Special Needs Manalapan Dancers to Perform in National Competition

Eight Special Needs dancers from the in Manalapan will be twirling on stage at the 2012 Dancers Inc. National Competition at the Hershey Theater in Hershey, Pa. on Saturday, July 14. The weeklong annual competition includes 900 dancers from 30 dance schools nation-wide.

“We are thrilled to have Rising Stars accept our invitation to participate,”  Dancers Inc. Executive Director Dan Barris said. “We welcome dancers from all walks of life into our competitions and the dance classes at Rising Stars are truly wonderful.”

Rising Stars School of Dance, which just celebrated 25 years in business, began the Special Stars Program six years ago. The class centers around children and young adults with developmental disabilities, both physical and cognitive, and the dance curriculum is prudently designed with the participants in mind. Special tools and props are utilized in the classes and dances and movement are individualized to the needs of the students.

“Spending time and watching our special needs students reminds me of why I love to dance and why I became a dance teacher,”  Joelle Iuliano, Rising Stars’ co-Managing Director, said.

“Seeing their passion when they dance truly warms my heart. We are so blessed to have them in our studio and to have our wonderful special needs teacher Jenna Vecchione," Iuliano continued. "She began dancing at Rising Stars when she was just 3 years old, and is working towards a Masters degree in Special Education while currently employed as a high school special education history teacher in northern New Jersey. She truly loves these kids and it shows.”

Barris joined forces with a team of professionals over 5 years ago to create Dancers Inc. in order to motivate dancers across the country and brought dancing to a competition and convetion format.