The Woodward Alumni Hall of Fame Association

Karen Niewiadomski-Kinsey grew up in the Polish Village, a neighborhood she was fond of because you could get everything you needed without having to leave the neighborhood. A 1975 Woodward graduate, Karen attended St. Hedwig’s for elementary school and later pursued her post-secondary education at the University of Toledo. She was referred to in high school as “Crazy Legs” for how she moved as a cheerleader, and Karen never stopped dancing through life.

 

She owned and operated D&D Dance Studio in Toledo and choreographed musicals and plays for St. Francis de Sales, Notre Dame Academy, and other various high schools and community theaters for over 35 years. Karen had a passion for dance, musicals, and theater, and that resonated with her students, whom she loved like family. Her contributions to the St. Francis de Sales drama department are honored annually with “The Karen Award.”

The memorial award is bestowed upon a high school junior involved with the drama department who wholeheartedly embodies the love of dance and performance and serves as a leader. Karen passed away on April 16, 2021, and is survived by her husband, William, step-daughter, Jaclyn