DEL Lab Schools Feature: Danielle Staropoli
We’re continuing to spotlight our 2024 DEL Lab Schools recipients. Join us in celebrating Danielle Staropoli!
Danielle Staropoli teaches early childhood dance at the 92NY and at Park Avenue Synagogue’s Penn Family Early Childhood Center. She is passionate about incorporating children’s books in her classes as a tool to ignite the choreographic process, explore social-emotional learning, and promote inclusivity.
Danielle believes in nurturing the creative process alongside skill development to cultivate a community of students who move confidently, think critically, and act with integrity.
Danielle completed her MA in Dance Education at New York University, and her BA in Dance at Dean College.
Her professional accomplishments include:
- Founder of the K-8 dance education program at Bay Ridge Preparatory School in Brooklyn, NY, in 2017, directing the program for 7 years.
- Advisor to the Bay Ridge Prep middle school Gender and Sexuality Alliance.
- President Elect and former Director of Conferences for the New York State Dance Education Association (NYSDEA). She will become President in January 2025.
- ABT® Certified Teacher, completing the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.
- Guest speaker for professional development trainings at the 92NY .
- Guest lecturer at New York University, Steinhardt and William Paterson University.
- Member of the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) since 2015 and former co-chair of the New York University Student Chapter.
- Presenter at NDEO conferences:
- 2023: “Gender Expression and Identity in Early Childhood”
- 2022: “Like a Dandelion: Exploring Cultural Assets for Dance Making in Early Childhood”
- 2021: “I Am Enough: Using Social-Emotional Books to Inspire Dance Making in Early Childhood”
- 2019: “Incorporating Multicultural Children’s Games into Your Dance Curriculum”
Danielle teaching a creative movement class in Kampala, Uganda as part of NYU’s dance education study abroad program run by Deborah Damast.
We asked Danielle to answer the following questions:
A. What is one of the biggest learnings or takeaways that has stuck with you from a DEL Course/Workshop?
DEL offers a structure that is flexible and adaptable for all learners. I use Movement Sentences from pre-k through 8th grade. It is a great structure that can be simple or complex, is accessible to any style of movement, and puts student voices at the center of dance making.
B. How do you apply the DEL Model in your teaching environment? Tell us more about how you use what you’ve learned from DEL in your real life.
For my youngest movers, guided group movement plays a major role in my classes. It is powerful to move together, yet movement can be very individual. Through prompts, I encourage kids to find a way to move that is dynamic, fun, and safe. I enjoy watching kids inspire each other with their choices. Guided discovery naturally leads to the choreographic process, which is a culminating activity for many of my units.
C. At the center of the DEL Model is the Teacher’s Heart, which represents the core artistic and philosophical values and beliefs of every dance educator. Danielle shared:
My Teacher’s Heart is anchored in community. When students feel seen and supported, not only by their teacher but by their peers as well, they are free to be their most authentic and creative selves.