Kabby Mitchell III
"Kabby Mitchell III was in his early 20s when he became the first black company member of PNB, back in 1979; pictures of him from the time show a charismatic young man clearly at ease with being elegantly airborne. He danced with the company until 1984, reaching the rank of soloist. It was the beginning of a rich career that took him around the world — he performed with Nederlands Dans Theater, as well as Dance Theater of Harlem, PNB and other companies — but kept him rooted here in the Pacific Northwest, where he became a beloved choreographer, teacher, mentor and role model." -Moira Macdonald, The Seattle Times
Klair Ethridge
T.U.P.A.C. Co-Founder and Executive Director, Klair Ethridge has always worked in the arts/entertainment fields. She began her dance training at the American Ballet Theatre School, the High School of Performing Arts, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and various other schools of dance in New York City. Klair danced in numerous stage, television, commercial, and feature film productions before moving behind the scenes.
Deshawn Morton
T.U.P.A.C. School Director
Deshawn's dance journey began at the age of 16 at Tacoma’s School of The Arts, where he delved into the world of modern dance. Since then, he has honed his skills with institutions such as MLKBallet, Tacoma City Ballet, and the legendary Dance Theater of Harlem in NYC. He attained a BFA in dance from the University of Arizona, where he specialized in Ballet, Modern, and Jazz disciplines.
As a Teaching Artist with the Prince George's County Ballet in Maryland and Program Director at Star Maker’s Academy of Dance in Bowie, MD, he imparted his knowledge and passion to aspiring dancers. Additionally, he served as the Dance Camp Director at the Dance Institute of Washington in Washington D.C., further solidifying his commitment to dance education.
From teaching at his alma mater, Tacoma’s School of The Arts, and Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center (T.U.P.A.C.), to leading Master Classes across the country, his influence knows no bounds.
Deshawn's performance resume includes dancing notable works by choreographers such as Kabby Mitchell III, Donald Byrd, Tammy Dyke-Compton and Cyrus Khambatta. His versatility shines through in his appearances in numerous commercials and live dance productions, including standout roles in "Black Nativity," "Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope," and "The Urban Nutcracker."
Board of Directors & Advisors
T.U.P.A.C. Board of Directors
Melannie Denise Cunningham
Kate Dorr
Sherry Jackson
LaTasha Palmer
Travis Pope
Anthony Polimeni
Amanda Scott Thomas
Joseph C. Walsh
Cooper Wessells
Connie Willis
T.U.P.A.C. Council of Wisdom
Jonathan Batista
Marie Chong
Amanda Morgan
Julie Tobiason