kay began tap dance training at age four. at age six, she performed in a local community theatre production of the musical "oliver!". at 15, she was cast in her first professional production, "the music man" at detroit, michigan's fisher theatre. she spent four years performing in chicago theatres, including the drury lane theatre, peninsula players, theatre at the centre, theatre building chicago and apollo theater chicago. in new york city, she performed concert dance and experimental theatre, including "de la guarda", and eventually toured in stomp.