DebORAH Damast

LREI

Deborah Damast, PreK-5

LREI

Deborah Damast has been teaching children and adults in numerous environments for 35 years and has mentored future teachers for 20 years at both NYU and the Dance Education Laboratory. She aims to create learning spaces in dance that center joy, humor, resilience and reflection where everyone can participate in a fulfilling and enriching experience. Deborah is the Director of the Dance Education Graduate Program at NYU where she teaches courses in Pedagogy, Modern Dance, Teaching Creative Movement, Production, Composition, Community Engagement and Academic Service learning, and directs performances. Her annual study abroad trip to Uganda has introduced dances and pedagogy of Uganda to over 200 NYU students over the 15 years. Since 2001, she has taught Lower School Early childhood dance and movement in her pre-K and K classes at LREI. For 10 years, Deborah also Directed the Kids Do Dance program at the Yard in Martha’s Vineyard. Deborah is thrilled to be including and embedding the DEL model into her classes at NYU, LREI, the Yard, and with colleagues in Uganda.

Deborah Damast (BFA: Purchase, MA: NYU, DEL certificate) is Associate Professor and Program

Director of Dance Education at NYU Steinhardt. In addition to teaching, she directs concerts, community engagement, and Uganda study abroad and  choreographs for graduations, concerts, and special events. Deborah is Past-President of NYSDEA, has served on the boards of NYSDEA, NDEO, Dance Education in Practice Journal and Peridance, was a founding member of the NDEO IDEA committee, and is on the Advisory Board for Misty Copelend’s BE BOLD. She is on faculty at LREI, DEL, and The Yard and has directed programs at Peridance, Steffi Nossen, Harvey School, The Yard, and OBT. Deborah facilitates Professional Learning for teachers through the NYCDOE and DEL, and has contributed to the NYC Blueprint. She has presented at numerous conferences and festivals in the U.S and her choreography has been shown at over 40 venues in NYC and internationally in Japan, Uganda, Korea, and Italy. Deborah has written curriculum for  Peridance, Paul Taylor, DEL, New York City Ballet, Carnegie Hall, and the NYCDOE. Deborah has received the NYU GSU Star Faculty Award, NDEO Outstanding Dance Educator Award, Steinhardt Teaching Excellence Award, the Dance Teacher Magazine Award, and NYSDEA Outstanding Leadership award.