herself complex routines throughout the pandemic.
Kayla's artistic growth accelerated when she began training with the Laurier Recreational Dance Program in her first year of university. Starting with Dancehall, she quickly expanded into a wide range of styles including Hip‑Hop, Jazz Funk, Jazz, Heels, Contemporary, Latin, and eventually Afro‑Fusion—the style that now forms the foundation of her teaching and choreography. This chapter of her training helped her gain versatility, stage presence, and the confidence to begin sharing her craft with others.
By 2024, Kayla stepped into teaching, leading Hip‑Hop classes at 3Dz Dance Studio and facilitating sessions for the UW Hip‑Hop Club. In 2025, after just three years of dedicated multi‑style training, she was selected to teach Afro‑Fusion as her first long‑term instructional role with Laurier's Recreational Dance Program. She now leads full‑semester classes and has hosted multiple drop‑in sessions in both Afro‑Fusion and Hip‑Hop, including large campus‑wide pop‑up classes that brought new visibility and excitement to dance programming.
Kayla's choreography emphasizes rhythm, expressive energy, and cultural appreciation, particularly within Afro‑Fusion—a style she is passionate about introducing to new dancers and new communities. Her classes combine foundational grooves with creative storytelling, empowering dancers to explore movement with confidence and authenticity.
Training & Influences: Kayla's training spans Hip‑Hop foundations, Afro‑Fusion & African diasporic movement, Commercial / K‑Pop choreography, Jazz Funk & Contemporary, and Heels (including advanced‑level training where she first connected with Kollective's founder, Kezea Shayne Gamboa). She continues to train through intensives, workshops, and performance programs across the Greater Toronto and Waterloo regions.
Teaching Philosophy: Kayla believes that dance should feel like freedom—with equal parts joy, discipline, and personal expression. Her approach is rooted in the belief that everyone can dance, and that growth comes from consistent practice, patience, and a supportive community. Her mission is to cultivate confidence, cultural appreciation, and artistry in every dancer she teaches. Kayla fosters spaces where dancers feel safe to explore, motivated to challenge themselves, and inspired to take up space—both in the studio and beyond. For her, dance is not just something you perform; it's something you feel, embody, and grow through.