ABOUT US

Our Teachers

 
Claire Music Dye
OWNER & COMPANY DIRECTOR
Ballet | Jazz | Technique | Musical Theatre

Claire has been teaching dance for more than 30 years. She began teaching as a teenager and went on to perform, teach, and choreograph throughout California before founding Santa Barbara School of Dance Arts in 2003. After moving to Portland, she began teaching at All Star Dance Academy, purchased the studio in 2006, and renamed it Portland Dance Center in 2015. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Applied Health and Fitness from Portland State University, graduating summa cum laude.

Claire’s choreography and students have received numerous regional and national honors, but she is most proud of the supportive, character-driven community that has grown at PDC. She believes dance is a powerful vehicle for helping young people develop confidence, resilience, leadership, and genuine joy in the success of others. Her guiding philosophy is simple: Dance is the vehicle. Character is the destination.

 

 

Sarah Baltazar
OWNER & ASST COMPANY DIRECTOR
Technique | Lyrical | Improv | Ballet | Musical Theater
 
Sarah began dancing at the age of three in Boulder City, Nevada, training in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, musical theatre, and contemporary dance. She continued her training as a dance major at the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts, where she discovered her passion for improvisation and artistry. After graduating, Sarah began her career as a dance educator and choreographer, teaching dancers of all ages and levels with an emphasis on technique and performance. In 2014 she joined the entertainment cast at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, performing in several parades and roles while continuing to teach and choreograph throughout Southern California. In 2017, Sarah and her husband relocated to the Pacific Northwest, and she joined the Portland Dance Center family.
 
Now entering her 10th season at PDC, teaching has become the heart of Sarah's career. She is most passionate about helping dancers develop strong technique, individuality, confidence, and a genuine love for dance. Sarah strives to create a safe environment where dancers feel both challenged and supported, encouraging them to discover their own artistry and learn to tell stories through movement. She is grateful to have spent nearly a decade growing alongside the PDC community and is excited to continue watching our dancers find their voices as artists
Abby Stonewall Kapp
INSTRUCTOR
Tap | Acro | Technique

Abby Stonewall Kapp grew up competing dance and gymnastics in Oregon.  After high school she attended BYU where she taught undergraduate tap classes in the dance department, and also taught at Center Stage Studio in Utah. During her undergraduate time Abby earned her first professional dance job - performing for nine months at Busch Gardens theme park in Williamsburg, VA. She then started performing with various dance companies in New York City, and after college graduation moved straight to New York to continue performing and teaching. Abby performed professionally in NYC for many years before getting married, having three children, and focusing her time more on teaching dance again. She has taught all different styles of dance in many studios across the country, but has a great love for teaching tap and acro.  A few favorite professional dance memories include learning from and tapping with Brenda Buffalino, performing at Lincoln Center and off-Broadway in NYC, and helping choreograph for Dancing with the Stars.  Abby loves sharing her passion for dance with all her students! 

 

Claire Vaugn
INSTRUCTOR
Ballet | Jazz | Tap

Claire Vaughn has over 16 years of training in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and contemporary dance. She has several years of teaching experience and loves sharing her passion for movement with her students. Claire is currently studying Dance and Kinesiology at Pacific University for her second year with plans to be a physical therapist.