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About Us
Our Mission
Our Mission at Dance Works is to deliver high quality dance education in a fun, nurturing, yet disciplined and challenging atmosphere affordably. Our mobile studio's goals are to welcome and inspire dancers at every level of interest, from recreational to professional track, to reach their fullest potential. We support dancers development technically, artistically, athletically, and emotionally while promoting dedication, hard work, fostering friendships and encouraging creativity. We offer a safe, inclusive and non-competitive environment with experiences that build confidence and benefits that last a lifetime.
We are proud members of NDEO & IADMS
Dance Works is a proud member of the National Dance Education Organization and the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science. We are a Chapter of the National Honors Society of Dance Arts whereby students are recognized for their outstanding artistic and academic achievement in grades 6-12 with educational, leadership , community outreach and networking opportunities. We will recognize and induct students while helping to advance the field of dance education. There is opportunity to receive the gold Honor Pin and wear the blue and white Honor Cord and/or Medallion at graduation.
Why Dance Works?
- We provide personal attention a holistic approach to instruction with positive attitude. - Our younger classes include assistants to lower student/instructor ratio.
- We are more affordable than most dance studios without compromising quality dance education.
- Dance Works has a variety of classes for training at all ages and levels that can fit into your family schedule. If you don’t see a class you are interested in, please speak with us and we can likely make arrangements!
- We are proud to offer multiple options for you and your dancer to explore. From one class per week as a recreational dancer to intensive programs for a more serious dancer, we have something for everyone!
- Dance Works provides age-appropriate dance education and costuming.
- There are several performance opportunities including a Winter Showcase or Nutcracker, Spring Fundraiser Showcase which in part benefits the American Cancer Society and The Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation, a Student Choreography Showcase that in part benefits The Valerie Fund and performances for local children’s hospitals and nursing homes. We host a Spring Recital and at the end of school closure camps and summer sessions we have a petite presentation.
- Dance Works is enrolling as a chapter of the NHSDA (National Honors Society of Dance Arts), recognizing and inducting students who express interest while helping to advance the field of dance education. There is opportunity for dancers to receive the gold Honor Pin and wear the blue and white Honor Cord and/or Medallion at graduation.- We offer Dance Camps for Working families when school is on break or has a Superintendent's Conference Day and in during summer break.
- Dancers are encouraged to create their own choreography, giving rise to young expressive and artistic talent.
- Our community culture is inclusive, respectful, friendly, family-oriented and committed to the high quality of our program! We love to dance and especially love to share our passion for dance and fitness with our students! Parents are welcome to wait for and watch their dancers
- Location, location, location! Our location is flexible, easy to find parking and we currently offer outdoor, indoor and pod classes in Harrison, West Harrison, Purchase, Rye Brook, Tarrytown, Scarsdale and Irvington. We provide outdoor instruction, Livestream classes via Zoom and can customize locations for private, semi-private classes and corporate classes and events. Our mobile studio locations are close to multiple coffee spots, restaurants, shops. There's so much you can do and enjoy before and after class or while you wait for your dancer.
Dance Works Leadership
Wendy Wood Barletta is the Founder, Executive & Artistic Director, Instructor and Choreographer for Dance Works since 1999. She has evolved Dance Works, now recognized for its broad repertory, development of the whole dancer and for a vision that keeps dance, fitness and creativity alive affordably in our community. Wendy began her dance-teaching career at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1982, where she received her BFA degree in Dance from the 5-College Dance Department. She remains a Guest Artist to the Dance Department and advisor, helping current Dance Majors to set & achieve their career goals. Wendy has a performance degree though her concentrations were aligned with Dance Education, Choreography and post-graduate work in fitness. Wendy has performed, taught and choreographed for all ages and levels in New York, California, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Canada and in Europe. She studied with Alvin Ailey, Bella Lewitsky, Luigi, Gemze de Lappe and many other well renowned dance pioneers and their disciples. She brings well-rounded experience to her classes. Many of her students have gone on to perform professionally in movies, TV and on stage. Others have entered into dance teaching, dance therapy and other dance and fitness related fields. Wendy emphasizes fun in her classes, while teaching proper technique and alignment and overall body strengthening and flexibility. She provides a creative and rewarding learning environment to help each dancer develop her own style. In addition to her degree in Dance, Wendy is an AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor, Licensed Zumba® Instructor and Certified CPR/AED.
Etrita Abddullahu - Classical Ballet Instructor
Etrita Abddullahu danced professionally with the National Ballet of Kosovo for four years and was part of seven premier shows. In 2017 she decided to move to New York, where she participated in American Ballet Theater & Joffrey Ballet School intensives. In 2020 she graduated from the Joffrey Ballet School - Trainee Program, and she will graduate from New Jersey City University in Spring 2021 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. While in New York, Etrita has danced with Joffrey Ballet School, The Coleman School of Dance, Illuminations Dance Company, Michael Mao Dance Company, Dance Works Fundraiser Showcase and others.
Jen Lancaster - Contemporary / Modern / Jazz Workshop Instructor
Jen Lancaster has over 20 years experience teaching and choreographing for dancers of all levels, recreational to competitive. She graduated from Towson University with a B.F.A in Dance Performance and immediately started performing with the Stephanie Powell Danse Ensemble in Baltimore, Maryland and then most notably, performed with :Pushing Progress under the direction of Calen Kurka in New York City. During her time in the city, Jen also studied anatomy and massage at The Swedish Institute. It is through her knowledge of human anatomy and her experience performing that she is able to help her students grow both technically and artistically. In each class she teaches, Jen creates a fun learning environment that also challenges her students to push their own boundaries, realizing they are capable of more than they think.
Devyn Ciccio-Rauf is a New York City based dancer, teacher, and choreographer. Devyn grew up in New Jersey, studying dance, tumbling, and singing. At eighteen-years-old, Devyn migrated to New York, where she later graduated from Marymount Manhattan College. By twenty, Devyn was dancing professionally with companies such as StubbornMVMT and Open Dance Ensemble. She moved up through the ranks and soon found herself as ODE’s Artistic Director and Head Choreographer. When Devyn isn’t pursuing her own career, she can be found educating the upcoming generation of dancers, cheerleaders, and acro tumblers.
Paul Herman - Hip Hop Workshop Instructor
Paul Herman at a young age performed on local community stages in the South Bronx to worldwide stages in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Europe. He has danced and collaborated with prominent international artists such as Alicia Keys, Rick Ross, Chris Brown, Sean Kingston, Rihanna, Sean Paul, Lil Wayne, Eve, and Ciara as well as other leading recording artists, producers, and choreographers. Additionally, Paul was a featured artist in Reebok’s “Your Move”, Staples “Back to School” global marketing campaign, “A Tribute to Motown” at Carnegie Hall, Good Morning America with Flo Rida, and Nick Cannon’s Red Nose Danceathon on NBC. Paul and his brother, Brian Herman, now share their passion with their professional dance company (Team Leggoo founded in 2011), dance convention (Y.A.R.D. Convention founded in 2013), and studio (Double Up Dance Studio founded in 2014).
David Fernandez - Classical Ballet Workshop Instructor
David Fernandez is an Award-winning choreographer. His most acclaimed choreography, Five Variations on a Theme, was created for New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Joaquin De Luz. The work premiered as part of the acclaimed Kings of the Dance tour. It was performed to standing ovations in NYC, LA, London, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Kiev, and Odessa. Other notable choreography commissions include pieces created for leading dancers of the American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Kings of the Dance Tour, Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble, Youth America Grand Prix Gala Concert, and many others. David is an award-winning filmmaker: his latest dance-on-film accomplishments include the Los Angeles Olympus Film Festival Award for Best Public Service Announcement. David’s short, Moving Though It — Phases of an Emergency Through Dance, uses a revolutionary approach of making a public service announcement through dance. Ideated and directed by David Fernandez, the project was commissioned and sponsored by the NYC Emergency Management and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City.
Allison Podolsky
Allison Podolsky is a dancer, who started wiggling to show tunes at the ripe age of three. She is a graduate of George Mason University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Minor in Business. Allison’s favorite credits are the international tour of The Wizard of Oz, Dog Sees God (Tricia), Kiss Me, Kate, A Christmas Carol (Ghost of Christmas Past) and All That Jazz (Liz). She has also worked on Broadway Cares' Gypsy of the Year and performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. She is thrilled to be teaching for Dance Works again!
DANCE WORKS PHILANTHROPY
Dance Works produces an annual showcase that bridges the gap between local student performing companies and Manhattan professionals who gather in a non-competitive way to celebrate dance while raising funds to help change the lives of the community around them. Here are just some of the charitable causes we support: The American Cancer Society’s Making Strides for Breast Cancer, The Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation, The March of Dimes, The Children’s Cancer Fund, Avon Foundation’s Breast Cancer Crusade, Avon Foundation’s Speak Out Against Domestic Violence Campaign, The American Red Cross, Make-A-Wish, the Blythedale Children’s Hospital and The Little Angels Child Care Center. Dance Works students have performed for patients and residents at the Maria Ferrari Children’s Hospital, Blythedale Children’s Hospital, Hebrew Home for the Aged, The Osborn Home and for many other community services & events. We also produce an annual Student Choreography Showcase with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Valerie Fund, for children with cancer and blood disorders. Thus far Dance Works has raised over $95,000 in an effort to help save and improve lives. Fundraiser ticket sales and targeted workshop proceeds go to charity. This season our guest artist is the one and only iconic and world renowned PILOBOLUS!
Winter Showcase for Blythedale Children's Hospital
This season our annual Nutcracker Excerpts & Holiday Showcase will take place, Sunday, December 5th 2pm. A portion of proceeds benefits the long-term care patients at the Blythedale Children's Hospital.
On December 6, 2020, due to Covid-19 our performance was virtual.
Summer 2021 Outdoor Mini Camp Sessions - Space is limited - Sign up now to reserve your child's spot
Come dance with us! Outdoor Dance Mini Camps, Classes & Workshops for grades K-12 in Harrison, West Harrison, Rye, Rye Brook and River towns. Private pods for all ages, levels and genres, outdoor and virtual. See "CAMP" section or call us for more information.
See what students & parents say
Lauren H.'s review:
"I've been with Wendy and Dance Works since first grade and I am now a sophomore in high school. Wendy has become an important part of my life, not only teaching me the art of dance, but how to live and love life. I'm so thankful for Wendy's guidance, care, kindness, trust and love throughout my life. I love participating in our annual performances and the excitement and happiness that it brings me each year. I have so much fun in classes learning new techniques and being able to focus on dance and not all the stresses that life brings. I've enjoyed these 10 years so much. I have formed amazing friendships and I am so happy to be a part of such a loving dance family. I couldn't imagine being a part of a better dance community."
Jenny R.'s review:
"You know that feeling you get as a parent when you find a teacher that just loves your child as much as you do? The one who gets just as excited as you do when they reach a goal or master a skill? That's the feeling I got from Wendy when she was teaching my dancer. She inspires her dancers to experience the joy she feels about dancing, and from that place of joy, they learn that anything is possible."
Contact Dance Works to purchase gift cards in any denomination for dance and/or fitness classes, for an entire season, a workshop, private lessons, for costume purchases for an individual, family member or for yourself. All gift certificates are valid for 1 full year.
Book a free consultation for private & semi-private instruction or class pod, dance or fitness party, events (girl scout patch, etc) or to discuss your choreography needs (weddings, sweet 16, bar/bat mitzvah, Quinceanera, etc).
Apply to become a Dance Works Instructor, Intern or Teacher
College Internship & High School Community Service
Apply Now to become an Instructor, Intern Teacher or Teacher's Assistant for our 2021-2022 Season
Apply Now to become an Instructor, Intern Teacher or Teacher's Assistant for our 2021-2022 Season
BECOME A DANCE WORKS
INTERN INSTRUCTOR OR TEACHER’S ASSISTANT!
Dance Works is seeking young people in college and high school to join our 2022-2023 team of Instructors/Assistants. Earn internship or community service credit and build your resume or college application while learning about and supporting Dance Works from behind-the-scenes.
Intern Instructors and Teacher's Assistants (TA) will meet monthly throughout the academic year (in person and/or virtually), volunteer at performances and events, and serve as leaders within the
Dance Works community.
Application Due Date
Wednesday, September 28th
Teachers will be announced 10/1/21. Previous TA’s must apply to be considered for the 2022-2023 season.
Applications should express the applicant's point of view and are considered for content rather than grammar and spelling. It is important that applications are written by the applicants and are subject to rejection if written by others.
Apply Now to become an Instructor, Intern Teacher or Teacher's Assistant for our 2021-2022 Season
Apply Now to become an Instructor, Intern Teacher or Teacher's Assistant for our 2021-2022 Season
Apply Now to become an Instructor, Intern Teacher or Teacher's Assistant for our 2021-2022 Season
To apply, send an email to info@danceworks.us
with the following information:
- Name
- Mailing Address
- E-Mail Address
- Phone Number
- Birth Date
- Age
- Dance Teaching Resume, BIO and References
(adults only)
- T-Shirt Size
- Why are you interested in becoming a Dance Works Instructor or TA?
- Why will you make a great Instructor or TA?
- What are your short term and long term goals?
- Send a 15-30 second video of yourself teaching anything dance or movement related.
- IF YOU ARE A STUDENT Applying for a teaching assistant position include:
- Parent's name
- Parent's email
- Parent's mobile #,
- University or school name
- If High School provide district name.
* Note: Student TAs must be enrolled in at least one class.
Once your application is received and reviewed you will be contacted to set up an interview.
After you have been accepted into the program, we will base our meetings day/time on the group’s availability. Monthly meetings will be held both virtually and socially distanced in-person. Professional instructors will meet separately from our Interns/TA's.
Please send a good quality photo of yourself. If selected, we may post your photo on Dance Works website!
Job Responsibilities:
• Report to Director
• Employ Teaching Philosophy BMS (Body +Mind + Soul) and uphold Standards of Excellence
• Teach in person (and/or on line) curriculum in your specific genre to children ages 3-18
• Stage showcase piece (3-5 minutes) in the specific genre for each class for annual performance(s) including Winter Showcase/Nutcracker Excerpts, and March Recital.
• Attend staff meetings
• Educate staff, students, and parents on dance related topics.
• Assist with Dance Work's promotional activities
• Other duties as assigned
Preferred Requirements/Qualifications for adult instructors:
- Bachelor’s degree in Dance, Dance Education, or other related fields.
- 2+ years of relevant work experience
- Knowledge of basic to advanced dance instruction preferred with a variety of ages and levels cognitively, physically and socially within a class.
- Experience with best practices for leading team building, inclusivity, collaboration and leadership activities.
- Dance Works Teacher Certification and/or Workshop a Plus
- Must have American Red Cross CPR/AED First Aid Training
- Pay commensurate with experience
- Recruitment incentives
Candidates must have experience and love working with children of all ages, an outgoing and friendly personality, high energy, reliable, with the ability to commit to a set weekly schedule seasonally. Ideally seeking candidates with afternoon availability (approx 3-7pm) weekdays and Saturday mornings. Availability as needed for 2 Sunday performances (December and March).
Ongoing interviews
Professional development workshops & opportunities will be made available to all accepted into our program. Mandatory 2-hour workshop per month (non-performance months only). More information to follow during interview process.
All of our instructors are carefully selected, with background checks to instruct each of our classes.
Dance Works Teacher Training Workshops & Certification
Apply Now to become an Instructor, Intern Teacher or Teacher's Assistant for our 2021-2022 Season
Dance Works Teacher Training Workshops & Certification
Wendy Wood Barletta has developed teacher training workshops and a certification program embodying her teaching experiences that span over 30 years.
In response to COVID- 19 our teacher trainings are conducted in person and supplemented online as needed.
Dance Works Teacher Training Workshops and certification information will be published shortly. Check back frequently.
All Dance Works Teaching Staff must participate in workshops.