Danceability Inc.

Attention WNY Group Homes:
Looking for an awesome activity to get your residents moving and grooving?
Danceability offers dance classes for adults with special needs.
There are still a few spots open.
Reach out to learn more!

We've had so much going on that we haven't even been able to share the excitement from week one.
We taught 48 classes with 200 dancers and 85 volunteers, including 2 Fitness Frenzies and our first-ever Caregiver & Me session (room still available).
Thank you to all of you for making it possible!

REMINDER
Leave yourself extra time to get to our studio tonight. The Bills play on MNF at 7:30 and there will be additional traffic on the roads tonight.
Go Bills!

Meet your Thursday teachers
Tori Yackle, LMSW
Tori started dancing when she was 5 years old at Tonawanda Dance Arts. She is trained in all styles from tap, jazz, hip hop, ballet, and many others. Tori started dancing competitively at age 12. She attended many dance workshops at the University at Buffalo where she took classes from contestants and choreographers from So You Think You Can Dance. She has attended dance conferences such as the New York City Dance Alliance (NYCDA) and the American College Dance Association (ACDA). Once Tori graduated high school in 2013, she went to college at NCCC where she danced for Tanzen Dance Company for 2 years. She also danced for UB’s Infinity Dance Company in 2012 and Mone Dance Company in 2015. Tori became a volunteer at Danceability in 2021, fell in love with it and became a teacher in 2022! Tori graduated from Daemen University in 2022 with a Master’s in Social Work. Throughout Tori’s professional career, she has worked with many different individuals and populations. She currently works for the Assigned Counsel Program as a LEAD Social Worker where she works with the criminal defense to provide services that can be used as an alternative to serving jail time.

Meet your Thursday teachers
Michelle Phillips-Morella, MSEd
Michelle’s experience with Danceability started in the summer of 2009 as a volunteer. She loved volunteering so much that she became a teacher in 2015. Michelle became a certified Rhythm Works instructor in August 2018. Her love of dance as a young girl. Michelle began taking dance classes when she was 5 and practiced ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, and hip hop. She took classes for 20 years! Michelle is a special education teacher in a 1st-3rd grade 12:1:4 special education classroom at Hoover Elementary in Ken-Ton. Michelle is also the secretary for the Board of Directors for the Tourette Association of America: Greater New York State. As a board member, she organizes events for individuals with Tourette’s. Michelle is so proud of her dancers at Danceability and can’t wait for everyone to see her dancers shine on stage! When not at Danceability, Michelle enjoys spending time with her daughter Sophie and husband Tony.

Meet your Thursday teachers
Cori Bugenhagen
Cori began dancing at age 3 at Future Dance Center, taking classes in various styles such as tap, jazz, ballet, and hip hop. She also was on the dance team during her time at Penn State. Cori was a part of the Buffalo Bandettes, the professional dance team for the Buffalo Bandits from 2019-2024. Cori was first introduced to Danceability in 2019 when the Bandettes partnered with Danceability for a performance in Keybank Center. Cori choreographed the 2022-2023 dance the Bandettes performed with Danceability, which rekindled her love for the organization. This past year she became a teacher at Danceability and loved it, so she is returning for the Fall.

Meet your Thursday teachers
Robin Bishop, LMSW Co-Founder & Executive Director
Robin has enjoyed the art of dance her entire life, including dance education & choreography – both collegiate and professional, as well as numerous appearances in local musical theater. She has spent over 20 years sharing her love of dance and movement teaching individuals with special needs the art of dance. Along with her diverse dance background, she earned her Bachelor’s in Dance and a Bachelor’s in Mental Health. Robin is a Licensed Master in Social Work from the University at Buffalo. Furthermore, she has completed her training in Dance Movement Therapy from Kinections and as of August 2018 is a certified Rhythm Works instructor. Robin has worked all over WNY at many area charities, including Catholic Charities, Renaissance Campus, Hospice, and Women & Children’s Hospital. She is also blessed to be a wife to Collin, as well as a mother to her daughters, Hazel & Abigail, and her son, Jacob. Robin looks forward to creating a unique dance experience for each and every individual and their family at Danceability. This year has been one of growth & learning for Robin and she hopes to put her social work education to even greater use through increased volunteering and more social justice initiatives in the near future.

THANK YOU NOTE
In a City of Good Neighbors, Frank is a great one.
He is married to longtime volunteer Collette and sometimes works his own magic too.
Tonight he performed what we thought impossible, he fixed our cherished bubble tube!
Everyone, please thank Frank (and Collette)!

Meet your Wednesday teachers
Christine Whalen PT, DPT
Christine began her dance training at age five and continued through college. While pursuing her Bachelor’s in Biology from St. John Fisher College, Christine became co-director of a children’s summer dance camp program. She received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Marymount University in Arlington, VA. At the time, she volunteered with the Maryland Youth Ballet’s Music in Motion program for children with disabilities. She discovered that by combining her love of dance with her background in physical therapy, she can help all children learn to dance. When Christine moved back to Western New York, she found Danceability and was invited by Robin to watch the end-of-year performances. Christine instantly knew this was the studio she needed to teach for, and she has enjoyed being a part of the Danceability family since 2014. She works as a school-based physical therapist for Buffalo Hearing and Speech Center and lives with her husband and two sons in South Buffalo.

Meet your Wednesday teachers
Kaleigh Davidson, BS Biological Science
Kaleigh began dancing at age 4 at the Royal Academy of Ballet. She performed with the Greater Buffalo Youth Ballet for 10 years and Configuration Dance, where she also began teaching dance. As a sophomore in Christine Dwyer’s class, she learned about Danceability and has been hooked ever since. Kaleigh is thrilled to be teaching this year and loves sharing her passion for dance with her dancers. Kaleigh recently graduated from the University at Buffalo and plans to pursue a degree in Medicine. Her time at danceability has shaped her life and future goals in ways she never could have imagined and she hopes she has made a difference in the lives of her dancers and their families.

Meet your Wednesday teachers
Kylie Armstrong, ASA MAAA
Kylie began dancing at the age of 5, studying ballet, jazz, tap, acrobatics, baton, contemporary, and pointe. She was also a part of the competition dance team for 9 years, helped teach “kinder dance,” and used her dance abilities in the school musicals. At the University at Buffalo, Kylie took several dance classes and a few technical theater classes, where she fell in love with the behind-the-scenes action. Kylie loved working on the lighting and sound design for the UB theater and dance productions, and various events at the school. Kylie was also involved with the international dance community at UB, performing and choreographing with the Latin American and Bangladesh student associations. Kylie completed a math major while at UB as well and is currently working as an actuary for Excellus BCBS. In 2022 Kylie and her husband Jason welcomed their daughter Skylar into the world! Kylie started as a volunteer at Danceability in its wildest year ever (2020) and fell in love with the program's openness and acceptance, and it has become her favorite part of every week!

Meet your Tuesday teachers
Christine Whalen PT, DPT
Christine began her dance training at the age of five and continued all through her college years. While pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from St. John Fisher College, Christine became the co-director of a children’s summer dance camp program. She went on to receive her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Marymount University in Arlington, VA. At the time, she volunteered with the Maryland Youth Ballet’s Music in Motion program for children with disabilities. She discovered that by combining her love of dance with her background in physical therapy, she can help all children learn to dance. When Christine moved back to Western New York, she found Danceability and was invited by Robin to watch the end-of-year performances. Christine instantly knew this was the studio she needed to teach for, and she has enjoyed being a part of the Danceability family since 2014. She works as a school-based physical therapist for Buffalo Hearing and Speech Center and lives with her husband and two sons in South Buffalo.

Meet your Tuesday teachers
Andi Stella
Andi started dancing in a Long Island dance studio where they danced, performed, and competed in many dance styles. During and after college they continued to take classes of varying styles. In their career, Andi worked 6+ years with the special needs population. Through learning hula hoop dancing, Andi was led to explore how different props can merge with dance. They enjoy bringing their knowledge and experience with different props to Danceability. After volunteering for Danceability, Andi has added dance instructor to their roles. Seeing the dancers progress through the year is always a big highlight for them!

Meet your Tuesday teachers.
Elissa Lang, LMSW
Elissa’s journey with danceability began in 2012 as an intern through The University at Buffalo’s Master of Social Work program. After her internship ended, she decided her work here was not done! She returned as a volunteer and continued sharing her passion for dance and working with children and adults with disabilities as a teacher. Elissa began dancing at the age of three and participated in numerous styles including tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, hip hop, acro, and modern at South Buffalo Dance Academy. In college, she was part of the Brockport Emeralds Dance Team and competition team. She has over a decade of experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities and their families and has held various roles as a camp counselor, care coordinator, Behavior Intervention Specialist, and now Clinical Support Specialist. Miss Elissa is so happy she “took the leap” and became a teacher! Every year brings pride and excitement!

We are so happy to have dancers and volunteers back in our studio for the fall. It was an incredible first night of our 18th season!
If you are interested in assisting, we still have volunteer openings during the class times below.
Sign up with this link: https://forms.gle/GqPQMcDB87Jw9Hrz9

Meet your Monday teachers.
Amanda Wnuk, MHC
Miss Amanda started dancing when she was 18 months old. She has trained in many different dance styles including tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, modern, and contemporary. Miss. Amanda competed in many local and national dance competitions and continued dancing through college. She attended the State University of New York at Fredonia where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Dance in the spring of 2016. While at Fredonia, Miss. Amanda was part of the Orchesis Dance Company, the Fredonia Dance Ensemble, and attended the ACDA conference where she performed in the Gala with her fellow Fredonia Dancers. She was a Buffalo Bandette for three years and a captain for two seasons. Miss. Amanda started teaching at Danceability in 2016 and recently began her new role as a Mother to her adorable son Brayden. Miss. Amanda is so excited to be dancing with Danceability again this season!

IMPORTANT
Road work is underway on Dick Road near the studio and it may cause delays getting to us.
Work between Walden and Genesee is scheduled daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. until October 31.

Meet your Monday teachers.
Tori Yackle, LMSW
Tori started dancing when she was 5 years old at Tonawanda Dance Arts. She is trained in all styles from tap, jazz, hip hop, ballet, and many others. Tori started dancing competitively at age 12. She attended many dance workshops at the University at Buffalo where she took classes from contestants and choreographers from So You Think You Can Dance. She has attended dance conferences like the New York City Dance Alliance (NYCDA) and the American College Dance Association (ACDA). Once Tori graduated high school in 2013, she went to college at NCCC where she danced for Tanzen Dance Company for 2 years. She also danced for UB’s Infinity Dance Company in 2012 and Mone Dance Company in 2015. Tori became a volunteer at Danceability in 2021, fell in love with it, and became a teacher in 2022! Tori graduated from Daemen University in 2022 with a Master’s in Social Work. Throughout Tori’s professional career, she has worked with many different individuals and populations. She currently works for the Assigned Counsel Program as a LEAD Social Worker where she works with the criminal defense to provide services that can be used as an alternative to serving jail time.

Meet your Monday teachers.
Danielle Giroux, BSEd, MSEd in progress
Danielle began dancing at the age of 3 at Lancaster Dance Center, taking part in numerous styles such as tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, modern, and pointe. Danielle was introduced to Danceability in 2013 as a volunteer and is overjoyed to be an instructor. In May 2019, Danielle graduated from Daemen College with her Bachelor of Science in childhood and special education (grades 1-6). Currently, she is finishing up her Master’s degree to become a Literacy Specialist while also balancing a full-time, Special Education teaching position in a local school district. Danielle’s love for both dance and teaching makes danceability a perfect fit! She looks forward to continuing her love for dance and furthering her passion for teaching at Danceability.

Get to know your Monday teachers.
Christine Dwyer, MSEd Co-Founder & Instructor Christine has truly enjoyed teaching and working with individuals with disabilities for the past 23 years. These amazing experiences led her to co-found Danceability because she believed that all individuals should enjoy the art of dance and its many benefits. She carries two bachelor’s degrees: a Bachelor’s in Special Education and a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Canisius College. Christine also has a Master’s in Reading Education from Canisius. She has a dance background that includes 20 years of competitive dance, and 20 years of teaching dance to individuals with special needs. Her favorite dance style is tap but she enjoys teaching all dance styles to her students! Along with dance, Christine also enjoys participating in various fitness activities. Her own fitness endeavors and her love of athletics and fitness lead her to create the Fitness Frenzy program. Christine has 23 years of teaching experience as a Special Education teacher. She currently co-teaches 9th-grade English at Kenmore West High School. When not at danceability, Christine loves spending time with her family, her sons Jack and Roman, and her husband, Sean. She looks forward to dancing with her students; teaching the joys of tap, jazz, ballet, and fitness.

Check it out. Miss Robin and Miss Amanda were part of the judging panel for the Buffalo Bandettes today. We love working with the Bandettes! Thank you for including us today. ❤️

We are thrilled to introduce the newest member of the Danceability family, Katlin Stack who is joining us as our new Director of Development and Operations. Please welcome her when you see her. Below is more about Katlin.

Katlin began dancing at the age of 6 with Dance Dimensions Studio. Taking classes in tap, jazz, and ballet, she quickly discovered ballet, specifically pointe, was her biggest passion.

At thirteen, Katlin auditioned and earned a place in the Moscow Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker when the group performed in Buffalo - a highlight of her dance experience. Continuing to foster her love of the stage, Katlin then decided to join her high school’s drama club musicals as a featured dancer and a dance captain, learning more about theater and choreography.

After years of volunteering in a special education summer program and being Team Captain for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, Katlin knew she wanted to pursue work helping her community. After earning her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Health and Human Services and Psychology from the University at Buffalo, she began working in special education with students ages 5-18.

Katlin’s love of dance never left her and as an adult, she decided to begin dancing at her former studio again. Being back in the studio reminded Katlin that dance is her true passion and love. Katlin is thrilled to join the Danceability family where she can combine her love of the studio, passion for helping in her community, and her experience working with children with special needs.

Katlin is also an author, an avid reader, and a very doting dog mom.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Here are the days and times we are still looking for volunteers to assist in dance classes this year.
Registering is easy and no dance experience is needed: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNtqqgO-1w4kcxFnxRHOuSb-RzVDVAp1Sa37PRCk3wSvTH6g/viewform