About UsCo-Founded in 1962 by Shirley and Earl Ubell with community members, the
Center for Modern Dance Education (CMDE) is a non-profit community arts
organization.
The mission of the Center for Modern Dance Education (CMDE) is
to promote modern dance in partnership with the community and make it
available to everyone. The Center seeks, through
quality dance programs, to nurture and instill confidence and
self acceptance in each student, regardless of physical or financial
ability, including individuals with disabilities,
youth at risk, older adults, and economically disadvantaged and
underserved populations; and to preserve the legacy of modern dance and
nurture its future.CMDE is a member of Dance New Jersey and National Guild of Community Arts Education.
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Our Managerial and Administrative Staff
Elissa Machlin-Lockwood, Artistic Director,
began dancing at age 3 at CMDE, and began teaching dance over 30 years
ago. She attended The Martha Graham School, Jacobs Pillow Summer
Dance Festival, Bennington College, Simons Rock College, and the
New School for Social Research. She has taught students ranging in age
from toddlers to seniors and from beginner
to advanced in a wide variety of settings, has developed and
implemented numerous original programs for CMDE, and continues to teach
and present her own choreography. In her role
of Artistic Director, she manages all of CMDE's artistic and
professional-development programming, supervises all staff, and is the
primary liaison between CMDE staff and the Board
of Trustees. She is also the Chairperson of the 2009 Committee
for the Bergen County Week of the Young Child Family Fun Festival; a
member of the Bergen County Department of Cultural
and Historical Affairs' FY09 & FY10 Arts Grants Panels; a
member of the Bergen Youth Collaborative (created in 2008 to address
critical issues facing youth in Bergen County); a member
of the Advisory Committee for the Bergen County Teen Arts
Festival; a member of Bergen Dancemakers; and a former Board Member of
Dance New Jersey.
Bonnie Hyslop, Arts Administrator,
joined CMDE in 2002, with over twenty years of experience as a manager
in the performing arts field, and a degree in Arts Administration.
Bonnie
has previously held the positions of General Manager of Nai-Ni
Chen Dance Company, Treasurer of Dance-New Jersey, General Manager of
Garden State Ballet in NJ, Managing Director
of Pan Asian Repertory Theater in NYC, and Business Manager of
Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago. She is currently also the Account
Manager for Howard Shore, the Grammy-Award winning
composer for Lord of the Rings.
Shirley Ubell, Founder and Advisor,
began teaching dance in her home in the 1950s, incorporated CMDE in
1962 as a non-profit community organization, and was its Director for
most
of the organization's existence. Ms Ubell has a BA in Psychology
and a Master of Science in Movement Therapy from Hunter College, and is
a Registered Dance Therapist. She took her
first modern dance lesson at the late age of 19 from Maya Kyla,
and continued at The Martha Graham School and at The Mary Anthony Dance
Studio. She now serves in an advisory capacity
to CMDE's artistic and administrative staff, assists with
individual-donor solicitations, and continues to dance, all with the aim
of having everyone experience the joy of dance.
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Board of Directors
Ruth Bauer Neustadter, PresidentCynthia P. Low, Vice President
Diane Bairaimian, Treasurer
Sharon Silow-Caroll, Secretary
Karen A. BlumenthalAntonia DiazAudrey GoodmanDanielle HartmanChinwe IdigoMary LaneGreg LiosiUrsula PellIsabelle PradelCarolyn Smith
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Artistic Advisory Board
Mary Anthony
Jacqueline Arkin
Miriam Cole
Joanne Koob Brown
Dian Dong Chen
Meri Lobel
Claire Porter
Susan Thomasson
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Our Staff and Faculty
We are very proud of the extremely talented dance instructors at CMDE. Please select click on a name to learn more about each person.
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