Ian Howe was inspired to start tap dancing at age 5 when he watched Savion Glover perform on Sesame Street.  He started training at a small studio in Woodinville, later moving to what would become his dance home for almost 18 years, Backstage Dance Studio owned by Marty Roberts.  While at Backstage, Ian competed regionally and nationally on their competitive dance team.  While competing he was able to take classes from greats like Frank Hatchet, Joe Tremaine and Joe Lantieri. In 2004, Ian took the incredible opportunity to travel and perform all over the world as a dancer and singer on Holland America Line, where he remained for almost eight years. Returning to both land (and his roots) in 2011, Ian started teaching again at Backstage, throwing himself into the hip-hop world and choreographing award-winning numbers for four years.

Ian became Owner + Artistic Director of Pacific West Performing Arts, serving two locations in both Snohomish & Lake Stevens in 2018.  He continues to teach at various studios around the Seattle area while also traveling around the US setting competitive choreography, running intensives and getting to meet some new and wonderfully inspiring dance teachers and students. In 2021 Ian Co-Founded, The Power of 3 Dance Training Intensive along with Chris Wendorff & Fernando Naranjo leaving in 2023. The intent of bringing decades worth of teaching and professional dance experience into the studio setting, helping train the next generation of dancers.

In 2024 Ian & Anneka Parr created in|flux dance, a new company that focuses on choreography and style. Creating dancers who want to further their training in a non-competitive environment. Also new is creating a new Assistant Program that will be a branch of in|flux, offering dancers the real world experience on how to assist teachers & choreographers, while also learning to teach their own classes. www.influx.dance

Ian performed regularly with 3rd Shift Dance under the direction of Xaviera Vandermay and he was also Associate Director for the 3rd Shift Dance Youth Ensemble.  With 3SD, Ian has had a plethora of performances, including live collaborative performances with musicians Caela Bailey, The Bad Tenants, Naomi Wachira, and Whitney Mongé, back up dancing for Fly Moon Royalty and Mike Illvester, music videos with Vespera, Naomi Wachira & Whitney Mongé, getting Gooed with photographer Meagan Hall of Blue Cone Studios, became community partners with the Lupus Foundation of America, performing on stage across the Pacific Northwest and Los Angeles.

Ian has choreographed numerous musicals, he works with Platinum National Dance Competition as Director, Judge, Emcee & Teacher. Ian & Karyn Tobin started “Apropos Motus” in 2021 & in 2022 he started his small photography business, Dance Meets The Eye. He's worked with artists Lauren Edson, Eva Stone and he has many projects coming down the line!  Ian enjoys teaching all over and he hopes to continue to "Motivate & Inspire through Dance" wherever he goes.