CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF DANCE EDUCATION IN SALEM, OREGON

​Sydney Farr

HIP HOP , ​COMPETITION & RELEVÉ

Lauren began her dance journey at the age of four. During her 14 years at City Dance Theatre, she trained in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Hip-hop. She was a performing company member and a competition dancer for seven years.
After graduating high school, Lauren trained in Los Angeles at Millennium Dance Complex, The Edge Performing Arts Center and The Athletic Garage. During her time there she was exposed to many more styles of dance and to the commercial dance scene. She also began to take an interest in cardio, conditioning, and barre classes. 
Upon returning to Oregon, Lauren was given the opportunity to teach at City Dance Theatre. At CDT, Lauren currently choreographs for recitals, Relevé Performing Company, and is the Competition Director and one of many choreographers for the City Dance Theatre Competition Team.
Lauren graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelors of Science in Applied Health and Fitness with a focus in physical activity and exercise. Additional accomplishments include dancing in Goldfoot’s first music video “Feel Like Dancing.” She was a member of the Portland Winterhawks Rosebuds Dance Team for 5 years, 2 of which she was a captain. She also performed for the Portland Steel for one year and was a member of Mix’d Dance company for two years. Lauren choreographs for local high school cheer and dance teams as well as professional dance teams. In addition to teaching at City Dance Theatre, Lauren also teaches at another studio in Portland and is going into her 6th year as an Assistant Coach for LOHS dance team.
Lauren is excited for another year of dance and to share her life passion with others. She can’t wait for these dancers to learn new skills and to help them learn to express themselves through movement.

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Lucy Gatchet

TAP , RELEVÉ & COMPETITION

​Hannah Hawkes

CONTEMPORARY, JUMPS & TURNS & RELEVÉ

Hannah began dancing at City Dance Theatre at the young age of three. After graduating from the studio, she pursued a professional dance career with the Portland Winterhawks and Mixd dance company for four years. She has been teaching Contemporary at the studio for five years now, and is more and more thrilled each year to share her love of dance. She is a firm believer in the power of dance, and the creative possibilities that stem from it. She believes it is a privilege to be able to teach young minds, to move our bodies as a form of self expression.
Outside of dance, she is an educator for Salem-Keizer. Teaching really is at the center of her everyday life. She loves the color yellow and making soup at all times of the year. Her dogs Pongo and Louis are her pride and joy. They keep her busy and make sure she gets her steps in everyday! She is thrilled to have another fantastic year at CDT!

Lucy started dancing at age 3 in Paradise, CA and joined City Dance Theatre when she was 12. Lucy trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical and was a Relevé Performing Company dancer. With Relevé she performed at Disneyland (twice) and Universal Studios as well as all over the Willamette Valley.Lucy has been a class assistant in the younger classes since joining CDT and has subbed various classes the past few years.
Lucy was The Snowman in CDT’s production of The Snowman in 2023.
Lucy is also a musician who plays guitar, writes music and sings 
As a past theatre student Lucy has performed and had lead/featured roles in several productions at West Salem High school.
Tap has always been one of Lucy’s favorite dance styles and she is so excited for the opportunity to share her love for this style with the dancers of City Dance Theatre.​

​Zoë comes to Salem from England. Her extensive training led to a professional career in dance throughout the world. Her credits include training and experience with The Royal Ballet School, The Rambert Dance Company, The Mantis Dance Company, Princess Cruises, Will Rogers Theatre Branson, Missouri, and Middlesex University. Zoë competed all over the United Kingdom where her solos gained 1st place and Highest scoring solo consistently. She was a finalist in the esteemed Miss Dance of Great Britain and a finalist at The All England Dance Finals with her classical solo and national solo.
While in Salem, Zoë has taught for Community Education, was the original dance teacher at Howard Street Charter School, choreographed for the Willamette Girls Choir, Salem Boys Choir, Salem Pops Orchestra and Miss Marion Polk County Pageant. Zoë is the choreographer for McNary High School where she has choreographed Oklahoma, Grease, South Pacific, Hello Dolly, Les Miserables, Annie Get your Gun, Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Brigadoon ,The Pajama Game ,Thoroughly Modern Millie, Taming of the Shrew ,Kiss Me Kate,Hairspray,As you like it, West Side Story, Little shop of Horrors , Urinetown , Legally Blonde, Beauty and the Beast ,The Addams Family ,The Wizard of Oz ,Elf ,Mary Poppins , Mamma Mia & The Little Mermaid. In 2021, Zoë started choreographing for West Salem High School and has choreographed Mamma Mia,Drowsy Chaperone, Percy Jackson & Between The Lines for them.
For five years Zoë was Ballet Mistress for local dancers for the Eugene Ballet Company's The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty, and in 2004, Ballet Mistress for the Russian Festival Ballet, The Nutcracker, for which her studio was chosen exclusively to perform.
Relevé, City Dance Theatre's performing company under Zoë's direction performed at Disneyland in 2006 , 2008 , 2013,  2016,  2018,  2022 & 2024 and also performed at Universal Studios  2016 & 2024
The company performs throughout the Willamette Valley at various community events and retirement communities during the Holidays and Summer months.
Former students of Zoë's are now dancing on Broadway, teaching in studio's & colleges,  are dancing for professional sports teams and have danced for esteemed Ballet companies.Many have pursued a College Degree in Dance.

In 2021 CDT was nominated and voted BEST DANCE STUDIO in Willamette Valley. 

Zoë is a certified teacher of Progressing Ballet Technique and CDT is a National Honor Society of Dance Arts Charter for Junior and Senior levels.
Zoë is married to Brad, and has two sons, Ben and Sam. 

CDT alumni Sydney Farr has been dancing since the age of six and has trained in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Tap, and Hip Hop. For nine years she performed with CDT Performing Company throughout the greater Willamette Valley, the Portland area, and Disney California.  
Having a burning passion and love for dancing and performing, Sydney wanted to go further with dance after high school. Her first professional appearance was in a music video as a featured dancer for the Portland band Goldfoot, for their song “Feel Like Dancin”. While attending a Tremaine convention with CDT she was awarded a Hip Hop scholarship and was honorably mentioned. 
For 7 seasons, Sydney had the opportunity to train with and be a member of Portland area Mixd Dance Company, being involved in 3 large scale productions. She currently takes dance classes in Portland and has spent some time in LA taking master classes.  
Sydney’s future goals include inspiring the youth through teaching dance and owning her own business. She is currently in her 9th year of being a Portrait & Wedding Photographer under the name Sydney Lynne Photo.
Sydney will be back teaching all Hip Hop classes, as well as choreographing for Relevé Performing Company and the CDT Competition Team.
She couldn’t be more thrilled to be at her second home, sharing her passion for dance! 

Lauren Yamaguchi

LYRICAL, JAZZ , CONDITIONING, COMPETITION DIRECTOR & RELEVÉ

Zoë - Lisa Banton

DIRECTOR 

BALLET , POINTE , PROGRESSING BALLET TECHNIQUE & RELEVÉ