Heather has taught me how I can bring joy to everyone around me. Whether it was through dance or my relationships with my teammates, she has always been there to show me how to find the joy in everything, how to uplift and encourage the people around me, and how to have fun in any circumstance (Maryn).  She has taught me what it means to be a teammate and the importance of contributing to a positive team environment! She also showed me what it looks like to be selfless and to care about helping others (Gracie) and that being a good teammate is part of being a good dancer (Sarah). Hea ..read more

Ladies Competition Team- Layton, UT Our Ladies Competition team attended the Synergy Dancesport Festival in Layton, UT over the weekend of January 13th. This was the first year our dancers from PBD participated at this fun event! Our dancers competed their Latin Medley “Girl on Fire” for its third and final year in both the Latin Medley Category and Novelty Category. The team placed 3rd and 2nd. The Ladies Competition Team practices are 1hour and 15min every week and only had two months to prepare for this competition. The dancers put forth their best effort together in such a short a ..read more

Over the last decade PBD has been privileged to employ so many staff members that care deeply about the kids of this program and Beth Dolan is no exception. This year marks her 10th year teaching at PBD and we celebrate her dedication and love for the program and especially her love for her students. She has created memories, taught excellence, brought humor and love into the studio through her fun, charismatic personality and deeply caring heart. Ms. Beth has mainly taught our PreTeens during her time at PBD and earned the loyalty and love of many students. However, as much as we wish we ..read more

Over the years, PBD has been blessed with people who have become part of the studio’s staff history at just the right time. They come with the skill sets, personalities and gifts that Pacific Ballroom Dance needs and hungers for and not a moment too soon. PBD is such a special place as it ebbs and flows as if it were living and breathing. And like anything living and breathing it grows and its people grow in many different ways. This year PBD officially welcomed a brand new staff member, Colleen Heal. Colleen brings her love for people, dance, teaching and her dedication to the students ..read more

Ladies Competition Team, Portland Open “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” (Harriett Tubman). In Fall 2021, PBD started what would become a brand new category across multiple studios in the Pacific Northwest. The Pacific Ballroom Dance Ladies Competition Team was filled with ambitious dancers who had strong personalities and leadership qualities that turned heads. The 2021 Ladies Team united both Junior age and Youth age dancers who impacted the Ballroom ..read more

Country Guest Instructor, Sequoia Nelson Have you ever heard of the word “assimilation”? According to good ole’ Webster it can mean “the process of becoming similar to something”. Assimilation in the dance community is the ability to pick up choreography quicker and more accurately. Did you know that the more ways your body is exposed to a variety of movement styles the easier it becomes to adapt and become more versatile? Our bodies form habits of repeated motions so the more we can introduce new ways of moving the easier it is to pick up new choreography and be able to control and ac ..read more

By: Amberlyn Jones with contributed support from PBD Parents & PBD Staff Those of us who have been to Nationals a few times are aware that it can be overwhelming the first time; but, as returning veterans more experience brings along smarter ways of not only doing things but also finding hidden gems within the area.  Here are just a few of the things our PBD community has learned along the way.  PACKING TRICKS Dance bags can be packed in a suitcase! Empty them, fold them flat and put them in the bottom of the case and pack clothing and bag contents on top or use them as carry ..read more

By: Amberlyn Jones, PBD Parent Liaison  As a self-proclaimed “PBD Cheerleader”, there is nothing I anticipate more than watching our dancers take the floor at Nationals again after two long years. I am so grateful for a chance to do it again after the heartbreak of 2020. The studio coaches, staff and dancers have been so creative and resilient, creating opportunities for us to watch dancers perform amid covid restrictions and shut downs- but I secretly couldn’t wait for the day I could sit alongside my fellow dance parents and watch our kids dance their hearts out at the Marriott cent ..read more

Ballroom students of all ages 4th grade and up stepped in front of a cozy audience for the first time since the 2021-2022 season began. PBD’s first ever Fall Showcase on October 23rd was held in a familiar setting for the students in their home studio but nonetheless still brought all the jitters and excitement of performing that a live performance brings. The Fall Showcase debuted performances from PBD’s performing teams PreTeen through Adult and also allowed opportunities for students of all ages to perform fun, creative and competitive routines of all genres.  Performances included ..read more

PBD Staff Hello and Goodbye Full Staff Directory New positions at Pacific Ballroom dance Raney Welch Communications Specialist As the Communications Specialist, Raney will help create access to Pacific Ballroom Dance by bringing awareness to information about the organization including PBD’s programming, events and experiences. “I’m most excited about sharing what PBD has to offer by working alongside other PBD staff helping to communicate those ideas and visions in a tangible way,” said Raney. She will oversee email communication, social media, and website maintenance, among other t ..read more