Susan Gladstone is in her 20th year as a teaching artist with California Dance Institute (CDI), where she works extensively with public school students across Los Angeles, CA from pre-kindergarten through 11th grade. In 2023, she was appointed CDI's Artistic Director. Susan is an outspoken advocate for quality dance and music education for all children.

Prior to joining CDI, Susan served as Dance Captain with both the touring and Broadway companies of "The Phantom of the Opera". She began her professional career as a ballet dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, and Ballet BC in Vancouver, British Columbia. Susan was fortunate to have premiered many roles choreographed by some of the world's greatest dance makers such as James Kudelka, Lar Lubovitch and Lucinda Childs along with performing in classics by George Balanchine, Anthony Tudor, Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor and Jose Limon among many others.