Valerie Peterson
(or Miss Valerie as her students call her) is the hip-hop, jazz, tap, theatrical dance, and lyrical dance instructor at Saratoga School of Dance.
She has been dancing and singing in musicals and plays around the Bay Area since 2011.
Her professional training began at the age of 2 with Miss. Terry, and she continues to learn from people all over the world wherever she is.
I speak tap... tap with me in my rhythm.
- Miss Valerie
I love teaching students to express themselves in their own way. When I give them the gift of dance, they give so much more back to me.
- Miss Valerie
"Every dance is a kind of fever chart, a graph of the heart." - Martha Graham
My Favorite Dance Movies
Top Hat
This is the Classic Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical. It's Hollywood dancing in the grand tradition of the 1930's. There are long takes—the dancers actually dance the dance. See Ginger Rogers dance backwards in heels!
Your feet will not stop moving.
Teen Beach Movie
I love this movie! My Daddy even loves it: when I mention it, he starts singing "Cruisin' for a Brusin' and we all bust out into dance moves with snapping fingers. This is a quintessential beach movie from Disney. It came out in 2013.
Bikinis. Cute boys. Talent.
Anything Goes
I love that this movie full is FULL OF TAP! Every single dancer in the movie TAPS throughout the show. In every single movie - every single actor in the movie should TAP all of the time... and THAT"S WHAT I THINK!
Tap, tada tap, tada tap, tada tapiddy tap!
An American In Paris
Gene Kelly can do no wrong! This movie is the stuff of legends. I love the collaboration: it is the delicious and perfect combination of classical, modern, tap, and ballet. One dance is 17 minutes long! Ahhhhh!
This is a visually exciting must-see dance movie!
Singing in the Rain
Some of the most athletic and amazing dance scenes—uplifting, happy, fun, and you want to get up and dance with them . . .made in 1952 and featuring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and a 19-year-old Debbie Reynolds.
Watch any way you can
White Knights
It's not the most believable plot, but it has several jaw-dropping dance sequences. Featuring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines dancing. Twyla Tharp choreographed. The movie was made in 1985 - PG13.
Tap shoes on; try to keep up
The Red Shoes
A dark fairy tale set in a “modern” world. It breaks your heart, but the dancing is worth it (ballet). Made in 1948. A good movie for a slow, rainy day. Made in 1948.
Watch on a slow, rainy Sunday
Chicago
Definitely not for kids—murder, sex, capital punishment, and great dancing. Katherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellweger, Queen Latifah, & Richard Gere. Choreography: Bob Fosse. Also, check out Queen Latifah as “Motor Mouth Maybell” in Hairspray, another great dance movie.
Watch them both
"After the horse dance was over, it seemed that I was above the ground and did not touch it when I walked." - Black Elk
We would love to hear from you
Call us
1 (408) 660-5823 (Miss Valerie)
Come find us at
19655 Allendale Ave, Saratoga, CA 95070
Ask for Saratoga School of Dance classes
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