Directors' Message

Prior to launching our ‘second careers’, we were very involved with dance, as dance parents, for over twenty years. Our children, Lauren, Jason and Jordyn grew up dancing. Lauren danced through college at Villanova and is now a psychologist. After graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of Arts, Jason became a professional dancer, choreographer, and educator. Jordyn graduated from the University of Richmond, with degrees in business and dance - as a dance scholarship recipient and member of the University Dancers - before starting her career in marketing. After retiring, we decided to use our experiences as dance parents and our industry contacts to create a unique dance environment. Our focus has been to recruit the best faculty, develop comprehensive curriculum for dancers age two thru eighteen, provide state-of-the-market facilities, and ensure that all of our students have a safe and fun place to pursue their passion for dance. We invite you to visit our studio and speak to the parents and dancers you meet. They will help you understand why they are amongst the many dancers who joined DANJ over the last thirteen years. During this short period, over two hundred children with between three and twelve years dancing experience have transferred to DANJ. The result has been a highly inspired group of dancers, many bringing different strengths and interests to the studio, each pushing us to continue innovating and improving. We are proud to be celebrating our fourteenth year sponsoring the Performing Hearts Program. The program provides creative movement workshops and ballet and tap classes for girls and boys living with special needs - at no charge to their families. Many of our teen and senior dancers volunteer as mentors for each of the children in the program. Our happiest times are watching your children in the classroom, developing skills and making friends, all while on their journey to becoming wonderful young adults. After graduating from high school, many of our dancers continue dancing in University and Conservatory programs, On and Off Broadway productions, Dance Companies, Film, Commercials, Cruise Lines and Dance Teams. Some have become Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers and entered other occupations. DANJ dancers have become a part of our lives. We hope we have touched their lives as much as they have touched ours.

Elaine and Howard Luks
DANJ Studio Directors