Steps for Youth Dance Programs

Steps for Youth Dance Programs offers dance and performing arts classes that include creative movement, ballet, tap, Hip Hop, Locking, Rhythm Training, Street Jazz, Afro Funk, Footwork, Floor-work, House, choreography, and movement improvisation. The program also includes performances, workshops, summer intensives, movement-based classes, and a mixed-abilities DanceAbility program rooted in improvisation for people of all physical and cognitive abilities.

• Ages: 3–18 years old
• Schedule: DanceAbility class meets every Saturday from 9:30–10:45am; adult drop-in classes occur weekly from September through July, and summer intensives run 1–3 weeks; the BIPOC Youth Dance Program runs for 10 months.

Steps for Youth is the nonprofit arm of Steps PDX and has three cornerstone initiatives: the BIPOC Youth Dance Program, the DanceAbility Program, and Scholarship Opportunities. The BIPOC Youth Dance Program offers creative movement, ballet, and tap classes to 62 students ages 3–9 years old, runs for 10 months, and includes foundational concepts of space, energy, pathways, technique, and choreography, with dancers performing each spring at PSU Lincoln Hall. DanceAbility is a mixed-abilities dance program rooted in improvisation for people of all physical and cognitive abilities and has a current partnership with On the Move Integration. Scholarship Opportunities include sliding-scale tuition, merit- and need-based scholarships, and community-supported opportunities, and Steps for Youth offers scholarships that can allow students to attend up to 13 or more classes a week at Steps PDX Ballet School and participate in performances, workshops, and summer intensives.

Steps for Youth was founded in 2017 by Artistic Director Kathryn Harden and is led by Women of Color and supported by a diverse faculty team. Steps PDX faculty are described as highly experienced and passionate, coming from diverse backgrounds as professional dancers, choreographers, and educators, and the OWN YOUR GROOVE Hip Hop program is led by Steps PDX Hip Hop Director Decimus Yarbrough and offers two levels for two terms, exposing dancers to various styles that influence Hip Hop. Steps PDX Ballet/Modern School blends classical foundations with contemporary movement practices, and Steps PDX emphasizes that dance is for everyone, with programs ranging from creative movement for the youngest dancers to pre-professional training.

Steps for Youth is described as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, with programs that are partially grant-funded and sustained by donors. For the 2024–2025 school year, Steps for Youth awarded 80 scholarships to students who demonstrate natural abilities and have the passion to pursue a career in dance, providing $36,092 in scholarships, and the stated goal for 2025–2026 is to double scholarship funds. Community involvement includes partnering with local schools and organizations, hosting free community events, and offering resources to youth of all backgrounds and abilities. Community events are donation-based community dance events for youth throughout the year, including Youth Day of Dance and Full Circle, and provide healthy snacks and water. The BIPOC Youth Dance Program partners with local organizations like WhiteBird and hosts dance workshops at the studio, and professional dance company members teach community classes at the studio and host a Q&A portion, with past community classes including Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Camille A. Brown and Dancers. Community is described as the heart and soul of Steps PDX, with collaborative performances, outreach programs, and mentorship.

Last updated July 14, 2026.