Mission
San Jose Dance Theatre’s mission is to develop, foster, and promote the positive impact of dance in Silicon Valley through accessible performances, excellent training, creative outreach, and collaboration. We strive to enrich human experience while inspiring an appreciation of movement and music for an expanding and diverse audience. SJDT’s vision is to inspire all to explore the art of dance and to give individuals the opportunity to learn dance, perform and set goals to advance professional dancers. We also promote the art of dance through community outreach initiatives and performances.
History
San Jose Dance Theatre was originally founded in 1964 as Paul E. Curtis Jr.’s Los Gatos Academy of Dance and the West Valley Ballet Foundation. The name was later changed to San Jose Dance Theatre in 1965 and incorporated as a nonprofit educational organization. For more than 58 years, San Jose Dance Theatre has specialized in classical ballet training for children from four years of age, to the advanced pre-professional level. Many SJDT alumni have gone on to prominent University and Conservatory programs, as well as successful careers in dance.
San Jose Dance Theatre has delighted local audiences for six decades with performances including Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, The Little Mermaid, The Wizard of Oz & Sleeping Beauty. In December 2025, we will celebrate our 60th annual production of The Original San Jose Nutcracker at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.
Our Core Values
SJDT’s values outline a strong workforce, who act as a team to deliver high quality outcomes. Through a positive and inclusive environment, our staff understands working together is integral to the success of our programs. As a result, we are able to leverage each individual’s skills to achieve our mission at a faster pace.
Board of Directors:
President – John Torrey
Treasurer – Melissa Brown
Secretary – Jennifer Joyce
Kay Pettitt, Carmen Cook, Matt Duke