Shawn Roberts has a background in dance and theater, beginning her studies of dance with Stanley Knaub, SuzAnneDuckworth and Dale Merrill, and her studies of theater at Freehold Theatre. Ms. Roberts is the founding School and Education Director of Spectrum Dance Theater (Artistic Director Donald Byrd), where she directed, taught and produced student performances for more than 18 years.

She is applauded for her profound work in transforming Spectrum’s community dance classes into a successful curriculum-based school for beginning through pre-professional dancers. In 2008, Ms. Roberts completed the Mark Morris Dance Group’s Dance for PD® teacher training and has been teaching classes and managing the Seattle Theatre Group’s program since 2009.

In 2015, she completed the Dance for PD® certification, making her the first certified Dance for PD® teaching artist in the world outside of the founding teachers. Shawn also directs STG’s annual Ailey Camp.