KAT HOLMES – 2010
Kat Holmes, the co-founder of Dance Life Dance Studio in Downtown Panama City appeared on the cover of Panama City Living Magazine’s January/February 2010 issue. She remembers, “Being featured in Panama City Living was a humbling and rewarding experience. The power of local publishing enables a community to express its unique culture. My professional colleagues, friends, and family were even more excited than I was. My parents and students were very proud and still talk of the feature story. Celebrating local lives through their stories is important to all of us. I continue to be flattered by such attention.”
The photo shoot for this cover took several hours but she remembers it as amazing and fun. “Corky McCollum, the photographer, was a pleasure to work with. I’ve had many photo shoots but this one was completely different. I was literally spinning in circles for hours so that the photographer could catch perfect shots of my flowing dress. The smile came naturally as I was so excited and grateful for the opportunity to be featured.”
She was 27 years old when she appeared on the cover of Panama City Living and her career had just started as the co-owner of Dance Life Dance Studio. She remembers, “I had just won my professional status as a Fitness KAT HOLMES Physique Competitor. Dancing and bodybuilding at the professional level are such extreme sports and stressful commitments. I had been so concerned with achieving ultimate success that I didn’t leave time to really enjoy life outside of my professions. I wanted to see the world and have new experiences… so I did.”
She took a break from physique and dancing competitions and traveled to more than 20 countries since. In between, she earned a Masters Degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion and obtained certifications as corrective exercise specialist, women’s fitness specialist, senior fitness specialist, golf fitness specialist, and sports nutrition specialist.
“I learned so much from my travels about other cultures and their health secrets. I wanted to learn more about the body and how to achieve and maintain optimal health and happiness through integrated healthcare. Nontraditional natural therapies are scientifically recognized to have genuine healing value. While in the Netherlands, I had my first experience with Floatation Therapy. My life changed forever when I found the secret to total stress relief. While in Ireland, I learned about the detoxification effects of seaweed baths. In Hungary, I found mud from the largest hot spring in the world reduced inflammation that I experienced from dancing and training and it was also beneficial to treating my psoriasis condition. These and many more natural therapies have changed the way I view healthcare.
We all have experiences that form our beliefs and outlook on life. For me, the journey has led to a “selfcare” perspective. Being happy is essential to being healthy. Several American Indian tribes had a word for the hidden inner ability to heal yourself. They called it “Orenda.”
This is what my journey has helped me find and develop.”
Kat Holmes continues to teach ballroom dancing in Downtown Panama City with big goals for the future. “I plan to open a therapy spa in the spring of 2016. I look forward to the coming years and working with those within and beyond our community, helping them discover their Orenda. My outlook on life is much less stressful than it was back when I had just started out as an entrepreneur in 2010.”