Kinsley Stella, a CJA Grade 9 alumna, may not have been born on the stage, but she would do anything to stay there. Although Kinsley is a recent CJA graduate from 2025, she proves that incredible achievements are possible at any age. She is currently a professional dancer and social media micro-influencer.
Her story begins with the moment she could move her body when she was enrolled in Mommy and Me classes at just 18 months old. Her mom, Jordana, realized that Kinsley “wasn’t just born to dance, but she was born to perform.” It may have been difficult for Kinsley to pursue this passion without the CJA’s support throughout this journey. In 2021, at 11 years old, Kinsley was part of the YYC Dance Project, which performed on Canada’s Got Talent through to the semifinals. During this time, teachers at the CJA saw Kinsley for who she was and offered her academic and personal support, while also ensuring she was included in the school’s rich Jewish education.
Although Kinsley moved to California to further her dance studies in her pre-teen years, she returned to CJA in Grade 9 to complete her Junior High education. She displays an incredible amount of courage at her age, not only in pursuing her dreams but also in achieving greatness through them. The opportunities to travel the world, enroll in training programs, and more have not only been incredible for Kinsley’s career, but they’ve also set expectations at an all-time high. “The bar keeps getting higher and higher for what we’re going to do,” Jordana explains.
Determination flows through Kinsley’s veins just as deeply as her dancing. Her social media pages are a display of her passion with each move she makes. There is a fire that cannot be dimmed, and one that the CJA community is proud to hold. As Jordana beams, “It’s not just this little girl from Canada. It’s this little girl from the Calgary Jewish community on national television, and she’s worked so hard for it.”
Reference: News, Alberta Jewish. “CJA Student Performs on ‘Canada’s Got Talent.’” Alberta Jewish News, 3 June 2022, https://albertajewishnews.com/cja-student-performs-on-canadas-got-talent/.