Our Mission

The Garraway Performing Arts Center is a nonprofit performing arts and mentorship program established in 2016 with the mission of providing youth a safe and inspiring environment to develop their minds,  passions, core values, and leadership skills through the attributes of dance. 

The Garraway Performing Arts Center is a fully approved 501 c3 non-profit organization, managed by a board of experienced professionals. 

Dance is bigger than the physical body. Think bigger than that. When you extend your arm, it doesn’t stop at the end of your fingers, because you’re dancing bigger than that;
you’re dancing spirit.

— Judith Jamison

About The Founder- Janina Garraway

Began her dance career at the young age of 6 and began teaching at her local dance school in her hometown of Colton, CA at the age of 12. Her professional career began at the age of 15 when she signed with one of LA’s biggest dance agencies Dorothy Day Otis in 1999. This would not have been possible without the extensive training she received in jazz, tap, ballet, hip hop, modern, and tumbling back home and at Los Angeles dance studios such as The Edge, The Millennium, The Performing Arts Center, Tremaine, Debbie Reynolds, and Debbie Allen’s Dance Studio.

Since her extensive training Janina has gone on to work with numerous choreographers including Tina Landon, Hihat, Paula Abdul, Travis Paine, Marguerite Derricks, Rich and Tone Talauega and Debbie Allen, just to name a few. She has also toured the world as professional dancer with various artists such as Chris Brown, Mariah Carey, Usher, Babyface, Faith Hill, Nelly, Keri Hilson and Kanye West. She has made appearances with artists on television shows such as Good Morning America, The Oprah Show, The GRAMMYs, The BET Awards and The American Music Awards. One of her greatest accomplishments was assisting Christopher Scott with the Emmy nominated So You Think You Dance piece performed by Sasha and Twitch titled “Misty Blue.”

Janina is currently signed with Go To Talent Agency and now devotes her time to passing on her love and wisdom of dance through teaching and choreographing various projects.  As CEO of GPAC, Janina plans to share her natural gifts and talents with the youth of this generation and continue to partner with programs that expand the reach of the arts and dance in Los Angeles.

About The Founder- Janina Garraway

Began her dance career at the young age of 6 and began teaching at her local dance school in her hometown of Colton, CA at the age of 12. Her professional career began at the age of 15 when she signed with one of LA’s biggest dance agencies Dorothy Day Otis in 1999. This would not have been possible without the extensive training she received in jazz, tap, ballet, hip hop, modern, and tumbling back home and at Los Angeles dance studios such as The Edge, The Millennium, The Performing Arts Center, Tremaine, Debbie Reynolds, and Debbie Allen’s Dance Studio.

Since her extensive training Janina has gone on to work with numerous choreographers including Tina Landon, Hihat, Paula Abdul, Travis Paine, Marguerite Derricks, Rich and Tone Talauega and Debbie Allen, just to name a few. She has also toured the world as professional dancer with various artists such as Chris Brown, Mariah Carey, Usher, Babyface, Faith Hill, Nelly, Keri Hilson and Kanye West. She has made appearances with artists on television shows such as Good Morning America, The Oprah Show, The GRAMMYs, The BET Awards and The American Music Awards. One of her greatest accomplishments was assisting Christopher Scott with the Emmy nominated So You Think You Dance piece performed by Sasha and Twitch titled “Misty Blue.”

Janina is currently signed with Go To Talent Agency and now devotes her time to passing on her love and wisdom of dance through teaching and choreographing various projects.  As CEO of GPAC, Janina plans to share her natural gifts and talents with the youth of this generation and continue to partner with programs that expand the reach of the arts and dance in Los Angeles.

BOARD MEMBERS

Faculty

Cathy Kim

Cathy Kim began her dance training at the age of 3. She dances ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, and hip hop. Her training includes her home studio Pasadena Civic Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Recently, she has been featured as the lead role of the Arabian Princess in PCB’s production of Aladdin and has performed in various productions from The Little Mermaid to Alice in Wonderland. Cathy has also guest performed for TEDxPasadenaWomen and ArtNight Pasadena (Pasadena Museum of History Opening). She is a rising star and plans to pursue her passion for dance throughout the years to come.

Ruchama Son

Ruchama Son (New Jersey, born in Haiti)  began her dance training in high school and has been dancing ever since. As a teenager, Ruchama saw the urgent emotional need of the young ladies and men in her community. As a dance educator, she uses dance as a way to help people find a positive creative outlet to deal with their emotions and make a change in her community. Ruchama is currently attending California Institute Of the Arts (CalArts) pursuing her BFA in Dance. At CalArts Ruchama has had great dancing opportunities to work with amazing choreographers  Julie Bour, Douglas Neilson, Julie D Lane. Ruchama is currently a company member of Tosha Brown Dance Company located in Orange, New Jersey.

Jackie Khai

An underdog from the small town of Rowland Heights, California, Jackie started her dance endeavors at the age of 18 with one goal in mind: to use her gifts to grow God’s kingdom in any and every way possible. With her degree in Kinesiology, passion for holistic health, and teaching experience working with at-risk and foster youth in various classroom settings, she has cultivated a special outlook for dance and creative arts by using them as a means to not only encourage self-expression, but to empower the next generation of independent movers and thinkers to reach their full potential in every aspect of life. She’s had the privilege of training with Mavyn Entertainment, directed by Mario and Clara Navarette, before then going on to train in Los Angeles at Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio, Movement Lifestyle, and Millenium Dance Complex. As an aspiring Occupational Therapist and dancer, she is excited to teach and be taught by experiences ahead.

Janina Garraway

An accomplished dancer and choreographer, Janina’s work includes world tours with artist such as Mariah Carey, User, Chris Brown and Ciara. She has also made appearances on various films and television shows produced by NBC, ABC, Twentieth Century Fox, and Disney. Janina received her early dance training at a local dance studio in her hometown Colton,CA and went on to train in Los Angeles at top studios such as the Edge Performing Arts Center, Debbie Reynolds Dance Academy, and Millennium Dance Complex. Janina went on to work with world renowned choreographers such as Debbie Allen, Marguertie Derricks, Keith Young and Rich & Tone Talauega just to name a few.