Once there were five little girls who dreamed of being ballerinas. And they made their dream come true. Ballerina Dreams, by Lauren Thompson, Photos by James Estrin.
Learn more about Ballerina Dreams

Our Classes

Classes are a celebration of movement. Dancers work to their own abilities and enjoyment.

Each student is paired with a "helper" to assist as necessary.

Learn more about Dancing Dreams' classes.

What is Dancing Dreams?

Dancing Dreams is a dance program specially designed for children with physical challenges that preclude them from participating in community dance classes. The program focuses on establishing an environment where children, regardless of impairment, can participate in the art of dance through therapeutic movement.

The program nurtures the individual abilities of the student and allows each child the chance to experience the joy of movement and performance. The year culminates with a recital in the spring. This is a celebration of achievement as well as a rewarding and unique experience that highlights the hard work and motivation of the dancers.

Dancing Dreams was founded in 2002 by Joann Ferrara, PT - a licensed physical therapist with 25 years of experience and a background in Ballet. Joann designs and instructs the classes. Classes are held weekly and generally follow the public school schedule.

Learn more about Dancing Dreams' mission.

Greetings from Dancing Dreams!

2008-2009 has been a very busy year for Dancing Dreams. The program continues to grow along with our community of friends and supporters.

This year we had 30 dancers enrolled in our classes and more than 30 teenage helpers working with us. In May, we bid goodbye to our 6 high school senior helpers who are heading off to college next year. We wish them all the best as they head off to new adventures and hope they will stay connected and keep us posted on their successes. Since we now have a Facebook group, it will be easy to stay in touch!

Our recital, "Shall We Dance" on April 26th was a tremendous success. More than 500 guests joined us to cheer on the dancers as they proudly and beautifully performed. We were honored to have Michele Paige Paterson, First Lady of the State of New York in our audience.

Dancing Dreams has also enjoyed a growth in donations this year. Among the contributions were Penny Harvest/ Common Cents donations from PS 107, PS 46 and PS 188. We were also recipients of a donation from Carle Place High School's "Battle of the Classes". The majority of our gifts continue to come from individual donors.

We are very grateful for the generosity of all our donors, friends and advocates. We couldn't do it without you!

With warm wishes for a wonderful summer,

Joann

Videos

Quote

This is all I ever wanted, I invited everyone I ever knew to the recital.

Photos