We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kat Bylska a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kat, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
Katz-Entertainment is merely the blanket that encompasses inspiration and education through Katz Kabaret: Performance Art Expression, namely dance and movement in all forms. This is the foundation of Katz-Entertainment and from which the other facets are born. Dance has always been my solace, my savior. I was free and time stood still. I felt connected, not only to myself but the world – even if there was no one around. It is the mission of Katz Kabaret to provide an opportunity for anyone who seeks the highest level of technical training and skill, to be able to have access to such training; without the pressures and judgments that make so many afraid to take part in classes so as to not “look bad.” As a dancer and performer who has been in the industry for most of my life, I understand the insecurities that can be felt upon walking into a traditional professional dance setting and wanting to run out of the room. Katz Kabaret is for anyone and everyone who desires professional level training and education without the professional level bullshit that goes along with stereotypical studios. Katz Kabaret has various pricing structures that allow any budget to be able to participate. In addition, we also provide community outreach by facilitating free or donation-only classes to those members for whom access to training is slim to nil. The components of Katz-Entertainment include:
Katz22 – Literary Expression through our current, limited tool of language but transform the way in which it is being used from divisive to unifying.
Jerzykat – Musical Expression through song, instrument(s), rhythm, harmony, melody, beats, etc.
Boobiekat – Animal Rights through the use of images, memes, humor to convey the message that every life is just as significant as another.
JKat/Katface – Avant Guard Expression to eradicate notions of right/wrong & good/evil but without seeking to impose any sense of morality on topics our society currently holds as taboo, such as sexual expression.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Katz-Entertainment is an amalgamation of all that I believe that each of us is at our core. The fundamental philosophy behind all that comprises my company and the brand, is that of creating the possibility for society to embrace a transformative language that seeks to eradicate all that currently divides us as a civilization. Namely, it is our communication and the way in which we do so, that is at the root of alienation of any being. Most, if not all, disagreements (however seemingly insignificant they appear at the time) are bred from misunderstanding(s). This misunderstanding stems from the limitations of our current method of communication – words & language. Words are finite, in that they have a preset meaning attached, even before we are born into this world. What becomes problematic, is that each word can have such a vastly different meaning to each individual, that there is no single method of unification via the status quo. Katz-Entertainment, through its subsidiaries, seeks to inspire a new world order wherein every being is not only heard and understood, but loved and accepted unconditionally and without any judgment or condition.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I’ve been going uphill in my business since the beginning. When I first started in Entertainment, it was as a performer. When my time was up in front of an audience, I had to shift my focus to roles more on the back or production end. While it was a significant adjustment, this challenge allowed me to look at the bigger picture of what I was trying to do. In addition, the change in perspective was how I began looking at the legacy of my business & how I wanted it to continue far into the future. I began teaching as a way to, not only keep my own dreams alive, but to help others discover & achieve their own. I could have simply exited the entertainment world & focused on the corporate grind. Business is constantly changing. People are always seeking the “next best/big thing.” This has meant that I have had to pivot my advertising strategy as well as ensure that I have multiple back-up plans to keep up with the ever-changing climate. My business has only ever been comprised of myself so ensuring that I have the energy to continue push forward is also a continual challenge. I guess just the fact that I am still doing this, in some form, for almost 20 years goes to my resilience & that of my business.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I took a hiatus from entertainment for a few years and did try the 9-5 schtick. While I learned a tremendous amount that has helped me in my business, I realized quickly that I would not be able to clock in & out for the rest of my life. I began re-branding & relaunching my business a few years into my corporate career. In the beginning, I was able to have both careers going relatively well. As times changed & I saw the endless loop of sameness in the corporate world & the fact that the more money I was making was not making me any happier, I realized that I had to go back to entertainment full time. For 10 years, I was a well-established Lease Manager for Commercial Real Estate, working my way up from an assistant to a manager within prominent & globally recognized companies. After a certain point, I just felt so empty at the end of the day. While entertainment does bring my life an immense amount of joy, the importance of remembering the big picture keeps me present to ensure that I don’t get lazy.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katzkabaret.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katz_entertainment
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katz.ent
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katz-entertainment
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/katz_ent
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KatzKabaret
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/katz-kabaret-los-angeles-7
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/katzkabaret https://www.facebook.com/boobiekatz https://www.facebook.com/Justynesplaypen
Image Credits
Reidar Shopp Robert Smith