Loco-Motion Dance Theatre for Children
About Us
Loco-Motion Dance Theatre for Children, incorporated in 1994, is a not-for-profit performing arts organization for children located in St. Mark's Church in the East Village. Our primary purpose is to cultivate the development and appreciation of dance and theater arts among school age children of all backgrounds and levels of ability. Our classes and workshops are a combination of technical and creative exercises developed to extend the imaginative capabilities of each child, infusing them with confidence in their abilities and enabling them to grow as artists and individuals. We provide full tuition scholarships for over 1/3 of our total enrollment, and our students stay with us for an average of 8 – 10 years.
We strongly believe that all children deserve the opportunity to enrich their lives through participation in the arts. It opens them up to new forms of expression and carries them into a broader world of experience and understanding. We recognize and honor the important role that children play in the future of the performing arts, and are devoted to building a community where growth, discovery and inspiration are paramount. Loco-Motion promotes works of emerging social consciousness and provides a forum for young voices to be heard. We encourage students to create material that reflects their responsibility as members of a global community, to search for fresh answers to old questions while exploring the idea that art can affect positive change.
Bios
Lisa Pilato (Artistic Director/Teacher/Choreographer) graduated from Marymount Manhattan College in 1988 with a B.F.A. in Dance Education. She trained at the Alvin Ailey School, Dance Theatre of Harlem, The Martha Graham School and The Merce Cunningham Studio. Ms. Pilato has performed throughout the country with the Pennsylvania Dance Theatre, Nexus Dance Theatre, Urban Tales Dance Company, Around and About Children’s Theatre, Trapeze Dance Company, Kaos Dance Theatre and the Black Box Players. Her teaching experience includes dance and theater instruction for children at Marymount Manhattan College, P.S. 3, Crunch Kids, the Police Athletic League, the Lower East Side Community Center, the Alternative Program and the 6th Street Community Center. Ms. Pilato is the Artistic Director and co-founder of Loco-Motion Dance Theatre for Children where she teaches, choreographs and directs.
Susannah Page (Managing Director) began her career working for several Broadway producers as well as at the Off-Broadway theater New York Theatre Workshop. She currently works part-time for the independent theater production company Kelpie Arts (currently represented on Broadway by Book of Mormon). Ms. Page is a co-founder of Loco-Motion Dance Theatre for Children. She also works for photographer Rosalind Solomon, as well as with the multi-media artists Maureen Connor and Toni Dove.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Louis Re
President
Leigh Silverman
Chairperson
Jennie Miller
Treasurer
Jane Stiles O’Hara
Secretary
Deborah Reynolds Juantorena
Catherine McClarin
Susannah Page
(non-voting member)
ADVISORY BOARD
Doug & Valerie Johnson
Vera Wagman
Miriam Yeung
STAFF
Artistic Director - Lisa Pilato
Managing Director - Susannah Page
Dance Instructor - Lisa Pilato
Teaching Assistants: Denise Dalfo, Nate Phillips, and Michi Osato