Dance Parade Teaching Artists are professional dancers, choreographers, and cultural ambassadors who bring engaging, culturally responsive dance education to schools and community centers across New York City. Trained in the NYC Blueprint for Dance Education, they guide participants in building technique, creative voice, and original choreography—often culminating in performances at the annual Dance Parade and Festival.
Stephanie Peña: Latin styles
Stephanie Peña is currently teaching Contemporary and Latin Social Dances such as Merengue, Bachata and Salsa to children K-12 at public schools, senior centers and community centers through Dancewave and Dance Parade Outreach Program. She is a dance professor at Hostos Community College teaching Black and Puerto Rican Dance. She was featured in The New York Times teaching All Age Merengue, Bachata and Salsa classes at Little Island. Peña continues to grow by collaborating with dance artists and inspiring others to move their bodies.
Funmilayo Chesney: African Congolese and Afro Brazilian
Funmilayo has been teaching dance in NYC for over 20yrs and is the director of FUSHA Dance Company founded in 1995. Funmilayo formed Fusha Dance Company to empower and educate people on the healing powers of dance and to celebrate the richness of dance and culture from Africa and the diaspora. She is employed by the Department of Education where she teaches ethnic dance to pre-k through 12th grades in the artist in residence program.
Alison Cook-Beatty: Modern
Alison is an esteemed educator and choreographer with a diverse background in dance instruction spanning over 22 years, earning both national and international recognition. Her expertise lies in teaching the repertory of Mr. Paul Taylor and in sharing the art of modern and contemporary dance with students of all ages and abilities. In 2012, Alison founded Alison Cook Beatty Dance, a non-profit modern dance company based in New York City, further solidifying her lifelong commitment to mentoring dancers and fostering community through movement. In addition to her company work, she continues to teach modern and contemporary classes, conduct workshops, residencies, and masterclasses, and has developed her own class series titled Core Synergy, which she has taught at prestigious venues such as Battery Dance and Joffrey Ballet School.
Laci Chisholm: Zumba, Line Dance, Hip Hop
Laci Chisholm is an award-winning dancer, educator, and Founder of Fit4Dance, a Brooklyn-based studio dedicated to empowering people through movement, culture, and community. With over 20 years of teaching experience, she inspires students of all ages—from children discovering the joy of dance to seniors staying active and connected. Laci’s classes blend technique, rhythm, and fun while fostering confidence, creativity, and self-expression. Known for her inclusive and uplifting approach, she uses dance as a tool for wellness, empowerment, and social connection, helping every participant feel seen, capable, and celebrated.
Yvonne Gutierrez: Salsa, Spanish Dance (Flamenco/classical spanish dance/folklore/escuela bolero including castanets), Folklore (from various latin countries), Merengue, Bachata, ChaCha
Yvonne Gutierrez, an Afro-Latina of Cuban heritage and originally from Brooklyn-New York, is a dance educator, choreographer, mentor and veteran teacher whose work bridges flamenco | salsa, Afro-diasporic traditions, community connections and immersive experiences related to the joy of movement and music. Her career reflects an embodied inheritance of cultural memory and a lifelong dedication to dance as a vehicle for resilience and transformation for in the experience. As a 2022 Dance Teacher Magazine Honoree recognized for excellence in teaching and quoted saying, “Dance is about connections — how we connect to the music, the musicians and to each other”.
Jacquith 'Raka' Loney: Traditional African, Afro Carribean, and contemporary dance expression
Raka (Jacquith Loney) is a dynamic dancer, choreographer, and cultural storyteller whose work bridges African, Caribbean, and African American traditions. A longtime member of Fusha Dance Company and teaching artist with 92NY and BAM, she brings contagious energy and ancestral rhythm to every stage and classroom. Her performances and workshops celebrate movement as a living language—where story, culture, and community meet. Through vibrant African and Caribbean dance fused with Carnival spirit, Raka inspires audiences to move, connect, and remember the power of rhythm.
Kanami Kusajima: Contemporary Dance
Kanami Kusajima is a dancer, performing artist, and choreographer born and raised in Japan. She has performed in dance works by various choreographers, including Francesca Harper, Yoshiko Chuma and Ana Maria Lucaciu. She has taught contemporary dance at Dance Again, The Haus of Performing Arts After School Program, and Meta Betties Gallery at Oculus World Trade Center, among others.
Pooja Narang: Bollywood & Bhangra
With training in Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Bhangra, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Latin, Ballroom, and Bollywood (under Saroj Khan and SDIPA), Pooja brings a truly global perspective to her choreography and instruction. She has led masterclasses at Alvin Ailey, Broadway Dance Center, and conventions like The Pulse and Broadway Bound International. She has taught at many educational institutions around the U.S.A. for all age levels. Her corporate clients include Google, Girl Scouts of America, and other top-tier organizations. Pooja’s work has been featured in Bollywood blockbusters like Jaaneman, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, Karma Aur Holi, and Hollywood films including The Accidental Husband and The Gold Bracelet. Her choreography also appeared on Sesame Street, Nick Jr. Wonderpets, and in the world’s first Bollywood flash mob in Times Square, which went viral with over 2 million views. She has trained numerous celebrity artists including Aishwarya Rai, Naomi Campbell, Colin Firth, Uma Thurman, Randip Hooda, Bachata group Aventura, Payal Kadakia founder of Classpass and Tech legend Tony Fadell
Yazmin Marie Gonzalez: Embodied Imagination series (Butoh)
Driven by a desire to evoke deep emotional exploration through movement, Yazmin was drawn to the New York Butoh Institute, where she immediately connected with the profound focus and intentionality that Butoh offers. Over more than a decade of artistic exploration, Yazmin has developed a unique movement language blending Middle Eastern dance, improvisational sketching, and Butoh. As a teacher, Yazmin emphasizes sacral activation, breath-led movement, and creating a safe space for exploring the interplay of opposing ideas and emotions.
Martha Zarate/Mazarte Dance Company: Mexican folk dance/latin
For over 25 years, Martha Zarate-Alvarez has actively participated in Mexican folkloric dance throughout the Americas and Europe. She has assumed various roles both on stage & behind the curtains, including associate artistic director, choreographer, instructor, principal dancer, costume designer and props designer. However, Martha’s focus in recent years turned towards research, instruction and artistic direction. In 2013, she founded Mazarte Dance Company to fulfill her vision of creating a tangible union between dance, research, and authentic indigenous art. Through Mazarte, a Nonprofit organization, Martha aims to create awareness about Mexican cultural heritage while also preserving artistic techniques that are in danger of being forgotten and lost.>
Tom Sullivan (Improvisation and Creative Contemporary Movement)
Tom earned a BA in Special Education from Arizona State University, MS in Special Education from Hunter College/CUNY, and MA in Dance Education from New York University/Steinhardt. Upon retiring from teaching Special Education classes for the NYC Department of Education, he has worked as a teaching artist in dance for Dance Parade, Go Project, Arts Connection, 92nd Street Y, Education in Dance and the Related Arts, and volunteering as a teaching assistant with Dance for PD (Parkinson’s Disease).
Miyabi Wright: Hip Hop
Miyabi’s roots are deeply intertwined with the vibrant tapestry of street dance culture. Born amidst the pioneers of Hip Hop and House dance, Miyabi's formative years were steeped in the rhythms, and movements of the underground club culture. From her upbringing emerged a passion for artistic exploration, innovation, and community-building through Street dance. As a Black and Japanese street dance teaching artist, she empowers her students drawing upon her rich experiences. Miyabi believes that as Hip Hop dance is quickly expanding and evolving, it is important that dancers are aware of its foundations to preserve the style’s authenticity.
Gabriela Viera: Reggaeton, Salsa, Merengue, Kpop, Contemporary
Gabriela Viera is currently the Assistant Rehearsal Director for Reaction Dance Company, where she helps carry out the company's mission of celebrating cultural dance through performance, education, and community engagement. She works with both youth and adult audiences across diverse styles, with a special passion for the Latin social styles she grew up dancing. Her teaching approach is rooted in cultural storytelling, authentic connection, and self-expression. Outside of the company, Gabriela also shares this passion by offering weekly salsa classes at Gonzalez y Gonzalez and private Reggaeton and K-pop classes.
Mouli Pal: Indian classical dance (Odissi)
As a teaching artist Mouli Pal has been regularly offering workshops and demonstrations at universities, senior centers, schools and libraries. She is the founder of Upasana Odissi where students of all levels and age groups are being trained in the delicate dance style. Her intensive training and passion enables Mouli to gently guide her class out of the comfort zone through innovative techniques without compromising the integrity of the dance form. Although Odissi is a dance form rooted in ancient Indian temple rituals, Mouli teaches through pieces that are relevant to our present world making it relatable to her students.
Kamil Lowe: Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary
Kamil Lowe has been dancing for 25 years. She studied dance at Callina’s School of Classical Ballet, Alvin Ailey, and Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, where she graduated in 2009. She has worked for many organizations and companies including American Ballet Theatre, Elite Dance Academy, Just Dance Academy, Mark Morris Dance Group, and The Prep Center gor the Arts at Brooklyn College. She also teaches dance to special needs children at a variety of organizations. She has performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in association with ABT, as well as produced her own dance show, Haven.