Dance to Unite

This week’s testimonial comes from our new social media manager, Evie Peterson! Evie is from a small town in Nebraska, but recently moved to New York City where she attends Pace University. She has been dancing her whole life and has a passion for performance and theater. Evie was brought in to be a guest artist and absolutely fell in love with the organization. She is honored to showcase Dance to Unite on the Instagram! 💙✨😁

This week’s testimonial comes from Tayna, the mother of a former DtU student, who shared how Dance to Unite has been truly transformational for their family ⭐️ DtU helped her daughter, who had been diagnosed with ADHD, channel her energy and attention into learning choreography, staying focused, and striving to improve. Her words remind us how powerful a social-emotional curriculum can be when paired with movement 🩷 at Dance to Unite, students are not only learning steps. They are learning how to listen, how to stay present, how to believe in themselves, and how to grow alongside others! to witness a student discover that kind of focus and confidence is nothing short of a miracle 🥰🫶

Happy last day of classes at P.S. 160! 💛 As one of Dance to Unite’s newest classes, our P.S. 160 students in Brooklyn brought so much heart & openness to their first DtU season 💌 in particular, while working on the Unity Banner together, they wowed us with their own colors, ideas, and creativity! This is what unity looks like when everyone contributes something unique. Although our classes draw to a close, we know our students will carry these values with them forever ✨

At CPC Chrystie Street, Jessie, one of our 2nd grade students, reminded us what makes Dance to Unite so special: students are not only moving together, but also growing together! ⭐️ throughout the year, our wonderful students built confidence, connection, and language around values like respect, kindness, and unity. For Jessie, this year was about the joy of dancing with her classmates while discovering new words and ideas along the way! 🩷

At Dance to Unite, we have a very special opportunity - the chance to reflect on growth, connection, and the values our students carry with them beyond the classroom 📚🩷August, our superstar student at CPC Chrystie Street, shared how this year helped him grow in compassion, peacefulness, and approaching others with positive intentions 🫶 Moments like these remind us why Circle Talk matters so much. Creating space for students to reflect, listen, and connect helps values move beyond conversation and into everyday life!

Welcoming a new voice to our DtU family!! 💗 At P.S. 140 with Educational Alliance, Taryn has stepped into the DtU space and quickly found a rhythm in these weekly classesc something uplifting and easy to look forward to! ⭐️ Through movement and Circle Talk, each week builds connection, trust, and a sense of belonging that stays with you 🌀

Hearing that a student felt our program was already “perfect” truly means the world to us 🫶 and we’re so grateful for that kind of love and trust! At the same time, we believe growth never stops. That’s why we actively seek student feedback through end-of-year evaluations, invest in hands-on teacher training, and continuously refine our teaching methods and pedagogy 📚🌀

Ms. Whitney () is returning to Dance to Unite this semester as a teaching artist for a new CPC class in Brooklyn, and we’re so happy to have her back! 🩷 her testimonial speaks to what makes this work so meaningful: the chance to combine a passion for dance with a deeper purpose of fostering peace, connection, and unity 🫶 That spirit is exactly what she brings to every classroom, and we’re excited for a new group of students to experience it this semester 🤸‍♀️



Welcome back, Whitney ✨

In loving memory of AT!

There are people who change your life… and then there are people who change the way you see the world.

AT was both 🧡

She didn’t just believe in me, she believed in something bigger:
that dance could bring people together,
that children from different backgrounds could truly see one another,
that values matter more than anything we build.

Dance to Unite exists thanks of that belief.
Thanks to AT🙏

I remember her once telling me:
“When I’m gone, I’m gone.”
Her perspective was clear: let go, don’t dwell, don’t attach.

And I understand that.
But what I feel isn’t attachment out of need or fear.
It’s something else.
It’s the feeling of missing someone who was so special…
and having the comfort knowing that she will always be part of the legacy of what we built together! Our new program, “Girls to Unite,” is dedicated to her memory. When she heard about it over 6 years ago she was excited for it to launch because it represented empowerment of women, what she so strongly believed and advocated for. I know that she sees it in action now and rejoiced in heaven!

AT taught me that leadership is not about control, it’s about the heart 🧡
That integrity is not always easy, but it’s always right.
And that love… real love… extends beyond individuals, it lives in what we create, what we give, and what we stand for.

I carry her with me in every decision, every class, every child we reach.

I miss her deeply.
And I honor her by continuing the work we started with the same values she lived by. With the same passion and mission that now reaches close to 3,000 children!

Forever grateful for the mentorship, friendship and the special bond we’ve shared.
Forever connected in a luminous circle of love
🧡🧡🧡

Our students at P.S. 64 had the incredible opportunity to learn from Guest Artist .mrrr , who brought the energy of musical theatre/street style together in thi unforgettable workshop! 💗 Through movement, creativity, and self-expression, students explored a new style of dance while building confidence and connection, living out the values of unity both on and off the dance floor. Thank you .mrrr for giving our students the chance to experience diverse voices and cultures! 🤸‍♀️