Ballet Lyrical Jazz HipHop Contemporary Technique Pointe Accro
Welcome to Liv DanceArts!
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Rooted in over 30 years of experience, Liv DanceArts (LDA) is a premier, technique-driven dance studio located in Belmont, California. We specialize in high-quality dance education for students ages 3 and up, led by a faculty of professional-level instructors with degrees in dance performance and pedagogy.
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At LDA, we pride ourselves on maintaining a close-knit, nurturing environment where each student is individually known, guided, and inspired to grow into confident, expressive artists. Whether your child is just beginning or pursuing a professional path, our curriculum supports dancers at every stage.
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LDA is proud to be a National Dance Education Organization member since 2018 and was inducted into the National Honor Society for Dance Arts in 2019. Our competitive program, LDA Elite, has received numerous accolades, including:
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The ADCC Studio of Excellence Award — 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
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Technical Excellence Awards from every major competitive circuit in California
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Grand Champion titles with the Epic Organization — 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
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Highest Scoring Studio of the 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 regional seasons
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Star Dance Alliance Power Ranking Award (top scoring studio in the state of California 2022, 2023, 2024​
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We offer classes from beginner through pre-professional levels.
*ALL LDA DANCERS ARE REQUIRED TO ENROLL IN BALLET*
Registration periods in August, December, and June fill quickly — contact us today to check availability or schedule a placement appointment!
Liv DanceArts was originally founded in 1987 as Professional Ballet School by Dutch National and San Francisco Ballet artists
Carmela Peter (pictured right) and Zoltan Peter.
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In 2010 NYU trained Dance Educator Kristen Portner partnered with PBS to create an award winning Competitive Program as well as a fully collaborative Jazz and Lyrical curriculum based on a strong Ballet foundation and focused in artistic expression and choreography. In 2017 Kristen stepped in as the Artistic Director of the newly created Liv DanceArts, PBS collaboration.
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The LDA faculty is comprised of teachers who have danced with world-renown companies, taught for the highest caliber university and private dance programming in the country, and have been recognized by major dance publications. Our program is based in Ballet and offers classes in a range of classical and contemporary genres.
Ria Palarca
Liv DanceArts will always be a special place not only for my daughter but for our entire family.
My daughter attended two other dance schools in the area before we discovered Professional Ballet School, now Liv DanceArts (LDA), at the age of seven. The moment she walked through the studio doors and tried out a ballet class with Kristen Portner (LDAs Artistic Director), we knew she would be in it for the long haul. She has been an LDA student for ten years and is now a proud alumni!
We have always believed in LDA's mission which is quality over quantity. It is a small dance community with a strong focus on technique and development. It gave my daughter a sense of belonging with those who also shared the same passion for dance and a safe place where she would often call it her other home.
LDA's talented teaching staff is like no other! They come from extensive dance training and education, and I always admired their determination in helping dancers grow into young artists year after year. We witnessed this during their winter and spring performances and their competitive season. These events always brought my family together, near and far! They always looked forward to their amazing shows, and I could always count on their support for my daughter and the studio!
Because of the vast training and discipline my daughter has gained through LDAs staff and, most especially through the mentorship and guidance under Kristen Portner, she was accepted into two of the most competitive collegiate dance programs in the nation.
She is now attending Pace University in NYC, majoring in their BFA Commercial Dance program, where 40 students were accepted and over 1,000+ applicants! This is a significant achievement; she could not have gotten there alone.
LDA gave my daughter the wings to soar, and I will forever be grateful for the dance education she has received and the lifelong friendships built throughout her time there.​
Laura Sabahi
My daughter started dancing here when she was just 4 years old. We were thrilled to find a program that was teaching true ballet technique and terminology from the start. She quickly began expanding her interest in dance and by the age of 6 she was studying Ballet, Lyrical, Jazz and Contemporary.
When it was announced that Kris would taking over as the new Owner and Artistic Director I was thrilled. After hearing what she had planned, I humbly accepted a position as her Studio Manager believing whole heartedly in her vision for the school's next chapter. The LDA teachers are truly one of a kind. They are strong supportive dance educators with the knowledge and passion needed to develop aspiring pre- professional dancers.
I can tell you first hand that this is a studio like no other. It’s a true dance family. As a result of the incredible training my daughter has received from Kristen Portner and her amazing team she has been accepted into a highly acclaimed year round pre-pro ballet program in Los Angeles.
We will be forever thankful for the years of impeccable training and time spent at LDA and the positive impact it has had on our lives. Our family will confidently and happily continue to support this special program in the years to come!
Brittney Wassermann
I myself was a student of PBS from the age of eight. I received all of my training from the world class instructors and went on to dance professionally.
After my career finished I then went on to be an instructor for the school and now teach Advanced Ballet and Elite classes for LDA. I'm on the board and have my own two girls attending technique and competitive classes here.
I have been a part of this family in some manner for 31 years! I can't say enough great things about my journey with them.
San Francisco Ballet
The Colburn School,
Los Angeles
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Ballet San Jose
Kansas City Ballet
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Oregon Ballet Theatre
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Company C Contemporary Ballet
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Dance Aspen
Honolulu Ballet Theatre
ODC/Dance
Peninsula Ballet Theatre​
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North Carolina School of the Arts
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Dance Magazine
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LMU Dance Department
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UCSB Dance Department
The Rockettes
Smuin Ballet
PACE Manhattan University Commercial Dance BFA Program
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Western Ballet
Houston Ballet
Menlowe Ballet
The Television Show “Glee”
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University of the Arts,
Philadelphia
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Charles Moulton
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UCLA Dance Department
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Pacific Northwest
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Princeton Ballet
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Oakland Ballet
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NYU, Tisch
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Oklahoma University Department of Ballet
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San Diego State University Department of Dance
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The School of American Ballet
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American Ballet Theatre
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Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida
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Joffrey Ballet
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Boston Ballet
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The Kirov Institute
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Pennsylvania Ballet
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Michigan University Dance
and more...
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