our story...

Since its start, the Maui Dance Council (MDC) has supported a broad spectrum of dance and movement arts on Maui County by producing concerts and recitals, hosting dance classes and master workshops, providing in-school arts education and offering affordable studio space for community classes.

From 1980 to 1999 the Maui Dance Council operated the Old Maui High Movement Arts Center, a studio facility that offered a variety of dance and movement classes to the Maui Community.  With a mission to keep overhead low, so that affordable classes would be made available to all, MDC provided instruction in dance (including African, jazz, modern, hip-hop, salsa, Afro-Caribbean, hula and ballet), yoga, theater/drama, martial arts, capoeira, juggling, gymnastics and more. Master Classes, Professional Development Workshops, Feldenkrais Intensive Trainings and Summer Kids Camps were also scheduled annually in the facility.

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In 1999, the Movement Arts Center at Old Maui High burned to the ground and the North Shore community lost its only community based movement arts studio.  Since 2000, Maui Dance Council has continued to host dance classes at the Makawao Union Church Community Hall.

From 1989 to present, the Maui Dance Council has provided Maui County Public Schools with the Chance To Dance Artist's Residency Program.  Taught by professional Teaching Artists, the Chance To Dance program is designed to stimulate the students’ imagination, self-expression and original thinking through dance and movement. Chance To Dance is Standards based Arts Education that helps children develop critical thinking and problem solving skills by integrating other core curriculum with movement arts. 

With funding from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, the Maui County Office of Economic Development, the Hawai'i Community Foundation, Maui County Public Schools and our local community, Chance To Dance annually serves over 5,000 youth on Maui, Molokai and Lanai. 

                  our teaching artists...

Maui Dance Council's Teaching Artist team is made up of professional dancers who have studied and performed both nationally and abroad.  As a teaching artist, each combines her artistry as a dancer with a passion for educating youth in, through, and about the arts.  Through ongoing professional development, each continues to develop her knowledge base and skills to be an effective partner in education.

our  participating  Schools...

Hana Elementary
Ha'iku Elementary
Kahului Elementary
Kaunakakai Elementary
Kilohana Elementary
​Kula Elementary
Lana'i Elementary
Lihikai Elementary
Makawao Elementary
Maunaloa Elementary
Pa'ia Elementary
​Pomaika'i Elementary
​Pukalani Elementary
​Pu'u Kukui Elementary ​

OUR BOARD & staff...

Daryl Fujiwara - President
Kathleen MacIsaac - Vice President/Secretary
Rene Yamafuji- Treasurer
Michael Takemoto
Jaydon Isobe
Carol (Sunette) Fitzpatrick


Maggie Costigan - Executive Director
​Mardi Swatek - Community Network Director