Orange County School of Dance

Information may not be reliable

After teaching dance for six years at Orange County Community College, Joanna Furman-Markowitz realized she missed teaching children. She taught for six years at Brooklyn College's Preparatory Center for the Arts and enjoyed the energy and enthusiasm when working with young performers.

So she began Orange County School of Dance in 1992 at Grace Episcopal Church in Monroe, NY next door to N. Main Elementary School. By 2000 student enrollment increased to a size that demanded a bigger space. Orange County School of Dance moved to a 2,500 sq. ft. location on 17M in Monroe with two dance studios and a private music room. We have just been awarded "2009 Best of Monroe Award" by U.S. Commerce Dept. in Washington, D.C.

We thus began our private voice and instrumental music program in addition to adding tap dance and broadway dance workshops to our curriculum. By 2002, we added a second location at Straub's Gym in Chester.

By the end of 2002, we consolidated our operation to our current location at 16 Lake Street in Monroe, NY. We once again expanded our facility to over 3.000 sq. ft. and completely renovated the space back to its original artchitecture including the beaufitul, high tin ceilings.

It now includes two dance studios and five music rooms. Orange County School of Dance also houses an art gallery that showcases both local and national professional artists.

Orange County School of Dance's resident dance company is "Little Feet Dance Company". The company has performed at Smith Clove Elementary School, Pine Tree Elementary, Sapphire Elementary, Sacred Heart Elementary, Horizon on the Hudson Magnet School for the Arts, Greenwood Lake Elementary, Harriman Elementary, Round Hill Elementary, N. Main Elementary, Monroe-Woodbury High School, Orange County Community College plus numerous festivals and museums.