Every Child Deserves to Dance
April 1, 2016

In 2010, we profiled Arnhold as founding director of Dance Education Lab, 92nd Street Y.

Dance in education has an influential advocate in Jody Gottfried Arnhold. On the day she accepted an award from Dance Films Association at the Dance on Camera Festival, it was announced that her film PS Dance! was nominated for a New York Emmy Award. Needless to say, spirits were high at the gala to celebrate the 2016 festival opening.

Arnhold’s longtime message is an ambitious one: dance for every child. We all know the benefits of dance, its role in brain development and impact on learning. This film (created by filmmaker Nel Shelby with Joan Finkelstein consulting) that profiles the classes of five public school dance teachers will bring Arnhold’s vision closer to reality. Brava Jody. See psdancenyc.com.

Meanwhile Dance Teacher readers have long filled the gaps that exist in public school arts education by inviting kids to dance after school and celebrating their progress with annual recitals. Last year at our Dance Teacher Summit, a lively discussion took place between studio owners eager to exchange recital logistics advice. We’ve collected and expanded on their ideas in “Best Recital Practices.”

Prominent in that conversation were the co-owners of Rhythm Dance Center, Dani Rosenberg and Becca Moore, who are on this month’s cover. We first met them after their student Melanie Moore became America’s favorite dancer on “So You Think You Can Dance.” We’re happy to present them at work in their home studio, where they enthusiastically inspire dancers in the Atlanta area. See “Glitter and Grit.”

Photo by Matthew Murphy; cover photo by Rachel Papo

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