Welcome to...
Hello, from Stephanie!
As the proud owner of Children’s Dance Theater, I’m incredibly excited to welcome the Maple Valley community to our studio family. We are so excited to welcome your dancer to our program, which you will learn all that our studio has to offer. Over the coming weeks we are excited to see what each class has been working on this year and are looking forward to seeing the dancers' hard work on our recital stage in June.
Rest assured that during this transition so many wonderful things will remain the same. We are very excited that Doris Rai, Monica, Charles and Mackenzie are all staying on staff. I have much respect for these terrific dance educators and your child’s dance training is in great hands. Dance class tuition, the dress code and your child’s classes will be staying the same through the end of the school year.
There will be some changes to the building itself over the next few weeks. We are excited to give a little facelift to the studio, including some bathroom improvements.
As a former teacher at Dance Expressions, this community has a special place in my heart. I look forward to watching the dance program grow. CDT has a clearly laid out progression for dancers to help them achieve wonderful skills and make amazing friendship connections. We are proud to watch dancers from the age 3 grow to young adults who go on to graduate and do amazing things in their young adult lives. I’m very excited to launch our three other programs at the Maple Valley location. It is my personal mission to ensure that there is something for everyone at the studio.
I hope that you will join me on Sunday April 14th from 2-4pm for an Open House at the Maple Valley studio. I’d love to meet you and your dancer, introduce you to some key staff members and learn more about what you are most excited about.
Our Programs
Children's Dance Theater offers a unique learning experience for children of all ages. We specialize in combining the creative elements of dance, theater, art, and preschool into one comprehensive program. Our instructors have over 20 years of experience, and are dedicated to helping every student reach their full potential.
We offer a variety of classes and activities, so that your child can explore their creativity while learning the fundamentals of dance. We strive to create a supportive and encouraging environment, so that every child can feel confident and excited to explore their creativity.
Get to Know Us
We are more than a Dance Studio…..
Children’s Dance Theater was founded in 2007 in a small basement studio with three major goals: to provide age-appropriate music & choreography to students in Western Washington, to challenge students to achieve their personal best, and to be inclusive of students from all walks of life- including neurodivergent students.
Over the years, the small dance studio has evolved and grown to now three locations in Auburn, Federal Way, and Maple Valley, WA with creative artistic opportunities for aspiring dancers, actors and artists.
Children’s Dance Theater has four pillar programs: Dance, Theater, Art, and Preschool. These programs have specialty classes meant to introduce the art form, develop exceptional skill, and provide inspiration that speaks to the artist’s soul. Our students are more than just students to us – they are family. Our faculty mentor and guide every student that enters our program to help them achieve their best. We believe that confidence, poise, dedication and self-expression are just as important as art itself. Through training and performance opportunities, our students develop into beautiful artists, as well as amazing human beings.
What's Staying
The Same?
We know how important your child’s dance teacher is to them. I am honored that Doris Rai, Charles, Monica and Mackenzie are entrusting me with the future of this studio. Rest assured these terrific teachers are not going anywhere.
The current class schedule is staying and the caliber of the classes will be staying the same. These classes will be changing in name only, to match the CDT brand. During the next school year the CDT branding will be in full effect. Not to worry, you do not have to go buy new shoes for the Creative Ballet & Tap class (formerly Glitterbugs).
Dance class tuition and competition group routine tuition rates will be honored through June. You will be receiving statements at the end of the month, please double check it and let us know if anything is incorrect. Our wonderful office manager will ensure everything looks as it should!
What's Changing?
Be sure to mark your calendar now for the June recital. The performances are May 31st & June 1st at the Auburn High School Performing Arts Center. Dress rehearsal at the theater will be May 23rd, 28th and 30th. Your dancer will only have to come to ONE of those rehearsal dates- not all. More information about the recital will be sent in April so stay tuned!
The building itself is going to undergo some changes. We will be cleaning up the landscaping and giving the studio a significant clean out. After we clean up there will be some new furniture to make the lobby a welcoming place for parents and students to enjoy, and drum roll…. A bathroom upgrade! We are considering a few other changes that will take some time and planning and you will be updated as those become more final.
Our studio software operates very differently and we do have to have private lessons match our current policies. These are as follows:
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Private lessons are $35 per 30 minute lesson.
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Private lessons MUST be booked through your parent portal.
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Private lessons must be paid at the time of booking.
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Must cancel/reschedule a minimum of 24-hours before scheduled private lesson to receive credit for payment already made. To cancel/reschedule, email the front desk at info@childrensdancetheater.com.
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Must be booked at least 48-hours before the scheduled lesson is to take place.
What to do next
I know the CDT experience to be an amazing experience for your students. We specialize in combining the creative elements of dance, theater, art, and preschool into one comprehensive program. Our instructors have over 20 years of experience, and are dedicated to helping every student reach their full potential.
You have three simple tasks to complete:
1
Log Into The
Parent Portal
When you first log in you will be prompted to accept our policies and procedures. Then, check that your information, child’s information are all accurate. If not, please update accordingly. Next, set up your auto payments. Our default payment option is the first of the month. We do offer a 15th of the month payment plan. If you would like to have your payment come out on the 15th, reply to this email and the reception team will take it from there.
2
Sign
Performance Commitment
Form
You will love our performances. Our recitals are highly organized and inspiring events that help your student showcase all that they have learned over the year. Each year we have a theme, and this year’s is “Masterpieces”. Each dance is inspired by a work of art. Our performances are optional, and it is so helpful for instructors planning to know if you are not able to be a part of the show. But you want to be a part of this show! Our commitment form is an organizational tool that helps you know the big bullet points and lets us have a mechanism to get the information to instructors. CDT does not have a performance fee for our recital., though all audience members do have to purchase a ticket. Read the commitment form to learn more.
3
Follow Us!
Follow Us! @childrensdancetheater on Facebook and Instagram. During Spring Break we will begin our spring cleaning of the Maple Valley location and we want you to see the results! That’s why we are holding an open house on Sunday April 14th, from 2-4pm. We want to meet you and hear what you are excited for.
Our Performances
Children’s Dance Theater works hard to provide ample opportunity for your child to have their work seen by an audience. In addition to our annual June dance performance, we have a variety of shows and community events that your child can sign up to be a part of. Some performances require an audition and have additional costs. Others are available through a sign up and have little to no cost.
Dance Team
Welcome Maple Valley Dance Team Members! Children’s Dance Theater invites you into our Thrive Family.
Here at Children’s Dance Theater we promote a healthy approach physically and mentally to dance education and training with the hopes of instilling joy and self worth. Our competition team is fun and challenging for dancers who want to have multiple performance opportunities, and experience the camaraderie of working with a team! Our dance team thrives on inclusive and appropriate costumes, award winning choreography and a supportive booster club.
Thrive is open to all dancers who are enrolled at CDT. With two teams there is a place for everyone and every level.
Ballet Productions
In collaboration with our 501c3 nonprofit group, Children’s Dance Theater Foundation, we produce two classical ballet productions each year- The Nutcracker annual production and a Spring Ballet production. Through gorgeous costumes, amazing scenery, enchanting music and beautiful dancing, performances like Cinderella, Hansel & Gretel, Snow White and more provide a magical experience for dancers and audience members alike. Learn more about our current production, Cinderella the ballet
