Matthew Schouten is a Southern California-native who has always found a second home on the stage and in the classroom. Currently based in New York City, he is a Performer, Teacher, and Choreographer who aspires to share his love of dance with future generations. Matthew started dancing at a young age at his parents’ dance studio in Southern California. He went on to train at Oklahoma City University’s Ann Lacy School of Dance and Entertainment, earning a Bachelor of Performing Arts in Dance Performance. While at OCU, he took performance courses in multiple disciplines, as well as extensive classes in pedagogy. Matthew has performed all around the world with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines in multiple shows on six of their ships, including the Queen musical "We Will Rock You" on the Anthem of the Seas. He has also performed regionally in productions including "Newsies" and "Saturday Night Fever".