Maya Soto
Performing Arts Chair & Dance Faculty
Maya holds a BFA in Dance (Cornish College of the Arts) and a Washington Professional Teaching Certificate (Seattle University). Originally from Oregon, Maya has called Seattle home for more than twenty years. She has been teaching at The Northwest School for 12+ years.
Community is at the core of her relationship to art. Her work history includes project management, concert production, event planning, teaching, mentoring, choreography, and cross-disciplinary performance. As an arts advocate, Maya has served on the Highline School District Council for the Arts, OSPI’s writing committee for the Washington State Arts Standards, and Board President for Dance Educators Association of Washington.
As a dancer, Maya performed professionally with Michele Miller/Catapult Dance, Amy O’Neal, KT Neihoff, Ellie Sandstrom, and Amii LeGendre. She has created & produced numerous shows and has been featured in dance festivals across the Pacific Northwest. Her choreography has been funded by 4Culture, Office of Arts & Culture, the James Ray Residency Grant and Allied Arts Foundation. In 2014, she was honored with the Velocity Dance Champion Award for significant contribution to Seattle dance.
Maya has worked with diverse K-12 students and led professional development workshops for educators through Disney Musicals in Schools, Seattle Theatre Group, and Museum of Pop Culture. She directed the dance program at Evergreen High School (Arts & Academics Academy) for seven years and taught modern dance technique for adults and professionals at Velocity Dance Center from 2010-2021.
Maya has joyfully taught dancers of every age in schools, studios and community centers across Washington. Through her work, she aims to improve and expand equitable access to arts education for all people.
