Whistlestop Dance Company

Since its beginning in 1976, Whistlestop has earned a reputation for excellence in creating dance experiences for people of all ages and abilities. The Dance Educators Association of Washington awarded Whistlestop its 1996 Honor Award for outstanding contribution to dance education in Washington public schools. In 2009, Debbie and Joanne were the keynote presenters for the University of Washington Jackson School of International Studies K-12 Mosaic.

Debbie Gilbert is the Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of the Whistlestop Dance Company. Debbie has performed, choreographed, and taught both nationally and internationally, including extensive work as an Artist in Residence in Washington, Ireland, Spain, Alaska, and Hawaii. Collaborating with Light Motion Dance Company, Whistlestop’s concert, Dances with Wheels Takes to the Road, showcases wheelchair and stand-up dancers. Ms. Gilbert also dances with Tickle Tune Typhoon, an award winning children's music ensemble. In addition, she has developed training courses and manuals for educators, health care professionals, parents, and artists, and has presented at national and international conferences. Senior dance consultant for the development of the Elementary Dance Curriculum Model (Washington Alliance for Better Schools), Ms. Gilbert has also written dance curriculum for the Seattle and Anacortes School Districts. Debbie Gilbert helped draft arts standards for the Seattle School District and has been a member of the Arts Compact Working Group of the Alliance for Education. She is a dance mentor for Arts Impact and has served on the Arts Implementation Task Force (OSPI/WSAC), and the Arts Endorsement Committee (OSPI). When she was Executive Director of VSA Arts of Washington, she directed its Artist In Residence program from ‘90-’95. She is the Project Director for Whistlestop’s Dancing Math, Dancing Science, Dancing Music, and Dancing Times and Cultures Programs.

Joanne Petroff is co-founder and co-artistic director of Whistlestop, a Seattle based performance and educational modern dance company, critically acclaimed for its work with adults, children, and special needs populations throughout the United States and abroad. She has co-authored several dance education publications and is sought after as a presenter of professional development workshops and educational conferences. She is on the Washington State Arts Commission AIR roster, is an artist/mentor for Arts Impact, a member of the Powerful Schools teaching team and a dance specialist for the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts. Joanne performs and choreographs with Light Motion, a dance company established to develop artistic expressions of both disabled and non-disabled artists. She has been instrumental in bringing integrated wheelchair dance to the forefront of new trends in dance.