Patricia Petersen

Artistic Director

Miss Patty is starting her 39th year as a dance teacher, she started Forest Grove Dance Arts in 2006 and founded Ballet Forest Grove in 2007. She loves teaching Ballet, Lyrical, Tap, Jazz, Creative Movement, Acrobatics and Pilates. Her dance training began at the age of 3 and continued through college where she attended “Cornish College of the Arts” then “Spectrum Dance Theatre” both in Seattle, WA. At the age of 23 she opened a dance studio “Dance Academy of Kent” with approximately 400 students in Kent, WA for approximately 10 years. Miss Patty has served on the faculty of “Maddox Dance Studio” in Warrenton, OR as well as “Northwest Conservatory of Dance” in Hillsboro, OR. She has traveled with “I Love Dance” as a Competition Judge, toured with “Manhattan Dance Project” as a staff member, stage directed and choreographed for “Little Ballet Theatre’s, The Nutcracker Ballet” for 8 years, and choreographed for USA Level 8 Gymnasts. She is a long standing member of Dance Educators of America. Miss Patty was honored by the community with the hometown hero in 2015. Miss Patty is a member of I.D.E.A. and has attended Rhee Golds Dance Owner/ Teacher Life Conferences since 2018. Miss Patty has had several students who have been recognized at the National Level as well as going on to dance professionally with various ballet companies, on Broadway in New York and Disney.