YOUNG DANCERS IN REPERTORY (YDR) is a non-profit Brooklyn-based arts organization which provides professional training and fosters growth and communication through dance via creative educational arts programming and performances for children, youth and the general public.

It is important for children to dance “Because dance helps you develop your body and mind.” Charles Salino, Grade 5 P.S. 127

YDR provides youth with a nourishing, educational environment that encourages and develops self-efficacy, skill and esteem building, and leadership qualities through dance. We offer youth between the ages of 4-18 an opportunity to realize their highest potential and fulfill their artistic goals through quality, disciplined, creative, structured, challenging, and fun-filled dance programming.  YDR provides artistic and educational experiences to youth regardless of professional intention, aptitude, previous training, or ability to pay for classes.  Through dance, YDR brings people of different cultural and economic backgrounds together in a non-threatening way to begin building bridges among people of different origins by exploring our commonalities and differences in International dance forms.  

“I think children should learn to dance because when the next generation comes, one can teach another.”   Victor Eng, Grade 5, P.S. 186

Directors Carol Mezzacappa and Craig Gabrian, professional dancers and dance educators, founded YDR as a pre-professional Teenage Touring Ensemble in response to the need for young dancers to sharpen their dance skills through performance opportunities and to bring quality dance performances to culturally underserved communities.

In 1995, we received the donation of a building in the culturally underserved South Brooklyn neighborhood of Sunset Park.  This gift was the result of a city-wide search and proposal process conducted by Materials for the Arts, a program of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.  This building is now home to YDR’s Center for Dance Studies where we offer year-round programming for children and youth.  It is also the hub of YDR’s activities which include eight off-site after school locations and Arts-in-Education programming in New York City’s public and parochial schools.  Through these educational programs, YDR over 8,000 children and youth annually.

“I enjoy dancing very much.  The thing I enjoy the most about dancing is performing.  The fact that it forces me to take my mind off everything else and concentrate on what I am learning or performing.”  Sara Ayoub, YDR student