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Our faculty: educated, experienced, full of the joy of dance.
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Director: Roberta Humphrey
Ms. Roberta holds a Masters of Education degree, specializing in human development,
from Harvard University. She received her initial dance training from her mother, who danced with the Radio City Music
Hall Ballet, and then continued training with the Radcliffe Dance Program, New England Ballet, Ballet Theater of Boston
and master teachers in both Boston and New York. She performed for over 15 years with a touring company in New
England and has been teaching for over 30 years.
Dance for Joy
is a dream come true for Ms. Roberta, who calls herself an escapee from a real job. While she always danced and
performed, she also earned a BS in Engineering Mathematics and was a Vice President of a large software company before leaving
it all to open Dance for Joy.
She believes that ballet can be a wonderful part of everyone's life and is dedicated
to sharing her passion with all children. The syllabus she created for Dance for Joy therefore provides
excellent technique and basics in a fun and happy environment, hoping to instill a love of dance and movement that students
take with them throughout their life.
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| Ms Rowena and class |
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| Ms Deanna leads a summer workshop group |
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Additional teachers:
- Rowena DiBenedetto, ballet and jazz
- Ms. Rowena
is Ms. Roberta's sister and also began her training with her mother, Jean Humphrey. She holds a Theater Arts degree
friom Berkshire Community College. She trained and performed with Pioneer Valley Ballet Guild, Berkshire Ballet, and
Berkshire Dance Theater. She has extensive experience teaching ballet, jazz, and modern and teaches all levels.
- Vanessa
Brunton, pre-ballet and ballet
- Ms. Vanessa is a graduate of Dance
for Joy and currently pursuing a Masters degreee in Speech Pathology. Her love of dance and children
is combined in her teaching and her former students will be happy to hear she is returning to teach again for our 2010-2011
season.
- Meryl Cates, ballet
- Ms. Meryl earned a BA in Dance and Jounalism from SUNY Purchase College where she studied at the Conservatory
of Dance. She is a graduate of Dance for Joy
and also trained at summer programs including Steps in NYC, Ballet Regent, and American Academy of Ballet.
- Deanna Fiscus Ford, ballet
- Ms. Deanna trained at SAB (School of American Ballet). Her diverse performing career began in ballet
wtih Hartford Ballet, and included ballet companies throughout the US. She then expanded to theater dance and the Radio
City Music Hall Rockettes. She teaches our Saturday Honors classes and choreograhed a show stopping Rockette type
number for our company members to perform in Lincoln Center in March, 2010 as well as at our recital.
- Tia Levinson, pre-ballet, ballet and modern
- Ms. Tia has a BFA in Dance from Texas Christian Universityand a
Masters in Arts Education from Columbia College in Chicago. She performed with Fort Worth Ballet, Wisconsin Ballet, and
choreographed and performed with several modern companies. She has many years of teaching experience in all levels
of ballet and creative movement.
- Man-ching
Tom, ballet
- Ms. Man-ching has a BA in Dance & Theater
from San Francisco State University and performed as a soloist with the Theatre Ballet of San Francisco and Hong Kong Ballet.
She has taught classical ballet in the San Francisco Conservatory of Ballet, London School of Ballet, and San Francisco State
University.
- Additional Faculty are brought in as subtitutes and as guest teachers and are always experienced
adult professionals. Guest teachers have included Todd Hall, Leslie Browne, Maria Calegari and Joel Hodgin.
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Dance for Joy * Roberta Humphrey, Director *
1893 East Main Street * Mohegan Lake, NY 10547 *
914-526-4486
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