Camano Dance Academy

Specialties

Camano Dance Academy is Stanwood and Camano Island’s première performing arts school. We offer superior instruction in ballet and pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, acrobatics (acro), scottish highland, broadway dance, preschool dance, adult dance, and yoga. We also have a non-​profit performance team, the CDA Stars. Come see us perform at our annual recitals at the Stanwood High School Performing Arts Center every June, or the Lights of Christmas in Warm Beach each December. We would love to have you join our other 425+ student enrollees at CDA!

In addition, our Performing Arts Preschool educates students in basic scholastic functions through the use of art, music, dance, and other performing arts. The nurturing environment will encourage children to develop a positive self-​concept, while preparing them with the skills they will need to succeed in Kindergarten. Preschool is available for students ages 3 – 5.

History

Established in 2007.

Our Director (Terah Partridge) had been teaching ballet at various studios for years, and had to commute quite a distance to do so, since there were no ballet schools on the island. When her daughter turned four and decided she wanted to try a ballet class, Terah began searching for a class that would instruct her in classical ballet, with proper technique and an emphasis on artistry. However, Terah also wanted her to have fun and enjoy the experience. This situation prompted her to begin a Pre-​Ballet class in February of 2007, with about six students. Well, things grew… and grew… and grew… so much that we built our own 2600 sq ft dance studio on the north end of Camano Island, only a 10 minute drive from downtown Stanwood. We currently have teach over 400 students, with more joining all the time. The support CDA has received from the Stanwood/​Camano community has been amazing.

Meet the Business Owner

Terah P.

Business Owner

With over 25 years of dancing experience, and numerous years of dance instruction experience at various companies (including the Dance Evolutions studio, Lakewood Community Education, and the Marysville Performing Arts Center) Terah has been a committed patron of dance her entire life. Although ballet is her first love, Terah also has experience as Co-​Captain of the Lakewood High School Varsity Cheerleading squad, and coached the Rocky Mountain Jr High cheerleading squad, leading them to place #1 in Utah. In 2007, Terah founded CDA, & it has been growing ever since. With dance education from Cornish College of the Arts, BYU, Casper College, and Weber State University, along a special education teaching teaching degree from USU, Terah combines technical and artistic dance knowledge with the class management and motivational techniques she learned while teaching public school. As a teacher and mom, she is committed to producing artistically advanced, techically sound, healthy dancers.