Connecting with our Dancers!

Anna Crowley-Parent at Studio 1 for 2 years

Studio 1 has provided my daughter with phenomenal dance instruction in a positive and fun environment. The highly trianed instructors give students lots of opportunity to meet high standards of growth. To me, it's the perfect dance eduction-a balanced blend of rigorous instruction, respecful treatment of students, and a huge amount of joy for the art of dance! A family enviornment truly resonates through the studio's dancers. After just two years of dance at Studio 1, my dughter has gained lots of fancy footwork, increased self-confidence, and a home away from home!

Kerry Smith-Parent at Studio 1 for 10 years

My daughters have been dancing with Beth Ith of Studio 1 for ten years now and I can honestly say we wouldn't go anyplace else! In fact, we drive from Marysville to Woodinville each week for just this reason. There is such a feeling of "family" at the studio. Beth is so full of passion for what she does...the level of skill and creativity mixed with love for her students makes it such a rewarding experience for the kids. I am in constant awe of all that she accomplishes! While Studio 1 has a strong dance team, my girls have never participated in the competitive side of dance. That said, they have never felt "left out" or like they were less important because of it. I think what I have always been most impressed with is the high expectation Beth has for ALL of her students and WOW, does it ever pay off! These kids can dance! I honestly can't say enough about Beth and Studio 1.

Erica Olavarria-Danced 8 years at Studio 1

I started taking dance at Studio 1 when I was in the fifth grade, in 2000, because I wanted to get better at tap dancing and I wanted to start taking ballet. What I didn't realize at the time was that I'd also found a new family and a new home for the next eight years. In the sixth grade I joined the Studio 1 Competition Team and started taking as many different dance classes as I could, including jazz and hip hop. Eventually I also added lyrical, modern, and pointe. You could find me at Studio 1 after school almost every day--if I wasn't in dance class, I was doing my homework or hanging out with my best friends at the studio. I stayed on the Studio 1 Competition Team through my senior year of high school. There was one teacher I had the entire eight years: Beth Ith. Beth turned me into the tap dancer that I am today. She is the backbone of the studio and the team, and she truly cares about her students. Because of Beth, when I went to college at Oklahoma City University for dance, I leveled in as one of the top tappers of the freshman class. I think that all dance studios need committed, passionate teachers like Beth, and I am so glad that I have been able to keep in touch with her after I graduated from high school. Thinking back on those eight years at the studio, I am flooded with memories of classes, competitions, and recitals. Studio 1 nurtured my passion for dance and left me with lifelong friends.

After moving to the Woodinville area in 2000, I began dancing at Studio 1 shortly after. At first I took only one or two classes at a time, but at every recital I would envy the kids on the dance team who got to be in what seemed like every dance. It looked like so much fun! So finally after a few years of convincing my parents, they let me try out for the team. I competed with Studio 1 from 6th grade up until 11th grade, and have continued to visit and keep in touch ever since then. These years gave me some of the most memorable experiences of my childhood. Our team was like a second family, spending every day after school together dancing and building close friendships. The trips to Disneyland and Silverwood, the parades, the parties, and everything in between are part of what made it such an awesome experience, and the teachers all helped to instill in me a love and passion for dance that I have carried with me into college. I am now living in New York and attending the Broadway Dance Center Training program. Without the care and influence of teachers like Beth Ith, Amy Jones, and everyone else at Studio 1, I would probably never have imagined I would continue dancing. They stuck by me no matter what, and pushed me to be better even when I wanted to be lazy. I can't wait to see how many beautiful new dancers will be inspired by the instruction at Studio 1!

I was at Studio 1 for 12 years and had some of my favorite times there. By the time I was in high school I spent just as much time there as I did at home. Studio 1 became a home away from home for me. The girls I danced with became my sisters and the teachers I had made impacts thats affect me still in dance. Beth Ith and Amy J. Jones were the two teachers that became people I trusted not just as teachers, but as role models, and they have taught me a lot more than just dance steps over the years. Being a part of the Studio 1 Family was a big part of my life that I wouldn't change for the world.

We began our dance training the first year Studio 1 opened in 1987. My little sister and I spent the better part of our childhood and young adult years as students at Studio 1. For us, the studio became a second home where we made memories and friends that will last a lifetime. Studio 1 has been able to gracefully (pun intended) strike a balance between creating an encouraging and supportive environment while also instilling a sense of discipline and hard work. Although my sister and I no longer dance, we have both have gone on to pursue graduate careers/degrees (I'm a lawyer and my sister is currently studying to be a physical therapist). Undoubtedly the values we learned at Studio 1 have continued to help us grow personally and professionally to this day.