sharing, educating, impacting... since 1985

About Us

Goals

1. YDR offers children and adolescents an opportunity to realize their highest potential and fulfill their artistic goals through quality, disciplined, creative, structured, challenging, and fun-filled dance programming. We encourage young people to learn not only skills but responsibility and self-esteem.

2. YDR seeks to reach those who otherwise would not have the arts as a part of their lives. This part of our mission is based upon the understanding that every individual has the capacity for artistic expression and is entitled to a high level of training and artistic experience regardless of age, aptitude, or ability to pay for classes.

3. YDR brings people of diverse backgrounds together through dance and the arts. We do this to build bridges among people of different origins. In sharing dances of diverse cultures we can understand our differences and explore our commonalties as human beings.

Board of Directors

Joseph Longobardi, Chair
Chair, Community Board 7-197A Planning Committee

Craig Gabrian, President
Executive Director, Young Dancers in Repertory

Lizette Colon

Supreme Court, Criminal Division

Brooklyn, NY
                                                                                    
             
Faith Petrides
Director, Dance Professional Associates, Ltd.
Manager, Guild and Patron Services - The New York City Ballet

Tara Regan

Alumni

Brooklyn, NY

Pierre Salameh
Business Owner, in Brooklyn

Robert Silvestri
Insurance Broker, Frank J. Silvestri, Inc.

Robert Vivo
VP & Branch Manager, Sovereign Community Bank

To find out how you can get involved, click here.

Advisory Board

Paul DiMaggio, President, Wall-Tone Painting

John Livingston, President, Tishman Urban Development Corporation

Greg O'Connell, President, Pier 41 Associates

Harvey Schultz, President, Strategic Urban Solutions

Raju D. Patel & Company, Accountants

To find out how you can get involved, click here.

Staff

Craig Gabrian, Executive Director

June December, Office Manager

Jenny Chang, Dance Educator

Molly Campbell, Dance Educator

Mary J. DiClementi, Dance Educator

Alaine Handa, Dance Educator

Madeline Hoak, Dance/Theater Educator

Felicia Kennerly, Dance Educator

Trayer Run-Kowzun, Dance Educator

Doreen Miranda, Education Associate

Veronica Reid, Dance Educator

Kelly Williams, Dance Educator

Click here for Staff Bios

        On October 12, 2004, Carol Mezzacappa, Artistic/Executive Director and Co-founder of Young Dancers in Repertory, died after a long struggle with cancer at the age of 47.  Carol was well known for her knowledge and expertise in the modern dance technique of Charles Weidman and Doris Humphrey.  She was a popular and respected master teacher who was frequently asked to introduce the Weidman technique to numerous professional dance artists.  It is a great loss to the future of Modern Dance and all who knew her.

We are looking to form the following Action Committees with the help of our parents and friends in the community:

1.    Community Liaison / Letter Writing Committee

2.    Costume & Sewing Committee

3.    Events Committee / Raffle Committee

4.    Capital Campaign (raising funds & project council)

5.    Alumni Committee

For information on joining a YDR Action Committee,

please contact: Craig Gabrian at 347-702-7155