Welcome to Morningside DanceWorX!
Under the auspices of the Arnhold Institute for Dance Education Research, Policy & Leadership, Morningside DanceWorX is a teaching laboratory and recreational dance program led by dance education students since at least 1966. With the mission to offer diverse, inclusive, student-centered, and humanizing “Dance for All” pedagogy to the TC, Columbia, Barnard, Morningside Heights, and Harlem community, Morningside DanceWorX offers studio classes and workshops taught by current dance education doctoral students that celebrate diverse dance traditions and actualize innovative, exploratory, or interdisciplinary approaches.
Join our email list for announcements and information about future class offerings!
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DANCE DISCOVERY WEEK
Register for pay-what-you-wish dance classes with Morningside DanceWorX during Dance Discovery Week! From Monday, September 8th-Friday September 12th, take one of our popular dance classes and try out brand new classes that will be offered this fall:- Broadway Jazz
- Ballet Technique Laboratory
- Mind, Body, and Flow
- Bharatanatyam Dance - All Levels
- Intro to Partnering, Floorwork, & Choreography
- Tropical Beats & Global Feet: Exploring Caribbean & Latinx Dance
- Ballet 101: Ballet Basics for Beginners
All classes are for adults 18+
Registration deadline is Thursday, September 4th: https://forms.gle/5tLrYhVtuPyLXs7H8
Autumn 2025 Class Schedule:
Register for the Autumn 2025 Morningside DanceWorX Class Series
Leap into fall with our recreational dance classes! Whether you are an experienced dancer or excited to learn something new, we have a class for you. All are welcome!
Cost: $120 for each 8-week class series
Open to Teachers College, Barnard, & Columbia University ID holders and Arnhold Institute Partners
All classes are for adults ages 18+
IMPORTANT DATES:
Registration and payment deadline is Friday, September 12:
https://forms.gle/HLrqCNo1aco5WhRK9
The MSDW 2025 Autumn Class Series will run from September 22nd - November 14th (8 classes total), with make-up classes held November 17th - 21st, 2025.
Class Descriptions
with Hayoun Chun
"Ballet 101" is designed for adult learners who are new to ballet or at a beginner level. Learners of all ages and genders are welcome, and no previous experience is required. In this course, participants will learn the essential components of ballet, including basic postures, movements, spatial directions, and rhythm. The foundational skills from this class will help learners progress to intermediate ballet class or explore other forms of dance.
This class is based on the Vaganova Ballet Method, a renowned Russian ballet training system, and incorporates anatomical explanations of body structure to provide a comprehensive, safe, and supportive approach to learning ballet. It embraces a diversity of body types, movement abilities, and experiences, ensuring that each individual's needs are met.
Each class consists of three main components: floor exercises, barre work, and center work. During floor exercises, learners will focus on building strength and flexibility. At the barre, they will work on improving body alignment and posture while learning basic ballet movements. In the center, they will apply variations of basic movements and enhance their spatial awareness and musicality. By the end of the semester, learners will have developed a well-conditioned body and strong ballet foundations, which will not only benefit their ballet practice but also be applicable to other physical activities and daily life. Ballet 101 will empower each learner to continue their dance journey with confidence and a sense of accomplishment.
with Kellyn Mylechreest
Ballet Bites is an open-level ballet technique class for students of all backgrounds and abilities. Following the structure of a classical ballet class with a barre and center combinations introducing jumps and turns, this class invites students to taste the flavors of Ballet in a warm and welcoming environment.
with Alaina Wilson
The Ballet Technique Laboratory offers a noncompetitive, nonjudgmental environment where dancers of diverse identities, experiences, and technical backgrounds can engage with ballet in a way that is responsive to their individual goals, inquiries, and needs. The class will be gender-neutral, allowing students to experience ballet outside of prescribed gender roles, encouraging them to explore and express themselves freely and authentically.
with Nimisha Mahiyaria
This class is designed for both beginner and intermediate level students eager to explore Bharatanatyam Dance, a traditional Indian Classical Dance from Tamil Nadu. The class aims to teach students the fundamentals of Bharatanatyam combining history, terminology, technique and storytelling for the purpose of helping students create and share their own embodied dance stories. At the beginning of the semester classes will entail a short lecture, a traditional Bharatanatyam warm-up that will include rhythmic footwork, mudras (hand gestures) and abhinaya (facial expressions & eye movements) followed by learning short traditional Bharatanatyam dances. Once students gain familiarity with the technique they will have the opportunity to develop their own choreographies in the form of a solo, a duet or group choreography inspired by what they studied in class thus far. At the end of the semester students will share their Bharatanatyam stories and engage in reflective peer-discussions to collaboratively learn each student’s approach to choreographing a Bharatanatyam dance based on their unique understanding and relationship to Bharatanatyam.
with Jen Draghi
This session will be a fun and upbeat dance class for any level student who loves Broadway styles of dance. Dancers will leave with their heart beating, feeling connected to their physical body, and embracing their new class community. Whether you're a seasoned dancer, someone returning to dance class, or just someone who wants to have a full-bodied joyful experience, this class is for you!
with Lenard Foust
This class explores the rich history and evolving aesthetics of Jazz dance, emphasizing its role in American theatre, film, and commercial entertainment. Rooted in the African diasporic movement traditions that shaped early jazz dance, this course examines how the form has been codified, adapted, and commercialized within the American entertainment industry—from Harlem’s nightclubs and Broadway stages to Hollywood and contemporary commercial dance. Students will gain insight into the technical, historical, and stylistic evolution of jazz, developing the tools to perform and interpret various jazz dance styles with cultural and artistic authenticity.
Watch Lenard's teaching reel! https://youtu.be/sHY9OLque3U
with Monica Silva
In this class, you will explore movement in a way that honors your body’s experience and wisdom while discovering creative tools for self-expression and dance-making.
The course is designed to help you recognize and embrace the expressive potential of your body by listening to it, moving with awareness, and connecting with others and the environment.
Together, we will expand our movement possibilities in a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive space where all abilities and backgrounds are valued.
with Lenard Foust
Step into the groove and unlock your movement potential in this all-levels Hip Hop dance class! Designed for dancers of all backgrounds, whether you're a beginner looking to explore the fundamentals or an experienced mover refining your style, this class will immerse students in the cultural essence, technique, and artistry of Hip Hop. Through high-energy movement, musicality, and freestyle exploration, we will celebrate Hip Hop as both a powerful dance form and a cultural practice rooted in community, self-expression, and storytelling.
Watch Lenard's teaching reel! https://youtu.be/sHY9OLque3U
with Diane Tomasi
This class is a unique blend of improvised and contemporary movement that incorporates and explores basic foundational inverted and partnering skills. Students will use skills learned to encourage safe movement practices and to develop palettes for choreographic and creative choice. Students will work alone and with peers to create movement, teach movement, and will be invited to share their creations in front of peers and to reflect constructively on what they see from their community, and their experiences inside of the work.
with Eto'o Tsana
KongoBeats is a core-centered, hip rhythmic, high energy, uplifting, and culturally rich Kongolese Mbongi (Village) class that focuses on both traditional and urban dance styles from the HEART of Africa; The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo. This experience encompasses the base of the past to understand the now, the present, and the future through the sounds of traditional Ngoma's (drums), Ndombolo, Soukouss, and fusion Congo-beats. This class is a brave and free space for individuals to connect with themselves, others, their embodied movement vocabulary, build meaningful connections through central African dance. We'll prioritize self-care through self-expression, explore the meaning of (re) imagining cultural preservation, and through mind, body, voice, and empathy, build community. Whether a seasoned dancer or a novice to the style, all populations are invited.
with Kellyn Mylechreest
Looking to destress? This class offers a holistic exploration of movement through the integration of modern dance techniques, yoga-inspired practices, and relaxation methodologies. Geared towards beginner movers, this class invites you to discover the joy and stress-relieving benefits of expressive movement while connecting to your inner self and others through movement.
with Nimisha Mahiyaria
This class is designed for beginner and intermediate dance students who are eager to explore the foundational principles of modern dance. Students will experience a variety of movement exercises that emphasize the natural flow of energy through the body, focusing on the concepts of gravity, suspension, and release, and explore how these techniques can support emotional expression within movement.
with Eto'o Tsana
In this class, participants will learn foundational steps and rhythms of Caribbean and Latinx dance forms while building physical coordination and musicality and fostering cross-cultural connections through shared movement experiences in a supportive community atmosphere.
FAQs
Registration Procedure:
● All classes are for adults ages 18+
● Participants must hold a Teachers College, Barnard, or Columbia University ID or be an Arnhold Institute partner.
● Once the online registration form goes live, it is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
● Registrants may select more than one Class Series for which to register.
● Instructions for payment submission will be sent once your registration is confirmed.
● Please note that completing the online registration form does not guarantee you a spot in a Class Series. You must submit your payment by the deadline in order to keep your spot(s). If you fail to submit your payment by the deadline given, you will be automatically dropped from the Class Series.
Cost:
The cost for each 8-week Class Series is $120. We are excited to offer our community dance classes at a below-market cost ($15 per class) while ensuring our professional dance artists/instructors are compensated fairly! We do not offer drop-in class options at this time.
Late Registration:
If you missed our registration deadline, you may be able to join the remaining weeks of the Class Series for a prorated fee, subject to instructor discretion. Please email Kellyn at MorningsideDanceWorX@tc.columbia.edu to request more information.
Dance Studio Policies and Requirements:
Please review our Dance Studio Policies.
Payment:
Instructions for payment submission will be sent by our Morningside DanceWorX Program Coordinator once your registration is confirmed. Payment is due by the registration deadline.
Attendance:
Dancers are responsible for attending all classes within each class series. If the student knows in advance that they will not be able to attend class, please email Kellyn at MorningsideDanceWorX@tc.columbia.edu to inform your instructor of your absence. There are no refunds for missed classes.
In the case of a class being canceled due to inclement weather or an instructor’s illness, makeup classes may be held.
Refunds:
Requests for refunds must be made in writing to Kellyn at MorningsideDanceWorX@tc.columbia.edu before registration closes. Refund requests received after the start of the Class Series will not be approved and processed. In addition, there are no refunds for individually missed classes.
Accessibility:
Accessibility accommodation requests can be made upon registration confirmation. The Arnhold Dance Education Research Studios have an ADA lift available for use.
Questions?
Email Kellyn at MorningsideDanceWorX@tc.columbia.edu
Meet Your MSDW Instructors!
Hayoun Chun is a dance educator and researcher whose work bridges theory and practice in dance education worldwide. With a strong commitment to advancing dance education, she has explored various dimensions of dance. She earned a B.F.A. in Dance from New York University and received M.A. degrees in Dance Theory and Education, as well as an M.Ed. in Physical Education from Ewha Womans University.
As an educator, Chun holds a Teacher's Certificate in Physical Education in Korea and is also a certified instructor of the Russian ballet pedagogy, the Vaganova Ballet Method (Levels 1-8). With these qualifications, she worked as a full-time certified teacher and head of the ballet division at Sunhwa Arts High School in Seoul, where she taught pre-professional ballet students and oversaw the program's academic and artistic direction. Her previous experience as a professional ballet dancer, combined with her diverse background teaching students of various ages and levels at numerous institutions, enriched her teaching skills and approach. Her students have won awards at international competitions, joined world-renowned dance companies, and been admitted to dance departments at various universities.
In the field of dance education research, Chun has contributed to the field through comparative studies on dance curricula, textbooks, and policy. Her major publications include 'A Comparative Study on Dance Curriculum in Korea and Australia,' 'A Comparative Study on Dance Textbooks for Mutual Understanding of North and South Korean Dance Education,' and 'An International Comparison of Public School Dance Education for the Establishment of Dance as a Subject in Korea.' Her research has received funding from the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation and the Lotte Foundation, which have supported her efforts to bridge the gap between South and North Korean education. With a vision to expand access to dance education and advocate for its integration into K-12 public schools, Chun continues to explore ways to connect theory, pedagogy, practice, and policy in dance education.
Jen Turey Draghi is currently an adjunct professor and choreographer at Western Connecticut State University where she also serves on the marketing committee for the HPX department and as the faculty advisor of the dance clubs, Eversion and Shuffle. She is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center, at Burklyn Ballet Theatre, and teaches regularly in the tri state area. Turey's professional experience includes the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular as a Rockette, the Broadway tours of 42nd Street, Crazy for You, and The Will Rogers Follies and at regional theatres. Her choreography career has taken her to Weston Playhouse, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, The Reagle Players, Richter Park, ATA, and WCSU. Jen Turey Draghi is an Ed.D. Dance Education Program student at Teachers College, where she is pursuing the Interdisciplinary specialization. Her research interests include higher education curriculum, the preservation of tap dance history, and exploring dance as an interdisciplinary art form.
Lenard Foust is a performing artist based in NYC and a part-time doctoral student in Dance Education at Columbia University. His diverse career includes performances with recording artists, work on cruise lines, a ballet company, and several musical theater productions. Foust holds an MFA in Dance Performance and a graduate certificate in World Performance Studies from the University of Michigan. He was recognized as a Fulbright Scholar, teaching at Capital Normal University, Shanghai Theatre Academy, and Beijing Dance Academy in China.
He has served as an Assistant Professor at Alabama State University and taught Jazz and Hip Hop to BFA Dance and Musical Theatre students at the University of Michigan. Additionally, Foust has guest-taught at the University of California Riverside, Columbus State University, Wittenberg University, and more. His choreography credits include Sheila E.'s performance at the World Games, and he has worked as a movement coach for notable actors and actresses. He is currently agency-represented with LDC Artist Representation, while pursuing opportunities on Broadway.
Foust's research focuses on bridging the gap between formal dance training and professional readiness for BFA graduates, with particular emphasis on the employability of these graduates within the professional dance industry. His work explores how Hip Hop and Jazz practices can enhance dance education and improve graduate employability in the global dance landscape.
IG: @Ellejaymoves.
Nimisha Mahiyaria is an international Indian & modern dancer, educator & scholar based in NYC. She is currently a second year doctoral fellow of dance education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She has previously worked as an instructional dance educator at Science Skills High School, Brooklyn NY. As a scholar, she has co-authored Chapter 8: The Role of Yoga In Orthopaedic Disorders in Fundamentals of AYUSH: An Introductory Course for Health Professionals alongside Dr. Ahuja, Specialized Orthopaedic Surgeon at AIIMS, India. In 2021, Mahiyaria was selected to present her research at the New York State Dance Education Association (NYSDEA) conference. Mahiyaria has been a professional freelance dancer for the last decade, performing at international venues such as Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to name a few. Her work has been featured in Rolling Stone Magazine, The New York Times, Dance Magazine, NJArts, The Stewardship Report & Broadway World. She is the recipient of the O1 Visa: Alien of Extraordinary Ability. Mahiyaria holds a M.A in dance education (NYU) & a B.F.A in dance performance (MGSA, RU) and a B.A. in public relations (RU).
Kellyn Mylechreest is a New York City and Philadelphia-based dancer, choreographer, immersive performance artist and movement educator. She is a Doctoral Student in Dance Education at Teachers College, Columbia University and holds her M.F.A. in Choreography from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and her B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Her research interests include holistic education, social-emotional learning and the development of sustainable practices in dance conservatory training spaces.
As a teacher Kellyn works as a teaching artist with New York City Ballet and Alvin Ailey’s Arts in Education Programs, brining modern, ballet and hip-hop dance to students across the five boroughs of NY. She has previously served as the Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance at CUNY Queens College, the Dance Company Director at SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology and the Divisional Dance Leader with The Salvation Army.
As a dancer she has had the opportunity to perform works by Ohad Naharin, Lar Lubovitch, Lucinda Childs, Merce Cunningham, Ori Flomin, Betsy Coker, and Mariel Pettee. She has worked with companies such as Twyla Tharp, Linked Dance Theatre, Houseworld Immersive and Blue Morph Collective, and her choreography has been featured on City Lyric Opera, FIT Dance Company, CAST Company, Second Ave Dance Company, Rave Theater Festival, NACHMO film festival and more.
Kellyn’s teaching experiences have led her to write two dance curriculums, “The Dance Collective,” a 52 week ballet curriculum, and “The KéKay Method,” an alternative preschool movement-based curriculum, which is used in schools across the nation. Her 9 years of working and performing professionally in the dance industry has led her creative and academic research to be focused on making the dance world a more inclusive, diverse and safe space for dancers everywhere.
Mónica Silva is currently an Associate Professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) and a doctoral student in the Dance Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is also a member of the Studies in Dance and Scenic Practice research-creation group within PUCP's Vice-Rectorate of Research.
Previously, Mónica served as Chair of the Academic Department of Performing Arts at PUCP for four years. She also directed the undergraduate Dance program at the Faculty of Performing Arts, where she led the design of the new curriculum and established the PUCP Dance Company. Additionally, she coordinated the Dance, Body, and Scene research group and has actively participated in various academic and professional networks across Latin America’s performing arts community.
Mónica has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, recognizing her contributions as a dancer, choreographer, and educator.
She holds a B.A. in Education from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and an M.A. in Dance Education from New York University.
Her intended area of specialization is interdisciplinary, with a particular focus on contemporary dance.
Diane Tomasi is a human who loves to teach, dance, perform, and explore all things somatically as an aerialist, dancer, and educator.
Tomasi has been teaching tumbling and contemporary dance since 2001, and aerial arts, primarily aerial silks since 2014. At BAX|Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Diane is the Director of AcroBAX II and a tumbling and contemporary dance instructor. Diane created and built the aerial program at Brooklyn Ninja Academy and teaches adult and child classes there. Tomasi is also a co-founder of This Body, a community of artists who work together to advocate and change the 'starving artist' concept around creating art.
Tomasi began as a gymnast at the young age of 2, later began to dance, and then was introduced to aerial through an inclusive, abled/disabled body workshop with Blue-Eyed Soul Dance Company in the UK. Tomasi has performed at Galapagos Art Space, The Slipper Room, Jacob’s Pillow, The Wild Project, Dance New Amsterdam, and The Muse Brooklyn, among other places, and with Phaedra’s Cabaret, Ko-Ryo Dance Theater, This Body, as well as in their own work.
In July 2023 Tomasi received an MA in Nonprofit Management from Antioch University and a BA (Hons) in Performing Arts Dance from Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in 2005. Diane also has certificates in the Simonson Method of Teacher Training, 2013, Thai Massage Adv. Studies Sen Theory & Application, 2010, and Thai Massage Basic Studies Level I & II, 2009.
Tomasi is interested in the immense confidence and joy that can be attained through movement and dance. Dance brings people together through community, expression, creativity, vulnerability, and acceptance. Dance offers alternative pathways of learning: experiential, visual, and physical. Tomasi is interested in advocating and lifting up these qualities of dance as well as re-envisioning performance and the dance industry as dance is underfunded and under-appreciated, especially in NYC after a long and turbulent pandemic.
Tomasi is pursuing an interdisciplinary specialization encompassing advocacy, pedagogy, and kinesiology in the Dance Education, Ed.D. program at Teachers College.
Tomasi uses both they/them and she/her pronouns, and more of and about their work can be found at: www.dianetomasi.com and www.thisbodylives.com.
Eto'o Tsana is Puerto Rican and Congolese Harlem native Performing Artist and Educator. Ms. Tsana is the Artistic Director of Mabina Danseuses Dance Company founded in 2011. The company focuses on the principles of cultural performance, humanitarianism, and anthropology from a Kongolese dance and cultural perspective.
Eto'o Tsana's dedication to her culture and craft have been recognized with numerous awards. In 2020, she received the award for Best Up and Coming female artist, as well as the 2019 “Best Independent Female Artist '' recognition from the HAPAWARDS. In 2018, she was awarded "Arts and Culture" by the Uollywood Entertainment Awards for her contribution to Music and Dance. She is also the recipient of the 2018 African Entertainment Awards’ “Best Upcoming Artist'' recognition given to promising new talent.
Ms. Tsana boasts a strong academic background. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hunter College with an MFA in Dance and Summa Cum Laude from Queens College with a Bachelor's Degree in Drama, Theater, and Dance. Currently, she is a doctoral student pursuing the Interdisciplinary Specialization with the Ed.D. Dance Education Program at Teachers College, Columbia.
Alaina Wilson is a dancer, choreographer, educator, and arts administrator based in New York City, as well as a Doctoral Student in Dance Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Wilson receive her BA in Greek and Roman Studies with a minor in Arts History from Vassar College, and her MFA in Dance from Sarah Lawrence College. Currently, Wilson serves as Chief of Staff and Director of Individual Advancement with Gibney, a non-profit dance organization. Wilson previously served as Company Manager with Jonah Bokaer Arts Foundation and held management positions with BodyStories: Teresa Fellion Dance. She has held dance teaching positions with the Ailey School Junior Division, Bronxville Ballet, the Bronxville Adult School, the Eliza Corwin Frost Child Center, and was a Visting Artist with Randolph College. Wilson has been awarded choreographic residencies with Chez Bushwick and the Catwalk Institute. Since 2014, Wilson has created and produced 19 original works of dance as well as four choreographic works on film. Her doctoral studies focus on educational structures of technique-based dance training in higher education and associated impacts on student learning trajectories.