TEEN DANCE COMPANY HISTORY

Teen Dance Company (TDC) began in 1999, based on a concept of founder Darlene Easterling, when she recognized the Bay Area's need for a forum where exceptional teen dancers could convene and work with contemporaries. Even though there were several avenues for dancers whose interest was predominantly ballet, there was nothing available for teens whose passions included commercial, concert, and theatrical dance in the genres of contemporary/modern, jazz, and tap.

Ms. Easterling approached nationally recognized choreographer/performer Carlos Jones and together they launched the innovative, audition based pre-professional modern teen dance company, Teen Dance Company of the Bay Area.

The success of TDC brought with it rapid growth and by the end of its third season TDC produced its first formal concert. The program featured original and conceptual material, complete with integrated costume and lighting design.

To ensure continuity of TDC’s highly successful program and its requisite of high level of technical proficiency, a teaching staff of qualified professional was brought in-house and an apprentice program was added for pre-teen dancers with exceptional artistic promise ages 9 – 13, TDC II.

Today, Teen Dance Company's simple beginnings have transformed into an intricate offering of different levels of dance training, performance opportunities and a renewed focus on community outreach.