Instructors

Deborah Damast

Deborah Damast has been teaching in the NYU Steinhardt Dance Education Program since 2002. She has taught technique, pedagogy, creative movement, production and choreography, and is the Artistic Advisor of the program and Director of dance concerts and of Kaleidoscope Dancers. Deborah designed and directs a study abroad program to Uganda each January. She has participated in motion capture studies with the Department of Computer Science, and Internet Arts Collaborations with faculty from Music Education. Deborah has been on the faculty of Peridance Center, New York City Ballet, LREI, 92nd S ...

Daria Fitzgerald

Daria Fitzgerald (M.A., Dance Education, New York University, B.A., Theology, Sacred Heart University) is a New York State certified dance teacher and early childhood educator. Daria created the dance program for and teaches at Learning Through Play Pre-K Center, a NYC DOE pre-k and 3-k center in the Bronx. She writes curriculum for The Yard’s MAKING IT program for public and charter schools and previously interned in their KidsDODance program. She occasionally guest lectures at New York University. While in graduate school, Daria founded the Steinhardt Dance Education Association and ...

Daria Fitzgerald

Daria Fitzgerald (M.A., Dance Education, New York University, B.A., Theology, Sacred Heart University) is a New York State certified dance teacher and early childhood educator. Daria created the dance program for and teaches at Learning Through Play Pre-K Center, a NYC DOE pre-k and 3-k center in the Bronx. She writes curriculum for The Yard’s MAKING IT program for public and charter schools and previously interned in their KidsDODance program. She occasionally guest lectures at New York University. While in graduate school, Daria founded the Steinhardt Dance Education Association and was selected as the graduation banner bearer for the Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions. In 2016 and in 2017, Daria received the New York State Dance Education Association’s graduate student scholarship. She served as the Graduate Student Representative to the Board of Directors of the National Dance Education Organization from 2017-2018. Daria participated in New York University’s Dance Education study abroad program to Uganda, under the directorship of Deborah Damast, which sparked her interest in cross-cultural pedagogy and learning through play. Daria recently went back to Uganda to research children’s games which she and her colleagues presented at the National Dance Education Organization’s annual conference. She enjoys expanding her knowledge of dance and education through attending professional development opportunities (particularly at DEL), taking dance classes, and occasionally performing in various venues across NYC.