Peter de Grasse

Peter de Grasse is a Senior Lecturer of Dance at Whitman College. He holds an M.F.A. in Choreography from Jacksonville University and a B.F.A. in Dance from The Juilliard School. His work bridges street and studio dance cultures, specializing in hitting, waving, and animation techniques under influences like AJ Megaman and Slick Dogg. He is affiliated with the 404 popping crew and leads the Mellon-developed 5th Element Project, a Hip Hop initiative collaborating with community partners in Southeastern Washington.

His professional career includes roles with American Repertory Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Spectrum Dance Theater (as principal artist under Donald Byrd), and Tanztheater des Staatstheater Darmstadt where he served as a soloist. Choreographically, he blends German Tanztheater with idiosyncratic movement and spiritual themes, performing internationally across Europe, Asia, and North America.

Peter's teaching emphasizes cultural preservation through dance, maintaining a battle moniker 'Studios P' from his 404 crew days. His early training began with Idalee Hutson-Fish in Walla Walla.