Iona University Dancers Earn Spot in Esteemed NYU Culture Showcase

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — Iona University students Haley Aversa ’24 and Jennifer Romain ’24 recently presented their choreographic work, a duet project titled “Fusion,” at the New York State Dance Education Association (NYSDEA) Conference. After a competitive review process, Aversa and Romain then set out to the New York University Steinhardt School of Culture to showcase the piece on February 4 under the mentorship of Hannah Park, Ph.D., associate professor of dance and assistant chair of the Arts & Languages Department.

“Jennifer and I were thrilled to be selected to perform at the NYSDEA Conference,” Aversa said. “It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our hard work, while building relationships with likeminded creatives.”

The NYSDEA Conference provides dancers with the opportunity to share their ideas, methodology, and discoveries with dance educators. Selection for the conference meant Aversa and Romain had the chance to perform outside of Iona, gain exposure to the field within a professional conference setting, and build valuable connections.

“I’m so grateful to go to a school where I’m encouraged to pursue my passions and reach my full potential,” Romain said. “The whole experience was so exciting, and I learned so much along the way.”

In addition to Aversa and Romain, Park was also invited to the NYSDEA Conference to present a lecture. Titled “Dancing Me & Us: Creative Process as Critical Pedagogy,” Park highlighted ways to link social justice and inclusion with choreographic and creative curriculums, with a focus on exploring identity. During her session, Park presented background research on critical pedagogy and teaching empathy in the context of dance.

“The pandemic has reminded dance educators of the power of arts and creativity for reflection and processing one’s thoughts and voice,” Park said. “The goal of my session was to demonstrate a way to empower and uplift participants’ voices on the topic of inclusivity through movement and creative processes. I’m honored to have been selected to present such important work.”