Michael James Peterson

Michael J. Peterson is a multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, and choreographer whose work explores themes of identity, resilience, and transformation through spoken word and movement. Born and raised in Southern California in a first-generation household marked by adversity, Michael turned to the arts as both refuge and revelation. His creative journey began with violin before finding his voice in choir and musical theater. As a member of the renowned Westlake High School Choir, he became dance captain of the show choir, blending movement and vocal performance in ways that shaped his lifelong artistic path. That passion led him to a full scholarship at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles, where he trained under world-class mentors who instilled in him discipline, craft, and the power of art to heal and connect.

Michael’s professional career has spanned stage, screen, and international performance. His credits include appearances on Glee, The Middle, and Mobbed, as well as collaborations with Zumba creator Beto on commercial and video game projects. He has toured internationally, performing in Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, and London, experiences that deepened his understanding of art as a universal language.

In Seattle, Michael continues to shape stories through movement and poetry. He recently choreographed for Ase Theatre’s Dispersed: The Womxn of Region Six, hosted at LANGSTON, Seattle’s hub for Black arts and culture. In 2025, he was awarded a GAP grant for his project From Absence to Anchor. He also graduated from the Cultural & Holistic Empowerment Experience (CHEE) cohort, a program supporting BIPOC artists in health, sustainability, and community empowerment.