ABOUT

OUR STORY

Learn classical ballet and contemporary Broadway choreography by joining our dance classes at American Theater Dance Workshop of Mineola, Long Island, NY. We provide both challenging and professional training that prepares young and adult dancers to perform in the worlds of Ballet, Broadway Theater Dance, and Musical Theater.

Our year-round school is conveniently located in central Nassau County on Long Island, New York. The studios are large, modern, fully mirrored with sprung floors specifically designed for dance. It is here that our students are trained in the disciplines of Ballet, Broadway Theater Dance, Musical Theater, Lyrical, Hip - Hop, Acting, Voice and Tap Dance. Registration is on all levels, beginner to professional, children (3 years old) to adults. There is live musical accompaniment for most classes.

A distinguished ballet department is the backbone of any school. Students must have strong backgrounds in classical ballet to succeed in any form of dance. Our illustrious faculty, led by Broadway Veterans Michelle and Jerome Vivona, is comprised of professional dancers from some of the greatest companies in the world, artistic directors, and choreographers, provide training with strong technique and artistry.

The history of the American Theater Dance Workshop is varied and rich. We began in 1982 as The American Dancemachine, a professional company and school, whose mission it was to reconstruct, perform and preserve the great dance numbers from Broadway shows. When founder/director Lee Theodore died in 1986, we became The American Theater Dance Workshop. Our goal was to continue the educational mission of the company. To this day, in our Theater Dance, Musical Theater, Tap, Repertory and Variation classes, we teach choreography from both the Broadway and Ballet repertoire, so that they will be preserved and passed down for future generations.

The American Theater Dance Workshop’s Theater Dance Company, whose members are our most advanced dancers, work directly with our Artistic Directors and Guest Choreographers that are a who's who of Broadway working professionals on a weekly basis. They routinely perform in theaters and at events for organizations throughout Long Island and NYC. Since 2009, our company has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The KnJ Theater at Peridance in NYC, UBS Arena and the Tilles Center among others.

The objective of The American Theater Dance Workshop is to provide the best training possible to all students; those who want to enjoy the discipline, exuberance, and healthy exercise dance can bring to their lives and those who intend to pursue a career in dance and theater. Our administrative and artistic staff, plus our curriculum, help our dancers to achieve these goals.

ACCOMPLISHED ALUMNI

The American Theater Dance Workshop is proud of all of our valued alumni. We take special pride in these very well-known alumni who have been successful on Broadway, television, feature films, and prestigious dance companies. 

Examples include:

  • Natalie Portman: Academy Award Winner and Broadway Veteran

  • Paige Smallwood:  Original Broadway Companies of: "Cabaret" & "Bad Cinderella", Hamilton Angelica Tour (Angelica, Eliza and Peggy) and Eponine in the National Tour of Les Miserables

  • Emma Pittman: Winner of "The Search for Roxie" seen as Roxie in Chicago on Broadway, Original Broadway Company of Back to the Future, Cherry in the Broadway Company of The Outsiders

  • Margit Tess Romero: Star of the Disney+ series “Diary of a Future President”

  • Brayden Ernest: A Christmas Story and Broadway Kids Member

  • Scarlett Sher: Waitress on Broadway and Hustlers movie  

  • Olivia Reed: Dreamgirls International Tour and Mamma Mia National Tour, Broadway Company of Spamalot.

  • Melissa Rapelje: The Awesome 80s Prom Off-Broadway and Scooby-Doo LIVE! Musical Mysteries National Tour 

  • Victoria Casillo: 2019 Motif Magazine Theater Award Winner for her recreation of original Jerome Robbins Choreography for West Side Story at New Bedford Festival Theatre. Associate Choreographer of Sign of the Times, Choreographer of multiple Off-Broadway and Regional Productions and Associate Director of Get Happy.

  • Melissa Perry: Mamma Mia, Saturday Night Fever

  • Janina Salorio: Hannah in Anatol Off Broadway

  • Liesl Jaye: Le Reve at the Wynn, Cirque Musica, How the Grinch Stole Christmas National Tour & Broadway

  • Sophia Kekllas: School of Rock on Broadway; Recording Artist.

  • Sarah (Buscaino) Waite: NYC Opera’s Pigmalion, Papermill Playhouse On Your Feet   

  • Stephanie Buffamonte: Emmy-Nominated News Personality for Fox 35 Orlando  

  • Lauren King: New York City Ballet  

  • Melissa Errico: Broadway and Concert Star

  • Jamie-Lynn Sigler: Television and Broadway

  • Mara Jill Herman: America’s Sweethearts performer

  • Morgan Thweatt: Teaching Artist for Alvin Ailey

  • Maggie Roach: Musical Theater of Wichita 

  • Keri Safran: TV/Film - Blue Bloods,The Real O'Neals, Blush, The Blacklist and an esteemed performance & dialect coach

  • Liana Golden: Journalist/Reporter ABC 7 Washington DC

  • Kristin Greve: Disney Cruise Line 

  • Ella Perez: "Babe" Cher National Tour 

  • Becky Grace Kalman: Director/Choreographer and Performer - Tuacahn Center for the Arts, Ogunquit Playhouse and more 

  • Michaela Vivona: Writer/Director/Performer and Business Owner - A Dream is A Wish Parties llc, Your Business Big Sis and Forestburgh Playhouse

OUR HISTORY

THE BEGINNING

The history of the American Theater Dance Workshop is extraordinary and unique. Our company began in 1982 as The American Dancemachine, home to the famous Professional Touring Company that reconstructed, performed, and preserved the great dance numbers from a multitude of Broadway shows.

THE TRANSITION

When Dancemachine founder and director Lee Theodore died in 1986, we became the American Theater Dance Workshop. Our goal is to continue sharing the educational aspect of dance. Currently, in our theater dance, musical theater, tap, acting, hip-hop and repertory classes, we teach the choreographic styles of the Broadway and contemporary stage so that they will be passed down and shared with future generations.


WHERE WE ARE NOW 

The American Theater Dance Workshop is led by two of Long Island's most respected and experienced Broadway Professionals - Michelle and Jerome Vivona. Together they've spent the better part of their adult lives working with and learning from the greatest artists of our generation. The lessons they've learned come from years of hard work, training, and learning the work ethic needed to succeed at the highest level of American Theater by performing with many of the world's leading talents - up close and personal - sharing the stage and screen with legendary performers, directors and choreographers. Because of their deep connections with the Broadway community they are able to bring their colleagues and current Broadway VIP's to the studio to work with their students and guide them on what is happening onstage from the Golden Age of Broadway to today. There isn't another studio on Long Island that has access to the depth of knowledge and experience the Vivona's bring to Mineola on a regular basis: Broadway Master Classes that have students learning from Broadway Directors and Choreographers, Broadway Dance Captains and Broadway cast members teaching actual Broadway choreography-up close and personal and sharing their thoughts, expertise and feedback with our dancers in an intimate setting. The level of growth that's possible for an artist when receiving that kind of first hand guidance cannot be underestimated. You really cannot fully understand or appreciate the energy of the studio without visiting and meeting our staff of incredible professionals. We want to be your studio - come see why the training and friendships you make at ATDW will last a lifetime, and why our students say "Friends Gather Here".