Judy Abbatiello

Judy Abbatiello, a professional dancer who founded Monroe Dance Academy 26 years ago, described the "Videotape" dance piece as "contemporary-modern, fluid and pretty, but not balletic."

"It's the first time our dancers have been invited to perform at Times Square," Abbatiello said.
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Abbatiello said she wants to help dancers suffering with HIV or AIDS because she has lost many professional dance friends to the disease.

"AIDS was very scary for a while," she said.
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Judy Abbatiello said she is proud of her son, who also plans a career in dance.

He said his mother told him he didn't have to participate in dance, but he wanted to do it because he found it profound and enjoyable."I've been seriously involved with it for eight years," he said.

While Judy Abbatiello runs the academy - there are 350 students in various types of dance from age 3 to senior citizen - she also has two instructors, Ruszkowski and Dana Rodriguez, who direct the academy's three dance companies.

One of the companies is for students 9-12, another for students 10-14, and the third, the Senior Dance Company, for students 13-18.

Abbatiello said students in these companies may aspire to become professionals through the academy, by virtue of her own experience as a graduate of the Performing Arts High School and as a dancer in New York City for many years.
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Lewis and Petros have given young students encouragement by providing examples of what is possible when they work hard at something they love, Abbatiello said.

Judy Abbatiello, Founder & Director

Teacher, performer, choreographer and artistic director, Ms. Abbatiello has performed throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. A graduate of the New York High School for Performing Arts the "Fame" school, she has been a featured dancer and singer with a USO show touring Hawaii and the Far East, and co-choreographer of "C'est Si Bon," a night club revue in New York City.

Teaching has been a major part of Judy's life for the past several years. She has taught at Eglevesky School of Ballet in New York; was assistant teacher to David Harris for Dance Educators of America, and was a guest teacher for Ballet Arts, Carnegie Hall. She has also taught and choreographed for a number of gifted children's programs for Downtown Cabaret in Bridgeport and the summer Theatre Workshop at the Polka Dot Playhouse.