Dance.Grow.Belong

 I am the proud owner of Molalla Dance Company, and dance has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  My love for dance began at a young age, as I danced on and off throughout my childhood and high school years. But it wasn’t until I had my daughter, Paiyton, that my passion for dance truly came back to life. For the past 11 years, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to share that love of dance alongside her, and through that journey, dance became so much more than an activity—it became a huge part of our lives.  Over the last five years, I have assisted in coaching teams through local schools and our studio. One of the greatest gifts throughout that experience has been the relationships I’ve built with so many amazing children. I strive to make every dancer who walks through our doors feel seen, welcomed, supported, and genuinely cared for.  I became the owner of Molalla Dance Company in April 2022 with a vision that went far beyond teaching dance. I wanted to create a place where the youth in our community could dance, grow, and belong. A place where dancers of all ages and abilities feel safe to be themselves, build confidence, make friendships, and discover what they are capable of. Creating and protecting that positive, loving culture will always be one of the most important parts of what I do.  Alongside our talented lead choreographer, I had the privilege of helping our Stage Team dancers step onto the competition stage last season for the very first time. Watching them grow in confidence, support one another, and experience such a successful first competition season was incredibly rewarding.  For me, Molalla Dance Company is about so much more than dance. It’s about creating a place where kids know they belong, where they are encouraged to grow, and where they are surrounded by people who believe in them. That is the heart behind everything we do at MDC. 

 Sarah Jakubowski comes with a passionate heart and desire to take her dancers to the next level. Her career in the dance world is built around the joy she shares with her dancers.

At a very young age, she began training at Westside dance Academy in Tigard, competing, and performing throughout high school. She was a member of her high school dance team, Tigard Tigerettes earning the Allstate award and continued her pursuit performing in the Atlanta Olympics 1996.

 Sarah went on to graduate from Portland State University with a degree in communications and a minor in dance. She became a member of the pre-professional program, The Jefferson Dancers in 1997-98. At that time she began her coaching career at Tigard for 5 years, and then Tualatin for 10 years.

 Sarah was honored to receive the 6A coach of the year award in 2010.   Her teams traveled to New York City, Los Angeles and worked with professionals brought in regularly in an effort to connect her dancers to a future experience, enhance their dance opportunities & careers. She created programs in the Tigard/ Tualatin schools and Sherwood schools for kids to dance and perform after school, which led to local club teams launching their success through today!  

 In 2014 Sarah opened SMJ Performing Arts a dance performing art studio in Sherwood and Tualatin serving over 500 students. In the recent years Sarah become a judge for OSAA, club teams, Jr. high teams, and continued to mentor dancers and programs across the state. Many of her students are now coaches, directors, performers and teachers themselves.  

 Sarah is thrilled to be at Molalla Dance Company and share her love of dance and musical theater with this community.   She is a proud mom of three girls, all now in college.

Sarah will be reopening her own dance performing arts studio in Newberg this coming year.   

 Hannah serves as the Lead Choreographer and Competition Team Teacher at Molalla Dance Company. With a deep passion for movement and creative storytelling, Hannah specializes in Contemporary, Hip Hop, and specialized musicality coaching. She believes that dance is not just about executing steps, but about understanding the heartbeat of the music and translating it into a powerful performance. As an instructor, Hannah is dedicated to fostering a supportive yet challenging environment where competitive and recreational dancers alike can discover their unique artistic voices and build the confidence to shine. 

 Bernadette was born and raised in Oregon. She began her ballet journey at age eight with Clackamas youth ballet and Abernethy Performing Arts in Oregon city. She started training with the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre under the direction of Damara Bennett when she was 13.  She has attended summer intensives that include Oregon Ballet Theatre, Ballet Austin, Oklahoma City Ballet, and City Ballet of San Diego. She joined the Portland Ballet in the first year of the career track program. She was thrilled to work with Nancy Davis and Ann Mueller during her time there. Bernadette also danced with City Ballet of San Diego for their 2016/17 season.

Bernadette has taught ballet for the last 6 years and we are so excited to welcome her to our dance family.

Hi, I’m Sierra! I’m a proud mom of four, a student midwife, and someone who has always had a deep love for dance. I danced throughout middle and high school, and today, I’m grateful to experience the joy of dance from a new perspective as a dance mom to my daughter, Elena.

I’m so excited to bring my passion for dance, creativity, and working with children into the studio. My goal is to create a positive, welcoming, and encouraging environment where young dancers feel comfortable being themselves, trying new things, and growing in confidence.

I believe dance should be a place where children can express themselves, build new skills, make connections, and—most importantly—have fun. I’m looking forward to sharing my love of dance with our youngest dancers and helping each of them feel supported and celebrated as they learn and grow!

 Meet Paiyton 

As the daughter of the owner of Molalla Dance Company, Paiyton has quite literally grown up surrounded by dance. She has been involved in dance for the past 11 years and has spent 10 of those years in the competitive performance world. Dance isn’t simply something Paiyton does—it is truly a part of who she is.  Paiyton is an incredible role model for our younger dancers, both inside and outside the studio. Along with being a dedicated student and babysitter, she is a proud member of our Junior Choreographer Department, where she continues to grow as both a dancer and a teacher.  Over the past several years, Paiyton has assisted with teaching multiple classes and has had the opportunity to choreograph several recital routines for other dancers. She has a natural ability to connect with younger students, encourage them, and share her love of dance in a way that makes them feel supported and excited to learn.  To say Paiyton is passionate about dance would be an understatement—she truly eats, sleeps, and breathes dance. Whether she is taking class, competing, helping another dancer, teaching, or creating choreography, she is happiest when she is in the studio.  After graduating high school, Paiyton dreams of pursuing a career as a Disney dancer. Until then, she plans to spend every moment she can doing what she loves most: dancing, teaching, creating, and inspiring the next generation of dancers.  We are incredibly proud to have Paiyton growing not only as a dancer, but also as a young teacher and choreographer right here at Molalla Dance Company.  

Hi, I’m Mrs. Kitchen! Dance has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and for the past year, I’ve had the joy of sharing that passion with others through teaching.

As a mom to a toddler, I have a special place in my heart for working with young children. I understand the importance of creating an environment where little dancers feel comfortable, supported, and excited to learn.

My goal is to make each class fun, positive, and encouraging while helping dancers build confidence, develop new skills, and discover their own love for dance. I’m so excited to be part of their dance journey and to celebrate all the little moments of growth along the way!