Kate Flowers always knew she was meant to dance. Growing up in New York City, she was dancing around the living room long before she ever stepped into a studio. At eight years old, she began formal training after her family relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio, and quickly devoted herself to the dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer. She went on to attend the School for the Creative and Performing Arts and, at 16, was invited to join the year-round trainee program at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City.

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Her path, however, took an unexpected turn. Struggling with eating disorders and drug addiction that were perpetuated by the unhealthy aspects of ballet culture, Kate stepped away from dance for more than a decade to focus on her mental health and recovery. About a decade later, she built a successful career in health and wellness, growing an online community of more than 400,000 people and generating over 40 million views on YouTube. Her work centered on self-love, wellness, and helping others create healthier, happier lives.

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In 2016, Kate began dancing again after more than 12 years away, performing with De La Dance Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. After another period away from dance, she began training privately again in 2021, determined to find a way back to the art she had never stopped loving.

In 2022, Kate and her husband, Martin Roosaare-Flowers, took a leap of faith and co-founded Azara Ballet, a professional contemporary ballet company built around a vision of dance that is inclusive, body-positive, mentally healthy, and accessible to everyone.

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Now entering its fourth official season, Azara Ballet has grown from a shared dream into an established professional company with a growing presence in the Sarasota-Manatee arts community. Under Kate’s leadership, the organization has expanded its professional programming and community outreach initiatives, created opportunities for neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ representation, and developed programs designed to make dance more accessible to audiences and participants who have historically been underserved by the arts. Azara’s work has been recognized nationally, including a feature in The New York Times, while its performances and outreach programs continue to reach an expanding audience throughout the region.

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Kate remains a professional dancer with Azara while serving as the company’s Co-Founder and CEO. For her, Azara represents more than a return to the stage, it is the opportunity to help reshape ballet into the kind of art form and community she always wished existed.