
PAS DE CHAT
Pronunciation: \pä-dÉ™-ˈsha\ or [pah duh shah]
Language origin: French
Translated as: "cat's step"
Definition: A ballet jump from one foot to the other where the legs form a diamond shape in the air.
Our Team

Lyla Medeiros
Director
Ms. Medeiros was trained in the Vaganova Method of Classical Ballet by famous ballerina Valentina Kozlova (Bolshoi Ballet, New York City Ballet). Other highly influential teachers include Diana White (New York City Ballet), Christian Claessens (Dutch National Ballet), and Vitaly Verterich (Moscow Ballet, New Jersey Ballet). ​Ms. Medeiros began teaching in 2000 at Scarsdale Ballet Studio in Scarsdale, NY. She spent 6 years as a teaching apprentice to Valentina Kozlova, and was on faculty at Valentina Kozlova's Dance Conservatory (VKDC) in NYC. In addition to teaching ballet classes, Ms. Medeiros has prepared students for YAGP competitions, and staged Ms. Kozlova's ballet "Overcome" for New Jersey Ballet, and students of VKDC.Since leaving New York, Ms. Medeiros has taught at ballet schools in New Mexico and Washington states. She has offered remote instruction over video conference platforms since 2010. ​Ms. Medeiros is skilled in teaching ballet technique, pointe, classical variations, and dance conditioning. She particularly enjoys coaching for performance and competitions. She excels in working with intermediate and advanced dancers on refining their ballet technique. Ms. Medeiros is also adept at coaching athletes from diverse disciplines on dance fundamentals.​In 2019 Ms. Medeiros began studying Irish step dance at Tara Academy of Irish Dance in Seattle. She now competes regularly in CLRG's Western Region, and is working on her grade exams.​Ms. Medeiros holds a B.A. in Dance Studies and Art History from the State University of New York - Empire State College, and a Master's in Library Science from Indiana University, Bloomington. She is a 2013 Dance Heritage Coalition Fellow in Preservation and Archives, and a member of the UNESCO International Council on Dance. Ms. Medeiros is a former National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer.​Studio Pas de Chat was founded in 2020 by Lyla Medeiros.
Biography photo credit: Bekka Zander