King County Dance Studio provides professional training that is as unique as the county it hails its name from. We believe that diversity, equity and inclusion are essential to the arts, and provide a safe and nurturing environment for all students to succeed.
Dance enriches our lives, provides innumerable skills, and prepares students for whatever future they hope to pursue. We emphasize comprehension of mobility, momentum, mechanics, and vocabulary; encourage improvisational skills and musical interpretation; and support the development of each student's artistic voice Our dancers have the unique opportunity to work with professional artists from various disciplines. This resource is infinite in value, and ensures a well rounded education for all.
Our training's focus on individuality and creativity, is parallel to its emphasis on character and integrity.
We teach technique, but provide a platform for your student to achieve any aspiration.
Meet our director
DANITA SHAHEEN is a professional dancer, choreographer, teacher, and certified Pilates instructor.
Shaheen draws upon her vast background of training and experience to create a learning atmosphere that encourages awareness, responsibility, artistry and inclusivity.
Danita Shaheen’s formative training was with the Capital Ballet Company in upstate New York. Under the direction of former New York City Ballet soloist David Otto, she was classically trained in Balanchine technique, pointe, partnering and Jazz. She has done intensive training with Boston Ballet, David Parsons, River North Dance Company, Burklyn Ballet, Bates Dance Festival, and Max Stone. She graduated magna cum laude from Marymount Manhattan College’s BFA program with a double concentration in Ballet and Modern dance.
She has had the honor of collaborating with artists from myriad backgrounds and performing nationally and internationally with numerous ballet, contemporary, modern, and jazz/ hip hop companies. She has had the joy of working with Ariel Rivka Dance, Dance Cat-alyst, Kilowatt Dance Theater, Salma Allam and Dancers, Jeff Davis, The Cantigas Woman's Choir, Grace Rising Dance, Tamara Saari Dance, Jacobs Campbell Dance, Gehring Dancetheatre, Banana Peel Dance, dancesbyremi, Ryan McNally, Kaleidoscope Dance Theater, DoubleTake Dance, MAD About Dance , H.T. Chen and Dancers, Nikki Baksh and the Dolls of Eden, AERA, Beth Soll & Company, Andrea Gise and Dancers, Laura Ward/ Octavia Cup Dance Theatre, and Nina Buisson Contemporary Move. She has also been a featured dancer and choreographer on numerous music videos, and multimedia presentations.
Her love of dance reaches far beyond the proscenium stage as an educator to students of all ages and training levels. Shaheen has the prestige of teaching at Cynthia King Dance School, Third Street Music School (and over 15 of its partnering Public Schools), Ballet Arts Center for Dance, The Spence School, Soul Arts Academy, The DanceSource of Forest Hills, Garden State Ballet, Lucy Moses School, Dance Cavise, Reflections Yoga Studio, JKM Fitness, American Leisure, LIVUNTL, ProFit, URBN Playground, Barefoot Tiger, Thrive Studio, PS 811M, and MS 256. Additionally, she has been an invited guest artist and choreographer for Ballet Vero Beach, Connecticut Dance Center, 14th Street Y, Shoreline Ballet, Peridance, New York Live Arts, Memphis Ballet, The Brearley School, Montclair High School, Dutch Kills Theater, Maryann’s Aerials, and various other schools, studios and companies throughout the metropolitan, New Jersey and Long Island area. Throughout her career she has also held the role of Rehearsal Director, Artistic Coordinator, Masterclass Guest Artist, Class and Audition Assistant and Demonstrator.
She is an active choreographer and continues to work with professional artists of all technical backgrounds. She is the Artistic Director of Disagreeable Creatures, a Brooklyn based contemporary dance company. And the Artistic Director, founder and President of the Alternative Arts Association, a grassroots multimedia arts organization and registered 501c3.