Empowering Communities Through Creative Aging Education

Group of diverse people joyfully participating in a dance or exercise class inside a community center or gym.

At Dances for a Variable Population (DVP), we believe in the transformative power of dance to promote health, connection, and creativity at every stage of life. Our education programs are designed to equip professionals with the skills, knowledge, and tools to bring the benefits of movement and creative aging to their communities.

Whether you're a healthcare provider, social worker, or dance educator, our training options provide hands-on experience and proven techniques to engage older adults through dance.

Introductory Teacher Training Program

Join us for a transformative 3-day training designed for dance professionals eager to bring the power of movement to older adults of all abilities. This in-person training is based on DVP’s award-winning MOVEMENT SPEAKS® model, equipping you with the skills to lead creative aging programs in your own community.

Led by Artistic Director Naomi Goldberg Haas and DVP’s expert teaching artists, this immersive training provides hands-on learning, live class observations, and guided teaching practice with older adults.

A group of women sitting on a wooden floor in front of a red curtain. One woman is kneeling and gesturing with her hands, while another sits cross-legged wearing a red hat. Papers and a bottle are on the floor.

Why Join This Training?

  • Gain a functional understanding of aging and movement

  • Learn to debunk myths about physical activity for older adults

  • Understand how dance fosters positive aging

  • Receive hands-on training in DVP’s MOVEMENT SPEAKS® model

  • Practice leading exercises & engaging older adult students

  • Get personalized feedback from DVP’s expert team

Who Should Apply?

This program is designed for dance professionals interested in leading creative aging programs. Ideal candidates will have:

  • Proficiency in a dance or movement art (ballet, jazz, hip-hop, Latin, etc.)

  • Experience with improvisation and adaptive movement

  • A passion for working with older adults

  • Basic knowledge of functional anatomy (preferred)

  • Bilingual dancers (especially Spanish speakers) encouraged to apply!

Training Details

Dates: (Fall - TBD)

Location: Playwrights Downtown, NYC

Address: 440 Lafayette St,
4th Floor, New York, NY 10003

Nearby Subway: 6 (Astor Place), R/W (8th St), B/D/F/M (Broadway-Lafayette)

MOVEMENT SPEAKS® Teacher Training Nov 2023 at Alvin Ailey studios

Cost & Application Process

Program Fee: $1,500

Scholarships & work-study options are available –
contact miriam@dvpnyc.org for details.

Before applying
Please review the application material below.

How to Apply:

Please complete the application form by clicking the button below.

Apply Here

Selected candidates will be invited for a phone/video interview.
Finalists will be notified of acceptance and next steps.

For questions, email Miriam Grill at miriam@dvpnyc.org.

Meet the Instructors

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Naomi Goldberg Haas

NAOMI GOLDBERG HAAS is the founding Artistic Director of Dances for a Variable Population (DVP) since 2005, which promotes strong & creative movement among adults of all ages and abilities. DVP’s model of community creative aging education program MOVEMENT SPEAKS® has served 5000 older adults in NYC and is a model in best practices for creative aging in community-based performance and education programs for older adults. Goldberg Haas has been a leader in the field of creative aging, starting with founding the successful intergenerational and mixed-ability dance company, Los Angeles Modern Dance & Ballet (1990- 2004). She danced with Pacific Northwest Ballet and holds an MFA from Tisch Dance/NYU. Goldberg Haas received the LMCC President’s Award for Performing Arts (2014), served on the Age Friendly Media, Arts & Culture Working Group (2015–2018), and received the DANCE USA 2019–20 Fellowship for Artists addressing Social Change.

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Rebecca Hite

Rebecca Hite (Teaching Artist/Dancer) received her MFA in dance choreography/performance from Smith College in Northampton, MA, where she was also a teaching fellow and guest artist at Amherst College.  She holds a BA in dance from Connecticut College. Rebecca has worked with David Dorfman, Lisa Race, Heidi Henderson, Adele Myers, Nicholas Leichter, Jeremy Nelson, Wally Cardona, and Monica Bill Barnes. Along with working with DVP, Rebecca is a freelance choreographer and teacher in NYC and collaborates with Raja Kelly/The Feath3r Theory, MachineH Dance, and is co-creator and co-artistic director of Reject Dance Theatre.

A woman wearing a colorful headscarf and a black tank top with the words 'Keep Dancing' smiles while posing in a fitness or dance studio.

Theo Gilbert

THEO GILBERT (Teaching Artist/Dancer) is a Native New Yorker, Movement Motivator, and Dance Fitness Professional. She lives in the Bronx and teaches Zumba Gold and numerous Dance Fitness classes throughout the city. She says her “favorite group to teach is elders, gathering so much from their wisdom and humor!”She has been a lead Teaching Artist with DVP since 2015.

Together, we can inspire older adults to move, thrive, and discover the joy of dance. Join us in making a lasting impact.