Tiny Dancers

Tiny Dancers is a unique program where children take part in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, Wiggletoes, and musical theater classes. The program uses a literacy-based approach that includes choreographed stories and fairy tales, along with hundreds of custom-made costumes and props. In class, students may dance the adventures of Rapunzel, re-enact Sleeping Beauty, or become the prince or princess in Cinderella, with younger dancers later moving on from fairy tales to a stronger focus on technique, style, interpretation, and choreography.

• Ages: 2–12 years old

Tiny Dancers is a family-owned program that teaches only young children and keeps class sizes limited for personalized instruction. It began in 2001 under studio owner Donna Rathe and has grown from 30 students in a sublet Tae Kwon Do studio to over 800 young dancers, celebrating its 25th season from 2001–2026. The curriculum emphasizes technical excellence while promoting agility, grace, and coordination, and students are encouraged to learn through creative self-expression, exploration of movement, and age-appropriate choreography. Instructors are selected for both their dance skills and their ability and enthusiasm for working with young children, and each instructor is thoroughly trained in the Tiny Dancers methodology. All classes are by reservation only, and Tiny Dancers and Wiggletoes are registered service marks of Tiny Dancers LLC. Beginning in March 2020, Tiny Dancers also began offering a virtual dance program live streamed to dancers in the Washington, DC area and throughout the country. The program serves students from nearby Maryland, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia, including Fairfax, Prince William, Montgomery, and Prince Georges counties and many surrounding cities and towns.

Last updated January 9, 2026.