Jeanne Maddox Peterson was 13 years old when she began teaching dance lessons out of her family’s living room in Astoria.  

That was 75 years ago. Today, at the age of 89, Peterson is still teaching students at Maddox Dance Studio, which is now located in Warrenton and offers classes ranging from ballet to tap, hip-hop to acrobatic dance. As first reported by The Daily Astorian, Clatsop County Commissioners honored Peterson last month when they proclaimed Dec. 6, 2025 “Jeanne Maddox Peterson Day” in recognition of her many contributions to the community. That day marks the 50th anniversary of “The Nutcracker” this Saturday in Astoria, which Peterson has been producing annual winter performances of since 1975.  

Peterson joins us to talk about her remarkable career, which also includes having worked as a professional dancer for companies in San Francisco and Montreal and producing the Miss Oregon pageant for more than three decades. We also hear from Michelle Kischner Rogers, an instructor at Maddox Dance Studio and one of Peterson’s former students who first took lessons from her at the age of 5.