Bio
Kimbo Dance Music: A Trusted Source for Dance Educators and Enthusiasts Since 1954
Family-Owned and Dedicated to High-Quality Music for Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and More
Kimbo Dance Music, a family-owned small business rooted in a love for dance, has been providing first Records, and now Downloads/Streams/CDs for dance teachers since 1954. Founded in New Jersey, USA, by the late Bob Kimble and his wife Gert, KIMBO has grown from a humble beginning to a trusted source for dance educators and enthusiasts alike. For over seven decades, KIMBO has dedicated itself to producing and selling high-quality songs and CDs tailored specifically for a wide range of dance styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, tiny-tots, pre-ballet, and beginner ballet. With a legacy built on passion and a deep understanding of the art form, KIMBO Dance Music continues to inspire generations of dancers to find their rhythm and express themselves through movement.
Simplify Your Dance Classes. Browse Kimbo's Vast Library of Dance-Specific Music in Multiple Formats (CDs, Downloads, Streams) for All Ages and Styles.
Founder Spotlight: A Legacy of Dance Education
BOB KIMBLE, 2/23/24-6/18/07, co-founder of Kimbo Educational, started his dance career at the age of 5, when he was a precocious performer in his Kindergarten class. He studied dance first in his local town and then in New York. He joined the chorus of Something for the Boys with Ethel Merman in 1943. However, before long, they lowered the draft age, so Bob’s Broadway career was shortened when he joined the Navy where he served until the end of the war.
After the war, Bob enrolled in college and, at the same time, opened a dance school in his mother’s basement. He earned a reputation as a gifted dance teacher specializing in children’s instruction. Bob quickly outgrew his mother’s basement and relocated to the town center. In 1954, he was invited to teach at a Dance Educators of America convention in New York. He had 3 homemade practice records with him, but when he finished his class, everyone wanted to buy the records. Names and orders were taken, and Kimbo Records was born.
A step back, he met Gert in 1948, and they married in 1950. Gert quickly became part of the business. Jeff was born in 1951, and Jim arrived in 1956. The dance school continued to grow along with Kimbo Records. Bob was kept very busy touring the US, teaching at dance conventions, and promoting his dance records.
In 1962, the business expanded, thanks to President Kennedy’s emphasis on physical fitness. By adapting the dance routines to movement and exercise, a new product was formed for the physical education market. The new markets in education were pursued mainly in the early childhood area. The company became Kimbo Educational, the Children’s Music Company, and is today, Kimbo CDs are distributed worldwide. There are over 300 CDs, many with accompanying guides written by educators, and covering such areas as singing, rhythmic activities, aerobics, fitness, dance, special ed, lullabies, science, math, and using manipulatives such as bean bags, parachutes, rhythm sticks, ribbons, scarves, and much more.
In the early ‘60’s, Kimbo purchased the Selva line of dance records and added to their catalog a complete selection of classical ballet records. Kimbo Dance Records continues today as Kimbo Dance Music.
