Sound Movement Arts Center

The Artist In Motion (AIM) Scholarship helps with Tuition and other costs associated with being a dance student at Sound Movement Arts Center. We look for students that are highly motivated (involved in multiple classes or if only one want to take additional, have good attendance, are loyal and committed to dancing at Sound Movement Arts Center, have great work ethic (strive to achieve personal best in class, polite to classmates and instructors, all around respectful) and who have a financial need.

A branch of MDC for Int/Adv Ballet students (levels 3+) wishing to experience Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), in addition to specific Conventions, Competitions and extra Performing opportunities above and beyond our recreational program and different than our core MDC competitive experience.

Moderate hourly requirements with opportunities for increased participation in training and student involvement. Usually composed of naturally inclined and enthusiastic dancers seeking a higher level training and some additional performance opportunities outside recreational classes. Composed of passionate dancers at an intermediate/advanced level. Students must have at least 2+ years dance experience in each style they are auditioning for.

Moderate hourly requirements with opportunities for increased participation in training and student involvement. Usually composed of naturally inclined and enthusiastic dancers seeking a higher level training and some additional performance opportunities outside of recreational classes. Composed of passionate dancers at an intermediate level. Students must have at least 1 year dance experience in each style they are auditioning for.

Moderate hourly requirements with opportunities for increased participation in training and student involvement. Usually composed of naturally inclined and enthusiastic dancers seeking a higher level training and some additional performance opportunities outside recreational classes. Composed of passionate dancers at an intermediate level. Students must have at least 1 year dance experience in each style they are auditioning for.

Older student classes are an hour long, but will end 5 minutes early to minimize congestion in the lobby/halls. This small amount of time also allows our staff to monitor the common areas for the safety of our population and gives students/staff with multiple classes a short break in which to change rooms/shoes, etc. Think of this as “Passing Period” in school.

Kids classes are 45 minutes long, but will end 5 minutes early to minimize congestion in the lobby/halls. This small amount of time also allows our staff to monitor the common areas for the safety of our population and gives students/staff with multiple classes a short break in which to change rooms/shoes, etc. Think of this as “Passing Period” in school.

Twinkle Tot classes are 30 minutes long, but will end 5 minutes early to minimize congestion in the lobby/halls. This small amount of time also allows our staff to monitor the common areas for the safety of our population and gives students/staff with multiple classes a short break in which to change rooms/shoes, etc. Think of this as “Passing Period” in school.

A SMAC dance instructor will teach a 30-60 minute dance class in the style of Twinkle Tots, followed by a short in-studio demonstration/performance for parents, featuring the Birthday Kid!

A SMAC dance instructor will teach a 30-60 minute dance class in the style of Tap, followed by a short in-studio demonstration/performance for parents, featuring the Birthday Kid!

A SMAC dance instructor will teach a 30-60 minute dance class in the style of Hip Hop, followed by a short in-studio demonstration/performance for parents, featuring the Birthday Kid!

A SMAC dance instructor will teach a 30-60 minute dance class in the style of Jazz, followed by a short in-studio demonstration/performance for parents, featuring the Birthday Kid!

A SMAC dance instructor will teach a 30-60 minute dance class in the style of Ballet, followed by a short in-studio demonstration/performance for parents, featuring the Birthday Kid!

A SMAC dance instructor will teach a 30-60 minute dance class in the style of Acro, followed by a short in-studio demonstration/performance for parents, featuring the Birthday Kid!

Private lessons can be used to improve technique or to learn choreography. They are available to all students and must be scheduled through the studio. Private lessons are scheduled based on studio/instructor availability. Private lessons are a great way to increase technique, style, coordination and understanding of terminology. They can also be used to learn routines for School Talent Shows, Pageants, Competitions and more!

This introductory class designed for your little dancer teaches a combination of creative movement and beginning Ballet and Jazz skills. Our goal is to improve basic motor skills, agility and rhythm while learning foundational movement. Ballet shoes will be needed for this class. *Children must be able to engage in class without parent’s help.

Classes are designed to develop rhythm, style and sound. Students will learn a variety of tap styles from Hoffing to Broadway to Rockette tap. Exercises focus on building flexibility of the legs, knees and ankles, coordination, and speed of movement.

Modern class will incorporate many of the foundations of modern dance technique, including suspension and release, fall and recovery, the use of momentum and connecting breath with movement. Dancers will explore new ways of moving in combinations, floor work and partnering, and also in various methods of improvisation.

Jazz class will focus on learning proper dance technique such as isolations of the body, improving performance quality and developing complex rhythms and patterns. Skills such as leaps and turns are incorporated into choreographed routines. Students will be exposed to various styles of jazz such as Broadway, Street and Contemporary to help develop a well rounded dancer.

Hip Hop is a high-energy class that infuses the latest styles of street dancing, breaking, popping, locking & free-style movement that will be a focus of this athletic and energetic dance style.Classes will encourage students to step outside of the box by bringing their own individual style and personality to the movements.

Dancers will learn to express themselves through song lyrics and improve their musicality while blending ballet technique with modern and jazz styles. Class will focus on learning proper dance technique such as isolations of the body, improving performance quality and developing complex rhythms and patterns. Skills such as leaps and turns are incorporated into choreographed routines.

Students will learn classical ballet positions, technique and terminology, as dancers develop poise, grace, and confidence. Each class includes barre exercises, center floor work, and across-the-floor combinations.

Acrobatics (Acro) teaches flexibility, balance, strength, muscle control, discipline and concentration. This class will focus on fundamental acrobatic technique. Students will learn such things as handstands, chin stands, elbow stands, cartwheels, back bends, walkovers, balance, & contortion tricks. Acro is not the typical tumbling or gymnastics class. This class is great for students looking to enhance their agility, flexibility and strength.

Level 4 is for someone with 4+ years consecutive advance dance training in a particular style.

Level 3 is for someone with 2+ years consecutive experience within the same style at an intermediate level.

Level 2 is typically for someone with less than 2 years consecutive experience in a particular style.

Level 1 is for the absolute beginner with little to no previous dance experience or for a returning dancer that needs a bit more time in that level for refinement/foundational purposes.

Raven has also been a cheer and dance instructor for Young Champions (CPR-First Aid Certified), choreographed musicals for Astra in Puyallup as well as musicals for Tacoma Community College. As a dancer she has done music videos, commercials and even danced the part of Cha Cha in “Grease”.

Miss Courtney started dancing at 7 years old at All That! Dance Studio in Eugene, OR. Though her first loves are ballet and contemporary- she also studied tap, jazz, hip hop, musical theatre, ballroom, and modern.

Though her first loves are ballet and contemporary- she also studied tap, jazz, hip hop, musical theatre, ballroom, and modern. At age 13, she began assisting in preschool ballet classes at her studio and fell in love with teaching dance.

Miss Katy Tabb is a Seattle native dancer and choreographer. Past choreography credits include: Newsies, Singin’ In The Rain, Billy Elliot, and Hello My Baby at Village Theatre in Issaquah, WA as well as the world premiere of Persuasion and upcoming Sweet Land at Taproot Theatre Company in Seattle.

Her training included a variety of styles including hip-hop, ballet, jazz, tap, heels, modern, contemporary, lyrical, and musical theatre. She graduated with a certificate of Dance in 2017.

Miss Makena grew up nearby, in Gig Harbor Washington. She is passionate about encouraging others to follow their dreams like she did. Miss Makena attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy(AMDA) in both Los Angeles and New York City.

Miss Kristin has been teaching ballet and creative dance to children for more than twenty years. She grew up in Tacoma, studying and performing there, and now calls it home with her husband and three children.

Along with ballet, Miss Bronica is studied in modern dance. After graduating High School, Miss Bronica turned to teaching and has been doing it ever since. She started at Auburn Gymnastics Center as both a Gymnastics Coach, and a Ballet Instructor for their TOPs (Talent Opportunity Program) gymnasts and then moved on to teaching at SOund Movement Arts Center.

She studied Ballet, lyrical, Jazz, Hip-Hop and Tap. In 2015, she started attending Allegro Performing Arts Academy, where she was able to pursue dancing at a more professional level.

Miss Hallie grew up in Tacoma, Washington. She has trained under some of the most influential names in the dance community, including Brian Friedman, Tricia Miranda, and Tessandra Chavez. In addition, she has traveled across the nation with The Pulse on Tour as an Elite Protege and with Velocity Dance Convention as their 2016 National Junior MVA Winner.

As a member of Capital City Youth Ballet Company, she trained under Sarah Phipps/Arnold and Joanne Michaels. Later, becoming a Ballet Idaho Trainee performing with the school and company. She spent her summers training with Maria Vegh, Idaho Dance Arts Alliance, and Ballet West in Salt Lake City, UT.

Miss Alashia has trained in Modern, Ballet, African, Praise Dance and Hip Hop. She is an innovative teacher/choreographer and challenges her students to be confident, creative and ambitious in class and in life.

Mister Marvin began his dance training at the age of 16 with Mount Tahoma High School’s Hip Hop Dance Team. His senior year, the team attended the State championships placing 4th in the 4A division. During his time on the team, he earned a spot on the UDA All American Dance Team and got a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform in Italy.

During high school, she participated in multiple competition teams and performed in the School of the Arts Dance Company. She just graduated from the University of Puget Sound where she received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry; she spent her time outside of academics choregraphing and teaching for the Reparatory Dance Group.

Miss Kristen Grace is a hip hop and jazz funk instructor from with over 12 years experience in the south sound. Currently the Director of The Beat Box: Hip Hop Dance Studio at Studio West Dance Academy, she choreographs for both the senior and junior groups at The Beat Box (EDGE and Beat Box Juniors) and instructs beginning to advanced classes weekly in Olympia.

Though his primary focus is Hip Hop, he was formally trained in ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary, and bollywood. Dezmond was accepted into Cornish College of the Arts and has performed in many venues here in the northwest such as World Of Dance, Beamer Breakdown, and Cruz Control.

Mister Dezmond is a NW hip-hop dancer and choreographer. He started his dance journey as captain of his high school dance team where they were awarded state and national championships.

She is best known in Tacoma for training students at the Jo Emery Ballet School. She was the Artistic Director for the Tacoma Performing Dance Company for many years.

Miss Brinessa is an experienced gymnast and ballet dancer from Tacoma, Washington. She grew up as a competitive gymnast, with the Morgan Family YMCA and Auburn Gymnastics where she excelled in the sport.

Miss Tori is an experienced dancer and cheerleader from Gig Harbor, Washington. She began competitive dancing in elementary school at Harbor Conservatory and continued her competitive dance career throughout high school at The Dance Gallery.

Particularly trained in contemporary, tap, and hip hop, she has spent the last four years teaching competitively for Evolve Dance Company in Rockford, IL. Known for her unique musicality, Mariah’s choreography has won several overall and special judges awards.

She has been teaching for over 5 years and is passionate about creating a safe, accessible, and empowering environment for youth to express themselves. She believes in truly educating her students with authentic Hip Hop culture both past and present to uplift creative minds!

That year, she furthered her studying of dance at T.U.P.A.C (Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center) in flamenco, ballet, west african and modern all under the direction of Klair Ethridge and Julie Tobiason. Performed in productions of the first Urban Nutcracker and Harriet: The Black Swan.

She continued her training more extensively at Harbor Dance, studying: ballet, jazz, contemporary and hip hop through high school. Eventually, she transitioned from recreational dancing to competitive and attended Nuvo, Jump, 24/7 and Showstoppers, winning many scholarships from Hollywood Connection.

For many years he has choreographed Overall High Point Award-winning and thought-provoking pieces for teams in Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Ballroom. His personally choreographed and performed teen contemporary solo Distractions was awarded National Outstanding Choreography by the NYCDA.

She has trained in Hip Hop, Contemporary, Jazz, Lyrical and Ballet. She participated in numerous competitions and performances herself and has since been teaching dance for 7 years.

Miss Kaitlyn is a hip hop dancer from the Puyallup-Tacoma area. She started hip-hop at Elite School of Dance when she was 7. There she pursued competitive dance where Kaitlyn and her team have been awarded national champions along with other titles.

She specializes in teaching a wide range of styles and levels—including Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Stretch and Strengthen—and is known for her work with both recreational and pre-professional dancers.

She has extensive training in ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, and tap. Throughout her career, she has worked with renowned choreographers and companies including The Joffrey Ballet School, Ballet West, Ballet Arizona, Spectrum Dance Theater, and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company.

Miss Caylen has been dancing in Tacoma since she was two. She has trained in Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, Tap, Modern, and her favorite, Ballet.

Miss Naomi is a passionate dance instructor and dedicated flight attendant based in Tacoma, Washington. With an extensive background in ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, modern, lyrical, and traditional Japanese dance, Naomi has spent years sharing her love for movement with students of all ages.

Passionate, driven, and fiercely creative, Miss Kialee is a dedicated Hip Hop coach and dance educator with over five years of experience training dancers across Washington state. Known for her inspiring coaching style, mindful approach, and award-winning choreography, she’s helped shape countless performers into confident, well-rounded individuals both on and off the stage.

Miss Tiffany was born and raised in Tacoma, WA. She began dancing at 3 years old and has trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, point, contemporary, and lyrical. She has also been teaching dance for over 11 years.

She grew up dancing at the Morgan Family YMCA where she trained in many styles of dance including Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Contemporary, Tap, Jazz, and Modern.

She performed in the Saint Mary’s Dance Company and trained in Ballet, Pointe, Modern, and Contemporary. She intensively studied dance courses including Dance Science, Dance Pedagogy, Laban/Bartenieff Fundamentals, Dance in Performance, Dance and Social Justice and much more.

Miss Jean began dancing in elementary school at a local ballet studio, Ballatore’s (no longer exists.) She danced there until the end of Jr. High. Then she took classes at Jan Collum, quickly joining the dance company, then known as Ballet Tacoma.

Miss Caylen has trained at Paradosi Christian Ballet Company, Image Studio of Dance, the YMCA, Studio Moves Dance Center and Tacoma City Ballet. She now calls Sound Movement Arts Center her dance home.

Miss Annelise began her dance training at the age of two. She grew up dancing at the Morgan Family YMCA where she trained in many styles of dance including Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Contemporary, Tap, Jazz, and Modern.

In our Recreational classes, the season is thoughtfully split into two parts: Fall (Sept–Dec): Skill-building, technique training, and learning fun combinations. Winter–Spring (Jan–June): Continued technique + Recital choreography. After our June Recital, we offer a vibrant Summer Session (July–August) for continued growth, exploration, and fun!

Our award-winning Competitive Teams , called Movement Dance Company (MDC) , are open to dancers ages 6+ . These teams train in multiple styles and levels of commitment. Auditions take place in June/July after our annual June Recital.

We also offer Adult Classes throughout the year—check our monthly newsletters and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates!

Ballet students ages 6+ the opportunity to Audition for and perform in this holiday family favorite. Interested dancers must be registered for Ballet class(es) over the summer to refine their technique and prepare for the August Auditions.

Students will be taught a few combinations that incorporate multiple styles and may be asked to improv. or freestyle during the audition. Form fitting dance attire is required along with proper dance shoes. Hair must be “performance ready” and off of the face. Clothing and hair should make the student look and feel confident, not distracted. Short breaks will be included for water and shoe changes.

Students will be taught a few combinations that incorporate multiple styles and may be asked to improv. or freestyle during the audition. Form fitting dance attire is required along with proper dance shoes. Hair must be “performance ready” and off of the face. Clothing and hair should make the student look and feel confident, not distracted. Short breaks will be included for water and shoe changes.

Summer Session happens in July-August with Summer Day Dance Camps and Evening classes. These are announced in April/May and registration is first come first served.

Amaya loves to teach dance and specializes in Tap, Jazz, Street Styles, and Modern. She is so excited to teach the camps this summer and foster a creative community for each and every student!