Our Guiding Philosophy:
We can learn all things through dance.
We can learn all things through dance.
We know that dance is powerful- it helps us process new information, gives us freedom of expression, and deeply connects us to others and ourselves. Unlike other dance programs, we teach dance within the context of other topics, from community building to science to storytelling. We have one guiding theme each season, which allows us to connect and integrate student learning in order to deepen their understanding of both topics. Every activity we do in our classes builds dance skills in a way that fosters students’ curiosity about their world and encourages them think creatively about what they’re learning. Our primary focus is for students to be assured of their own strength, intelligence, poise, and kindness.
Our Mission:
To create and nurture a world of dance
that encourages creative thought and joyful curiosity.
Our Director:
Ciara McCormack Greenwalt
Ciara McCormack Greenwalt
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Originally from Burlington, VT, Ciara was raised in both the Northeast and small town Nebraska. She began dancing at the age of five, and studied strict ballet technique for many years, earning certification in Cecchetti and Royal Academy of Dance ballet technique, before expanding into other genres. Beyond a strong ballet foundation, her dance training is rooted in Humphrey-Weidman modern and improvisation, with a side of jazz. Ciara has also practiced and performed tap, hip-hop, musical theater, circus arts, Flamenco, Kabuki, and both traditional and modern African dance. In 2011, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Stephens College with a BFA in Dance and a minor in creative writing.
Read Ciara's full bio here. |
Teaching Artist and Program Associate
Marika Theofelis
Marika Theofelis
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Marika Theofelis is a dance educator who specializes in fostering brain development through music and movement. She holds a B.A. in Dance and Business from the University of Oregon and is certified in Anne Green-Gilbert’s Brain-Compatible Dance Teaching Method. Marika is in her sixth year implementing this method in the Seattle area, with a focus on increasing dance accessibility and exposure in more communities. She has taught in the studio setting, after-school, early-learning and enrichment programs, as well as temporary housing/shelter settings. Marika has a strong passion for exposing more young people, and the adults that serve them, to the social/emotional, physical, and mental benefits of a brain compatible dance curriculum that provides a safe and fun space to explore their relationship with themselves and the rest of the world through music and movement.
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