Stepping into the Portal of Identities and Emotions

Abigayle Wolski is an EdM candidate in Dance Education at Rutgers Graduate School of Education. Abigayle graduated Summa Cum Laude from Mason Gross School of the Arts with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts. Abigayle has completed a 200-hour Vinyasa Yoga certification in 2019 and has continued her practice, exploring the importance of the mind-body connection. Continuing her professional development, Abigayle is an active member of the National Dance Education Organization, attending the conference in Miami, Florida in the year 2019, and a member of Dance New Jersey. Currently, Abigayle is an instructor at a privately-owned dance studio in Old Bridge, NJ, and is striving to be the best role-model for her students. In Fall 2020, Abigayle completed her clinical experience at Columbia High School, under the direction of Mrs. Kandice Point-Du-Jour. During her time at Mason Gross, Abigayle has worked with various prestigious artists such as the Yin Yue Dance Company, Alexandra Beller, the Bill T. Jones Company, Cleo Mack, Randy James, Chien-Ying Wang, and Paul Ocampo. During her graduate studies, Abigayle has been inducted in the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. Using dance to explore the world, Abigayle has attended Dance Italia, a workshop located in Lucca, Italy where she studied works by Ohad Naharin and Crystal Pite. Abigayle attended Middlesex County Vocational High School (MCVTS), focusing on Dance under the direction of Cleo Mack. During her studies, she experienced various dance styles such as ballet, modern, hip- hop, Afro-fusion, musical theatre, Bharatanatyam, and aerial silks, and has worked with artists such as Kimani Fowlin, Michelle Robinson, and Heather Favretto. During her high school years, Abigayle attended NYU Tisch’s Future Dancemakers winter intensive and Rutgers University’s Summer Dance Conservatory in 2015. Abigayle Wolski is a native of Sayreville, New Jersey.

Deja Baret is an EdM candidate in the Dance Education program at the Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. Deja completed her full- time clinical field work teaching at Middlesex County Vocational and Technical School in East Brunswick, New Jersey with her cooperating teacher, Cleo Mack. She completed her part- time clinical field work at Paul Robeson Community School for the Arts in New Brunswick, NJ, observing and teaching with cooperating teacher, Sara Martino. Deja currently works as a substitute teacher for the Saturday Dance Program at Bayonne High School, teaching a variety of styles to children of all ages. In May of 2020, Deja graduated Magna Cum Laude with her B.F.A. in Dance Performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. While at Mason Gross, she has performed in works by Cleo Mack, Randy James, Chien- Ying Wang, John Heginbotham (under the direction of Courtney Lopes), and Jordan Lloyd. In October of 2019, Deja had the opportunity to perform in a work by Chien- Ying Wang alongside her peers at Beijing Normal University in Beijing, China for the International Creative Dance Seminar. In 2018, Deja received her 200 hour Vinyasa Yoga Certification through Om Factory and Rutgers University under the direction of Taryn Vanderhoop and Blair Ritchie. With her yoga certification, Deja has taught private and public lessons to people of all ages. Deja is currently a member of the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) and Dance New Jersey. With an extensive background of training under various styles, Deja specializes in teaching modern, ballet, jazz, tap, theatre, improvisation/ creative dance, and yoga. As a dance educator, Deja aims to use her background in dance education to develop an inclusive, accessible, and nurturing learning environment for students of all ages, levels, and backgrounds.