A Life of Dance: The Story of Anita Kuroiwa-Schiff and History of SAAS’s Dance Program

The history of Seattle Academy’s dance program and Anita Kuriowa-Schiff’s teaching career are strongly intertwined. While dance has been a feature of SAAS’s graduation requirements since the school’s founding in 1983, Anita’s arrival in 1994 ushered in a new vision for the dance program that was rooted in the school’s commitment to both participation and excellence and infused with SAAS’s signature entrepreneurial spirit. 

When Seattle Academy’s founding Head of School, Jean Orvis, approached Anita about teaching at SAAS, the two saw an opportunity to do something that would have a great impact on the academic and artistic program of the school. Reflecting on her 29 years as a faculty member, Anita recalls what motivated her early on in her time at SAAS, “So, I made a pitch to start a dance company. I always wanted to start a children's dance company because there wasn't something like that for me when I was a child.” A few weeks after that initial conversation with Jean Orvis, SAAS was on its way to its first after-school dance company, and the school’s performing arts landscape was forever changed. Prior to Anita’s arrival, SAAS students benefited from the teaching of dance teachers Reggie Bardach and Vera Schimmelbush. While students had danced at previous End-of-Tri performances, it was Anita’s skillful choreography, professionalism, and her relentless commitment to artistic quality that began to set the dance program apart. 

What You Can Do With One Year 

In 1994, SAAS classrooms were still housed entirely in the Temple de Hirsch Sinai, and enrollment totaled 175 students. In her first year, as she balanced working at SAAS with other artistic commitments, Anita took her commitment to teaching one class of seventh graders seriously. “When I got here,” Anita said, “someone showed me a boombox and the Jaffe Room. I carried a case of cassettes with me each day. I had to have two: one for rehearsal and an additional copy for the show, because cassettes warp and break.”

During the 1995-1996 school year, the SAAS dance company called “Dansation,” made its debut. The hallway outside of the Jaffe Room served as the home for Anita’s choreography and the dancers would frequently rehearse in the hallways of the Temple building. At the end of the year, Dansation, a group of about 12 students in grades 6 through 12, performed in front of the whole school community during End-of-Tri, and they also had a full-length concert. “The parents were amazed,” recalls Anita. “They didn't think that students could do things like that. And once they saw their children dancing like that, I had an easier time growing the dance options at SAAS.” As Jean Orvis recalls, “The artistic quality and professionalism of that first dance concert actually made me tear up! It made us change our view about ourselves.”

In the following years, Anita taught an increasingly diverse range of dance classes at SAAS in addition to founding our after-school dance company. The program grew so quickly that soon SAAS had to hire another dance teacher (Kim Root) and began renting studio space at various locations on Capitol Hill, including space at the Seattle Contemporary Ballet and (in true Capitol Hill style) a studio above “The Bad Juju Lounge,” to accommodate the classes and after-school rehearsals. (Other former dance teachers who contributed to SAAS’s program between 2002-2018 were Maricres Tuliao and Rhonda Cinotto.)

Anita’s facilitation of partnerships with local organizations opened further doors for our students, increasing the opportunities for performance and competition. Dansation was invited to participate in a Seattle Contemporary Ballet performance of “Alice in Wonderland,” not to mention its presence at annual dance competitions where dancers from diverse nationalities came together to represent their communities. Dansation also successfully competed in the Northwest region dance competition, representing Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. “Every year they walked away with something,” says Anita, “and it was always silver or gold; never bronze.” 

In 2001, SAAS engaged in a major building project that yielded its first gym and the Arts Center, and Anita’s contributions were integral to the process of designing the dance studio. She offered her perspective on how to optimize space for students, the particulars of light, materials, and the height of the ballet barre, partnering with the architects to prioritize an optimal learning environment for SAAS dancers. “In many ways,” Anita says, slyly adding the exception of soundproofing, “I designed my perfect studio. And I did it for the generations of SAAS students to come.” 

Taking Risks

For Anita, the same educational philosophy supported by the school's guiding principles lived in the daily stretches, leaps, and jumps students did each day in the dance program. At every rehearsal and with every class meeting, Anita challenged students to discover something new about themselves through the freedom and discipline of choreographed movement. Oftentimes, physical movement can feel intimidating or out of reach for a student, and fear of failure can hold them back from reaching an unknown potential. “In dance, you can always expect to do things wrong before you do them right,” Anita always told students. “You can expect that.” Anita’s belief in the promise of every dancer and the confidence that a student can gain by getting a movement wrong before they get it right is embedded in our dance program to this day.  

Under Anita’s foundational leadership and the direction of current dance teachers Alicia Mullikin, Amy Lambert, and Albee Abigania, SAAS continues to offer a robust range of dance classes including ballet, hip-hop, jazz, and modern dance. Early on in the program, Anita knew the value of exposing students to dancers and choreographers outside of their immediate learning environment. Anita frequently welcomed guest dancers from around the city, the country, and even from around the world, a tradition that continues today in dance classes. Guests have included the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet from Russia, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Bill Evans Dance Company, and Koresh Dance Company. Recent guest artists have taught Bollywood, West African, Latin Hustle, and Afro House dance styles to eager SAAS students. Students continue to stretch themselves in the dance classroom by learning new techniques and experiencing new cultures through the lens of dance.  

The Legacy of a Teacher

Now as we celebrate SAAS’s 40th year and Anita’s retirement at the close of 29 years, we reflect on the growth of the dance program from its inception and the central role it has played in the school. Whether through her teaching of prospective students on their 6th grade visit day or the instruction she has given during one of her many classes or after-school activities, Anita has been an instrumental part of SAAS’s growth. Nikolai Lesnikov ‘99 recalls, “Anita's jazz class during Sophomore year was my first experience with formal dance training, and her subsequent support and encouragement enabled me to lay a solid foundation for becoming a life-long student of movement practices. I would not be the dedicated dancer I am today were it not for her recognizing my potential at the time.”

As Jean Orvis puts it, “Anita was such an important part of putting the school on the map.” Movement by movement, sashay by sashay, and with each carefully designed choreography and live performance, Anita has indelibly shaped SAAS outside of the dance studio. 

Today, our current dance teachers lead a total of 12 Middle School and 12 Upper School single-tri classes per year; 11 trimesters of Intermediate, Intermediate/Advanced, and Advanced Dance classes; plus after-school classes for the Middle School Dance Project and the Upper School program. Almost 30 Middle and 70 Upper School students are involved in the classes that will perform in the Spring Concert. Our students have held their concerts in our own Orvis Theater, at the Erickson Theater, Broadway Performance Hall, the Cornish Playhouse Theater, and McCaw Hall. That’s a long way from Anita’s first single class of 7th graders in 1994!

Beyond SAAS, Anita has also participated in and received notable recognition from the larger Seattle dance community. She taught dance at Seattle Central Community College for 25 years — the only accredited dance class in the whole Seattle college district of North, South, and Central District — and she choreographed and directed numerous shows at Seattle Children’s Theater. Anita received the “Service to Education” award from the Seattle college district in 2007. And for the totality of her work, in 2020 Anita received a special award for “Foundational Contributions to Dance Education in Seattle” from the local organization SeattleDances.

Anita departs this spring leaving a rich and vibrant legacy. She has helped to build a program defined by the very professionalism, quality, and accessibility that she first dreamed about. Anita has also imbued in the program a sense of artistic evolution and, as the dance program continues to grow, future generations of SAAS students will benefit from Anita’s dedication and vision. “This program is what I envisioned decades ago,” says Anita. “We were determined to see the program grow, and nothing has stopped that growth. When students discover that movement is one way they can express themselves, they are hooked. It feels wonderful to give students this gift of communication — and I know our current dance teachers will only continue to pass this on.” 

You can watch our current students honor Anita’s legacy and showcase their talent during this year’s All-Grades Spring Dance Concert at the NOD Theater May 11th-13th.