ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The BIPOC Youth Dance Program is a 10-month commitment designed to provide a safe, inclusive, and inspiring space for students of color to learn and grow in a professional dance environment.

Our mission is to help students:

  • Build self-confidence

  • Develop discipline and consistency

  • Foster positive engagement with peers

  • Experience the joy of performance

Classes include ballet, modern, creative movement, and tap. All students have the opportunity to participate in performance experiences, and attendance each week is a key part of their personal growth and community building.

ABOUT STEPS FOR YOUTH

Steps for Youth is the nonprofit arm of Steps PDX, created to break down barriers in dance education and ensure that every child has access to high-quality training and community, regardless of financial circumstance. Our mission is to foster equity, representation, and belonging in dance spaces that have historically excluded many young people of color.

The BIPOC Youth Dance Program is partially grant-funded and sustained by the generosity of donors who believe in our vision. Tuition assistance, sliding-scale pricing, and scholarships make it possible for families to participate, while community contributions help us expand access to even more dancers each year.
👉 Click Here to Donate

We are proud to be led by Women of Color and supported by a diverse faculty team that reflects the community we serve. Representation matters. Our teachers bring a wealth of artistry, professional training, and lived experience that inspires the next generation of dancers to see themselves fully in the art form.

Our team is committed not only to teaching dance technique, but also to nurturing confidence, cultural pride, discipline, and creativity. Through mentorship, performance opportunities, and thoughtful curriculum design, Steps for Youth creates a space where every child feels seen, valued, and celebrated.

Together, we are building more than dancers. We are cultivating future leaders, artists, and community members who will carry these values forward.

History of the BIPOC Youth Dance Program (written by Mia O’Connor-Smith):

"Mia O’Connor created the BIPOC Youth Dance Program in 2017, offering a safe and inclusive space for Black dancers to find joy and connection through dance. The program provided full scholarships to ensure every dancer had access and created opportunities for students to perform alongside local musicians, fostering a strong sense of community and artistry.

By 2022, Steps PDX welcomed the program, expanding its reach with additional educators and more dance styles. This collaboration allowed the program to grow while continuing to serve its mission of accessibility and excellence in dance.

Mia has since moved on from Steps PDX to focus on raising her children, stewarding land with the Black Oregon Land Trust and launching a new program for young dancers, building on her commitment to equity and creativity in the arts."

TUITION & OTHER FEES

At Steps for Youth, we believe that finances should never be a barrier to participating in dance. To ensure accessibility for all families, we offer a sliding scale tuition ranging from $400 to $2000 per year.

  • Sliding Scale $400-$2,000 per student for the full 10-month program. Option to pay in full or monthly.

  • Costume fee $100

    Tuition directly supports:

  • Equitable pay for our teaching artists and staff

  • Studio and theatre rental costs for spring performances

  • Costumes, class materials, and production needs

  • Administrative support to keep our program running smoothly

This tuition structure allows us to provide high-quality dance education in a way that is both accessible and community-centered.

*This program is partially funded by grants and donations. To help continue making dance accessible to students of all backgrounds, follow this link to make a tax-deductible donation!  Our EIN is 84-3167211

 

We will be in touch by August for level placement Auditions in September

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS

 

Jill Giedt is a passionate creative with a focus on movement, dance and cultural exploration. She holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Directing. Jill taught, directed and choreographed musical theatre for over a decade at Park Academy. She currently teaches at Portland Public Schools through community outreach with OBT and is a resident artist with Young Audience where, through creative movement, she teaches a program that honors the African American experience and the lessons of resilience. In her youth, Jill was a member of the American Contemporary Ballet Company where she trained with Elizabeth Abts. She also studied and performed African dance with Obo Addy.

 

Karida Griffith Walker grew up training in a variety of dance styles in Portland, OR, primarily with local legend, Sally Mack. After finishing her business degree at New York University, Karida actively pursued her professional dance career. Highlights include: The Radio City Rockettes, Cirque du Soleil, The Tony Awards, Today Show, recurring appearances on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, European tour of Black & Blue, and the critically-acclaimed Tap dance company, Dorrance Dance. As an educator and choreographer, Karida has worked in a variety of settings including Pace University as an adjunct professor, Broadway Dance Center in NYC, the Children’s Theatre Company of NY, for Festivals & Conventions, and in a variety of wonderful recreational & competitive local dance studios. Karida also provides choreography, in-school residencies, and lectures about Tap Dance History in the public school setting for students of all ages. Karida founded The Tap Teachers’ Lounge in 2018, a comprehensive online training program for Tap Dance educators. And in 2020, Karida began offering seminars about Race & Dance History to public and private institutions. She also founded the Roots, Rhythm, Race & Dance program, a six-week professional development program which helps dance educators (from all styles & educational settings) to confidently introduce age-appropriate lessons around race and dance history to their students.

 

Adrianna Audoma is a Portland based dance artist with 20 years of dance experience, ranging from classical ballet training to highly athletic contemporary modern work to various improvisational studies. Adrianna has been a collaborative member of Tongue Dance Project since 2016 and is currently an Alembic Resident at Performance Works Northwest. Adrianna has been teaching dance to children of all ages for 9 years and has been a part of the Step PDX family since 2017.