Medford Dance Arts Center Home of the Medford Civic Ballet 541-772-1362

 WE BRING A HAPPY SMILE, KINDNESS AND RESPECT TO EVERY DANCE CLASS AND THE NEWEST AND BEST FROM NEW YORK AND DANCE MASTERS OF AMERICA .....

Our assistants, teacher aides and interns understand the importance of learning good technique and sharing the fun of learning to dance.  SOME OF THEM ARE FULLFILLING THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE AND SENIOR PROJECTS WITH US.

Teacher MARY COWDEN SNYDER has a Masters Degree in Dance and Performing Arts from the University of Oregon and she holds Oregon and California teaching credentials.  In addition, she has post graduate work in physiology, kinesiology, arts and education.  She is a member of the National Dance Education Association, Association of American Dance, Labanotation Bureau of New York and others.  She has conducted numerous workshops for teachers and dancers and she has been a recipient of several grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.  She is listed in Dance Magazine Annual and Who’s Who in the Performing Arts as a master teacher, lecturer and choreographer.  She has written and illustrated numerous articles on dance as well as several dance books.  Mrs. Snyder taught dance at the University of Alaska and founded and directed Dance Theatre of the North.  In California, she taught at Cal Poly State University and founed and directed Cuesta College Dance Theater.

Since returning to Oregon, Mrs. Snyder has been Fine Arts Coordinator for a regional school district and a teacher at Southern Oregon University while continuing to teach dance.  Mrs. Snyder is proud of her students; they include Broadway dancers, professional ballet company dancers in America and Europe, dance teachers from New York to South America, video, TV, industrial and theme park dancers including Disneyland and Las Vegas as well as many students who dance just for fun and recreation. In 1982, she founded Medford Civic Ballet and they have performed the Nutcracker Story Ballet for thousands of children in the Rogue Valley as a public service project gift annually. Currently, she directs the Dance Arts Academy and Dance Arts Designs.  Locally, Mrs. Snyder is a member of the Medford/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, American Association of University Women, Arts Council of Southern Oregon and others.  She has one daughter, Mary Rebecca (Mecca) and her husband, Bob....She loves teaching all ages and the special trust of teaching different ages....everyone can dance if they can learn the secrets of successful dancing!         

TEACHER KELLY OSBERG has been with our dancing family more than 30 years. She started out as one of our tiniest dancers and now has moved to our Preschool age teacher and Basic Ballet Teacher. Teacher Kelly, is also the Director and Head Teacher at St. Peter Lutheran Preschool where she has been teaching for the past Ten years. She has trained in Early Education at RCC and with the OCC. Teacher Kelly is CPR and First Aid trained and Certified. She has choregraphed many wonderful dances for the Dance Arts Acadamy and Medford Civic Ballet. Kelly is a mother of two, Ariana and Erik. Her kids are advanced dancers here at Medford Dance Arts Acadamy. Previusly, Kelly has mangaged The Dance Arts Center Store and will continue to help you with all of your dance and dancewear needs.

Teacher Melanie Weathers Is our Hip Hop Specialist. Miss Mel has many years of diverse dance and advanced musical theater. Mel has been invited to join the Hollywood Vib Company and Crew and has been dancing for over 20 years. She specializes and is passionate about fusion dances that incorporatetes Fossy and Hip Hop styles. Through her passion and experience she re-established the Pheonix High School Dance Team where she spent two years teaching and mentoring young adults. Mel is a mother of five and operates her own business as a cosmologist. Mel loves to do the impossible through dance and inspire others to express themselves through the art of dance.                   

TEACHER BONNIE MCKiNLEY has many years of Vagonova (Russian) training, her bachelors degree is from the University of Michigan, and Masters fron University of Oregon.  She has bee a dancer with Medford Civic Ballet for more than 30 years.  She loves teaching the special secrets of ballet.                    

Who We Are

We love to share our expert instruction with children, teens and adults.  Each person is unique in body, mind and spirit.  Learn to take advantage of your uniqeness and float or fly!  The discipline of dance will set you free.............. Share the excitement!