Hailey Hawkes

GUEST FACULTY

ADVANCED  & ACCELERATED  JAZZ & LYRICAL, RELEVÉ & COMPETITION

Lauren began her training at City Dance Theatre at the age of four. During her 14 years at the studio, she trained in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Hip-hop. She was a performing company member for seven years and competed for seven years at various competitions around Oregon winning several awards.
After graduating high school, Lauren traveled to LA where she trained for three months at Millennium Dance Complex, The Edge Performing Arts Center and The Athletic Garage. During her time there she learned many more styles of dance including Salsa, House, Street Jazz and was taught cardio, conditioning, and barre workouts. After returning, Lauren was given the opportunity to teach at City Dance Theatre. During her time teaching she also choreographed for Releve Performing Company and McNary High School’s Legally Blonde The Musical. During her first year of teaching at CDT, she danced for the Portland Steel Arena Football team, which sparked her interest in the professional dance team world.
After a short hiatus from teaching to finish school, Lauren graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelors of Science in Applied Health and Fitness with a focus in physical activity and exercise. 
Additional accomplishments include dancing in Goldfoot’s first music video “Feel Like Dancing.” She has choreographed for the Silverton High School Dance Team for four years. In Portland, Lauren was a part of Mix’d Dance company for two years and a member of the Rosebuds Dance Team for five years, two of which she was a Captain.
In addition to teaching at City Dance Theatre, Lauren also teaches part-time in Portland and is going into her fourth year as an Assistant Coach for LOHS dance team which recently won two state championship titles.
Lauren is excited to be back at CDT!

​


Lucy Gatchet

TAP 

​Hannah Hawkes

CONTEMPORARY, JUMPS & TURNS & RELEVÉ

Hailey started dancing at the age of three at City Dance Theatre in Salem, Oregon and has been dancing ever since! She has trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Contemporary and Pointe. At CDT she was part of the Relevé Performing Company and competition team for 8 years. 
Her senior year of high school, Hailey successfully auditioned and became a member of the Tremaine Dance Conventions performing company. With Tremaine, she assisted in numerous cities all over the United States. After graduating Hailey began teaching at CDT. Throughout her 5 years as a dance instructor she taught Contemporary, Jazz, Lyrical, Technique classes and was the Competition Director for CDT. 

Hailey has had many dance opportunities over the past 7 years in Portland as well. She previously danced for the AFL’s Portland Steel Dance Team for one season, Mixd Dance Company for four seasons and six seasons with the Portland Winterhawks Rosebuds Dance Team. 
More recently, Hailey danced for Norwegian Cruise Lines on the Norwegian Sun as part of their 2019-2020 production cast. Performances each cruise included their production shows ‘Rock You Tonight’ and ‘World Beat’ as well as performances at numerous parties over the duration of each cruise. Getting to travel, make friends from all over the world and dance every day was an absolute dream come true for her. 
Hailey also had the opportunity this last year to coach the inaugural dance team for the Salem Capitals Basketball Teams third season. Bringing the first professional team to Salem was a very special experience and she’s looking forward to the dance teams second season in 2025. 
Hailey’s second home will always be CDT and she is so happy to be back as guest faculty!

Hannah began dancing at City Dance Theatre at the young age of three. After graduating from the studio, she pursued a professional dance career with the Portland Winterhawks and Mixd dance company for four years. She has been teaching Contemporary at the studio for five years now, and is more and more thrilled each year to share her love of dance. She is a firm believer in the power of dance, and the creative possibilities that stem from it. She believes it is a privilege to be able to teach young minds, to move our bodies as a form of self expression.
Outside of dance, she is an educator for Salem-Keizer. Teaching really is at the center of her everyday life. She loves the color yellow and making soup at all times of the year. Her dogs Pongo and Louis are her pride and joy. They keep her busy and make sure she gets her steps in everyday! She is thrilled to have another fantastic year at CDT!

Lucy started dancing at age 3 in Paradise, CA and joined City Dance Theatre when she was 12. Lucy trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical and was a Relevé Performing Company dancer. With Relevé she performed at Disneyland (twice) and Universal Studios as well as all over the Willamette Valley.Lucy has been a class assistant in the younger classes since joining CDT and has subbed various classes the past few years.
Lucy was The Snowman in CDT’s production of The Snowman in 2023.
Lucy is also a musician who plays guitar, writes music and sings in a R&B funk band - Rhythm & Business.
As a past theatre student Lucy has performed and had lead/featured roles in several productions at West Salem High school.
Tap has always been one of Lucy’s favorite dance styles and she is so excited for the opportunity to share her love for this style with the dancers of City Dance Theatre.​

​Zoë comes to Salem from England. Her extensive training led to a professional career in dance throughout the world. Her credits include training and experience with The Royal Ballet School, The Rambert Dance Company, The Mantis Dance Company, Princess Cruises, Will Rogers Theatre Branson, Missouri, and Middlesex University. Zoë competed all over the United Kingdom where her solos gained 1st place and Highest scoring solo consistently. She was a finalist in the esteemed Miss Dance of Great Britain and a finalist at The All England Dance Finals with her classical solo and national solo.
While in Salem, Zoë has taught for Community Education, was the original dance teacher at Howard Street Charter School, choreographed for the Willamette Girls Choir, Salem Boys Choir, Salem Pops Orchestra and Miss Marion Polk County Pageant. Zoë is the choreographer for McNary High School where she has choreographed Oklahoma, Grease, South Pacific, Hello Dolly, Les Miserables, Annie Get your Gun, Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Brigadoon ,The Pajama Game ,Thoroughly Modern Millie, Taming of the Shrew ,Kiss Me Kate,Hairspray,As you like it, West Side Story, Little shop of Horrors , Urinetown , Legally Blonde, Beauty and the Beast ,The Addams Family ,The Wizard of Oz ,Elf ,Mary Poppins & Mamma Mia. In 2021, Zoë started choreographing for West Salem High School and has choreographed Mamma Mia,Drowsy Chaperone & Percy Jackson for them.
For five years Zoë was Ballet Mistress for local dancers for the Eugene Ballet Company's The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty, and in 2004, Ballet Mistress for the Russian Festival Ballet, The Nutcracker, for which her studio was chosen exclusively to perform.
Relevé, City Dance Theatre's performing company under Zoë's direction performed at Disneyland in 2006 , 2008 , 2013,  2016,  2018,  2022 & 2024 and also performed at Universal Studios  2016 & 2024
The company performs throughout the Willamette Valley at various community events and retirement communities during the Holidays and Summer months.
Former students of Zoë's are now dancing on Broadway, teaching in studio's & colleges,  are dancing for professional sports teams and have danced for esteemed Ballet companies.Many have pursued a College Degree in Dance.

In 2021 CDT was nominated and voted BEST DANCE STUDIO in Willamette Valley. 

Zoë is a certified teacher of Progressing Ballet Technique and CDT is a National Honor Society of Dance Arts Charter for Junior and Senior levels.
Zoë is married to Brad, and has two sons, Ben and Sam. 

CDT alumni Sydney Farr has been dancing since the age of six and has trained in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Tap, and Hip Hop. For nine years she performed with CDT Performing Company throughout the greater Willamette Valley, the Portland area, and Disney California.  
Having a burning passion and love for dancing and performing, Sydney wanted to go further with dance after high school. Her first professional appearance was in a music video as a featured dancer for the Portland band Goldfoot, for their song “Feel Like Dancin”. While attending a Tremaine convention with CDT she was awarded a Hip Hop scholarship and was honorably mentioned. 
For 7 seasons, Sydney had the opportunity to train with and be a member of Portland area Mixd Dance Company, being involved in 3 large scale productions. She currently takes dance classes in Portland and has spent some time in LA taking master classes.  
Sydney’s future goals include inspiring the youth through teaching dance and owning her own business. She is currently in her 9th year of being a Portrait & Wedding Photographer under the name Sydney Lynne Photo.
Sydney will be back teaching all Hip Hop classes, as well as choreographing for Relevé Performing Company and the CDT Competition Team.
She couldn’t be more thrilled to be at her second home, sharing her passion for dance! 

Lauren Yamaguchi

LYRICAL, JAZZ , CONDITIONING, COMPETITION DIRECTOR & RELEVÉ

Zoë - Lisa Banton

DIRECTOR 

BALLET , POINTE , PROGRESSING BALLET TECHNIQUE & RELEVÉ

Avery Gilbert

GUEST FACULTY

CONDITIONING ,JUNIOR & INTERMEDIATE JAZZ & LYRICAL 

Avery Gilbert is from Salem, Oregon. She started at City Dance Theatre when she was 4 years old, dancing for 14 incredible years before graduating in 2023. 
During her time as a student she trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and hip hop. Avery was also a part of CDT’s competition team.
After graduating Avery successfully auditioned and danced for the Oregon Blackbears during their inaugural season with the AFL.
When Avery is not dancing she loves to read and is always looking out for new book recommendations! Avery also enjoys going on adventures with her pup River whenever she gets the chance. 
Avery believes she wouldn’t be the person that she is today without the amazing teachers she had throughout her dance journey, and is so grateful and excited to be able to teach at her home studio. 
Avery will be teaching Junior & Intermediate Jazz & Lyrical and Conditioning as guest faculty.

​Sydney Farr

HIP HOP , ​COMPETITION & RELEVÉ

CELEBRATING 29 YEARS OF DANCE EDUCATION IN SALEM, OREGON