Maya Soto
Performing Arts Chair & Dance Faculty
Maya holds a BFA in Dance (Cornish College of the Arts) and has a WA State Professional Teaching Certificate. She has 20 years of experience as a choreographer, performer and dance educator. Originally from the Portland area, her work includes concert performances, movement installations, and dance for theater and film. She has worked with notable artists including Sean Curran, Michele Miller/Catapult Dance, Amy O’Neal, KT Neihoff, Ellie Sandstrom, and Amii LeGendre. She was honored with the Velocity Dance Champion Award (2014) for significant contributions to Seattle dance.Â
As a choreographer, Maya's work has been supported by 4Culture, Office of Arts & Culture, the James Ray Residency Grant and Allied Arts Foundation. Festival commissions include ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú New Works, Conduit's Dance+ Festival, Seattle International Dance Festival, Juan De Fuca Festival of the Arts, Pacific Dance Makers, SITEWORKS, and Arts in Nature Festival.Â
Maya has served as: faculty at Velocity Dance Center for 10 years; as Board President (five years) of Dance Educators Association of Washington; on the Superintendent’s Council for the Arts (Highline School District); on OSPI’s Arts Learning Standards Team; and on the School Leadership Team (Arts & Academics Academy).Â
Maya brings an open-hearted energetic teaching style that embraces all people. She has taught at schools and studios including Cornish College of the Arts, Bellevue College, Arts and Academics Academy/Highline School District, Tacoma School of the Arts, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Creative Dance Center and Strictly Seattle Summer Intensive. She has worked extensively in the public school system as both a certified dance specialist and a teaching artist. Additionally, Maya has trained and taught through outreach programs for the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Seattle Theater Group, and Disney Musicals in Schools.Â