Performance ActivitiesAt Kent Denver, we believe athletics, athletic performance and wellness are essential to the overall growth and development of all students. With that in mind, we offer Strength & Performance, Yoga and Dance as performance activity options to provide students a foundation for a lifetime of physical awareness and wellness.
Strength & Performance
During this class, students will build the knowledge and confidence to train safely and effectively through hour-long training sessions. Middle School students participate in Strength & Performance five days per week, while Upper School students participate in a minimum of two structured sessions each week. Along with practical training, students learn the fundamentals of strength and conditioning, including movement quality, program design, recovery and progressive overload. As the course progresses, students will have opportunities to write and test portions of their own training programs with guidance and feedback from the instructor.
Training sessions may include:
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Strength Training: Barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, medicine ball, and other resistance exercises.
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Bodyweight & Athletic Movement: Push-ups, pull-ups, jumping and landing mechanics, carries, and other foundational movement patterns.
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Speed, Agility and Conditioning: Running, rowing, sled pushes, cone/hurdle drills, sprints, and other conditioning methods.
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Mobility & Recovery: Flexibility, mobility, and recovery strategies to improve movement quality, reduce injury risk, and support long-term performance.
The emphasis is always on mastering technique before increasing complexity or intensity. By the end of the semester, students should feel confident using Kent Denver's Bansbach Fitness Center, understand how to build training around their own goals, and have the skills to keep training safely and effectively for years to come.
Coach Jennifer Foust
Coach Foust joined the Sun Devil community in the summer of 2026 to spearhead the school’s strength and performance program and manage the daily operations of the new Athletics and Wellness Center.
Coach Foust has over 12 years of experience developing high school, collegiate and elite athletes, including her most recent stint as the Head of Strength & Conditioning at independent K-12 Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii. Prior to that, she founded PWRx Performance—a year-round training program serving over 1,000 athletes—and spent time at the University of South Florida and the University of Arkansas.
With expertise in evidence-based strength training, conditioning and Olympic weightlifting, Coach Foust will support student-athlete development through intentional programming that integrates physical performance, injury prevention, recovery and mental performance.
Coach Kelly McElhiney
Kelly McElhiney first joined Kent Denver as a Strength and Performance coach in 2023, before moving into an elevated role as Sports Performance Coordinator in the summer of 2026. As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, Coach McElhiney brings over a decade of experience working with collegiate athletes, as well as middle and high school students.
She grew up in Iowa where she lived out her sports career before making her way to Colorado to start her coaching career. She has an extensive background in group training, collegiate and high school strength and conditioning, and post-injury/post-PT programming. In her role at Kent Denver, she helps support student-athlete development by implementing intentional programming that integrates physical performance, injury prevention and recovery.
Coach McElhiney aims to create an environment that meets all students where they are at, while encouraging them to be their best selves. On top of her experience, she says her favorite part of coaching is teaching the "why," playing hype music and having FUN! She also leads the school's Employee Group Training program, a popular benefit offered to KDS faculty and staff.
Yoga
The practice of yoga has been around for thousands of years but has recently grown in popularity due to the realization of its immense benefits. Through this physical asana (posture) practice, students will learn to improve their breath, strength, flexibility and endurance.This class teaches students full awareness through the connection of body and breath. Students will learn patience, discipline and both mental and physical engagement. Yoga is a great way to de-stress from your day while getting more comfortable in your own body.
This offering is a non-competitive, yet challenging, physical activity available to all experience levels, and it is a great way to cross-train for other sports seasons. Yoga meets during the afternoon activity period and is offered every sports season.
Head Coach: Adee Rasabi
Adee Rasabi serves as Kent Denver's yoga coach, bringing a passionate and enthusiastic approach to student health and wellness. She leads both the Middle and Upper School programs and joined our Sun Devil community in the fall of 2026.
"My main focus is to empower students through wellness, helping them build the inner confidence and relaxation skills needed to thrive both on and off the mat."
Raised in New York City, Coach Adee began a professional wellness career over 20 years ago as a Registered Dietitian, before adding a yoga certification a decade later to provide a complete, well-rounded approach to youth well-being.
At Kent Denver, this dual expertise helps shape intentional programming that balances physical mindfulness with stress relief. Every session is designed to be both meaningful and fun, with a strong focus on relationship building and student confidence.
Dance
It’s an exciting time for Kent Denver's dance program, which expanded to the Upper School in the fall of 2026 to now offer opportunities for all students grades 6-12. Blending ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern dance and somatic practices, students first get introduced to the art form as a means of communication before progressing to movement and creativity, artistry, choreography and performances. With a focus on building confidence and curiosity, students will also learn improvisation and develop proper skill technique while collaborating with classmates in a supportive, joyful environment.
This offering is a non-competitive, yet challenging, physical activity available to all experience levels, and it is a great way to cross-train for other sports seasons. Dance will be offered as a class during the school day, with Middle School students receiving arts credit and Upper School students able to take the class for either arts credit or to fulfill an athletics requirement.
Dance Teacher: Rosalinda Rojas
A nationally recognized dance educator, choreographer, curriculum innovator and interdisciplinary artist, Rosalinda Rojas joined Kent Denver School in August 2026 to lead its expanded dance program for students in grades 6–12.
Prior to Kent Denver, she dedicated 25 years to Albuquerque Academy, where she designed an innovative dance curriculum, cultivated interdisciplinary performance experiences and mentored generations of young artists. Her professional career spans concert dance, musical theatre, opera and circus arts, with performance and choreographic credits, including The Metropolitan Opera, Big Apple Circus and Barnum on Broadway. As an independent scholar, Ms. Rojas investigates the future of dance education through research in embodied learning, curriculum innovation, artificial intelligence, digital media and emerging technologies, exploring how these evolving tools can enrich creativity, artistic practice and student learning.
Drawing upon a diverse foundation in ballet, contemporary dance, aerial dance, acrobatics and global dance traditions, Ms. Rojas creates inclusive, student-centered learning experiences that cultivate technical excellence, creative confidence, collaboration and an appreciation for dance as both an art form and a powerful means of human expression.
