Dance Loft

Strongest dance studio in New York and Long Island. I have trained under the direction of Willa Damien and Brooke Robyn Dairman at The Dance Loft for 17 years. I owe everything to Willa’s Ballet training and Brooke’s Jazz training. Throughout college and now as I continue to pursue dance throughout New York City, I am constantly complimented on the «strong base of technique» that lies in my performance. The Dance Loft is a «hidden gem» outside of New York City. Willa and Brooke bring top quality training to Long Island, and their credentials are unmatched. With Willa’s expertise in Ballet, and Brooke’s expertise in Jazz, Musical Theatre, Hip Hop, Tap, Contemporary, and award-​winning competition choreography, students in the area are lucky to have such professional mentors at their fingertips.
The Dance Loft intertwines the artistry of dance with the endurance, strength, and motivation needed to build a strong technique.

Ms. Willa is truly a gifted person! I danced for a long time when I was younger and started dancing with Ms. Willa after I graduated from college for recreation. My two experiences couldn’t be more different. I was always timid and afraid at my old school. Ms. Willa makes dance fun but also makes you appreciate the seriousness of it as well. She breaks down the steps until you get it which is something that I love. If you miss a class, she lets you make it up with another class which is a huge plus. I strongly recommend this school for dancers of all ages!

As a professional dancer, if there is one person to whom I attribute my success, it is unquestionably Willa Damien (Miss Willa), the owner and artistic director of the Dance Loft. I started going to the Dance Loft when I was in high school. Having previously attended a mediocre dancing school, I was in great need of some solid technical training. After reading an article in «Newsday» about one of the Dance Loft’s success stories — a young lady who had recently begun training with the incomparable Bolshoi Ballet in Russia — I decided to observe a class at the Dance Loft. Moments into the class, I knew that this was the school for me. Willa Damien is a master of her craft, but offers instruction that doesn’t intimidate her students. She has a healthy mix of serious dancers and recreational dancers, allowing each dancer to progress to the level that she desires. Like so many of Willa’s dancers, I’ve gone on to perform professionally around the country, and yet the very first thing I want whenever I return to Long Island is ballet with Miss Willa… and lots of it! This is one of my favorite places to be in the whole world, and I hope that many others can benefit from the phenomenal instruction offered at the Dance Loft. — Brooke Robyn Dairman