Modern Dance Ensemble
Modern Dance classes are taught by Ms. Debra Befumo, who has been running the program for over thirty years. She has studied dance at the Harkness Institute, the Martha Graham School, and at several colleges. This instruction is especially valuable, as college admission auditions for dance programs typically require a demonstration of the Modern genre.
The team has competed at Long Island University's Student Choreography Conference, C.W. Post's Tilles Conference, and performs at outside venues in addition to school performances. Each year they delight the crowds at the Ninth Avenue International Festival. Although membership in the performing group is competitive, open workshops for instruction are held in the Fall semester and open to all. The past few years have been quite exciting for the SJP dancers! The Modern Dance Ensemble has been honored with several awards, including one for choreography at the Tilles Center of C.W. Post, a gold medal at the American Dance Awards Competition, and special merit for musicality and technique at the Dance Arts Convention.
In recent years, with the assistance of alum Lilly Alaimo (2018) the program has expanded to include additional genres such as tap, ballet and hip-hop. Ms. Befumo is proud of the talent and dedication of all the dancers, the respect they have created for their program in the dance community is a tribute to their many accomplishments. She also notes that perhaps the most moving tribute to the program is the concern and effort shown by many of the dance alumni over the years, who do not hesitate to rearrange work and school schedules to stop by and lend a hand (and sometimes a foot!) prior to each performance!
