About Us

I founded Let's Dance Brooklyn now City Kids Dance! in 2005 when I moved to Fort Greene from Manhattan where I taught dance for 12 years. CKD's early childhood dance and movement program were developed after meeting many parents in the neighborhood who expressed to me their desire to put their little ones in dance classes. I wanted to give them an alternative to the overly rigid dance schools that discourage a child’s creativity and individuality. Based on my years of experience working with children of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, I created a dance program for children with an emphasis on organic movement and expression rather than a specific form of dance. Dance and movement allow the child to become aware of their bodies not only as it relates to the physical experience but also the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual experience. All of CKD's teachers are trained with this philosophy in mind. Today CKD continues to provide Fort Greene and the surrounding neighborhoods with innovative and expert dance education for children in the convenience of their own neighborhoods.

– Dina Gray, Director/Founder


   
  Dina Gray
Director/Creator/Teacher

Dina Gray has been teaching dance and movement for 19 years in California and New York. She studied at NYUís Tisch School of the Arts, Joffrey Ballet School and Ballet School NY. She has been a professional dancer and actor for more than 16 years and has performed in theatre and dance companies regionally and in New York City. She was recently featured as an actor/dancer in the opera THE NOSE at the Metropolitan Opera. She has taught at NEW YORK THEATRE BALLET childrenís school, KINDERDANCE, KIDíS CO-MOTION, DANCE DEPOT in northern California and public schools in upstate New York.She developed CKD's program in 2005 and continues to work on finding unique and innovative ways to bring dance to children and their parents. She lives in Fort Greene with her husband.
   
  Sarah Turner
Teacher

Sarah Turner is a choreographer, teacher and performer. She has taught tap, jazz, ballet, acrobatics and stage performance to children around the nation and abroad since she was 13 years old, when she first began assisting her teachers at her local dance studio. Her performing career includes tapping her way through the principal role of Irene in the National Tour of 'Crazy For You', and was a featured performer in the National and International Tour of 'Fosse the Musical' with Ben Vereen. Sarah has worked closely with the prestigious Williamtown Theatre Festival in numerous productions with some of Broadway’s leading directors. Some highlights include ‘She Loves Me’ with Nicolas Martin, 'Party Come Here' with Malcolm Gets and 'Anything Goes' with Sharon Lawerence. She has also hosted the legendary Williamstown Late Night Cabaret, performing amongst some of the biggest names in Television, Film and Broadway. Sarah works closely with several dance studios offering master classes and choreographing their competition routines for the season. She has also worked with the Rose Children's Theatre Summer Musical Theatre Camp, leading classes and choreographing musicals. Sarah has a BFA in Theatre Performance from Missouri State University and has had extensive voice and acting training.
   
  Anne Versluis
Teacher

Anne Versluis is a native of Columbus, Ohio. She received her formal training from The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and received a BFA in Contemporary Dance in 2006. Since relocation to New York City in 2007, Anne has performed at various venues including the Alvin Ailey Citygroup Theatre, Wax Works, DNA Works in Progress, Studio B, Le Poisson Rouge, and the FAB! Arts Festival. She has also done freelance choreography for the Nine Thirty Theatre Company's off-Broadway show, "A Blight Christmas," in December of 2008. Anne choreographed and co-directed her first dance film in 2009 entitled, "Internal Combustion," which was shown as an installation in August of 2009 at The Convent in Brooklyn. She has also appeared in Sondre Lerche's Video, "If Only," which debuted in October of 2009. After spending 2010 teaching in Shanghai, China, Anne returns to NYC as a teaching artist in the New York City public schools and parks. She is thrilled to be working with City Dance Kids, once again!
   
  Jessica Savage
Teacher

Jessica Savage has been performing professionally across the United States for the past six years and has been a student of ballroom dance, one of her passions for 10 years. She currently studies at the Michael Chekhov Acting Studio while continuing her university education with plans to enter graduate school for theater. She loves sharing the gift of physical expression with souls of all ages.
   
   
  Mateo Moreno
Teacher

Mateo Moreno is a Brooklyn based performer who divides his time in the film/theatre world and at the online entertainment magazine BigVisionEmptyWallet, where he is the Outreach Coordinator as well as a writer and reviewer of film and theatre projects. His full length play, Happily After Tonight, which he wrote, directed and co starred in, was workshopped in 2010 and will be produced sometime this year. He also will stage an all new version of Romeo & Juliet in late 2011. Behind the scenes, he’s directed the feature film Days, the short films Surrender, Avenue A, and the music video One Shot for the band “Verity in Stereo.” Upcoming is directing the indie film Bohemian Valentine, workshopping the new stage musical I’m Writing a Musical, and working on several new web series, including Act Like Me. He performed with National Theatre touring public schools around the country.