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About Us
Our Mission The Andréa Rizzo Foundation will raise funds to help children with cancer and special needs, fostering Andréa’s dreams of providing dance therapy to children with cancer and special education needs. A non-profit corporation, the Foundation is dedicated to the growth and success of Dréa’s Dream, a dance therapy/expressive movement program for pediatric and young adult populations in hospitals, special education classrooms and medical settings throughout the country. The Andréa Rizzo Foundation is the only 501(c)(3) non profit organization in the United States that provides grants that directly fund dance/movement therapy programming exclusively for children with cancer and special needs. Programs are led by registered Dance/Movement Therapists (DTRs or ADTRs) . In addition, the Foundation funds expressive movement programs for the same pediatric population under the direction of dance professionals of the highest caliber.
About Andréa 
Andréa Rizzo had a love of life that was felt by all who knew her. She was a loving daughter, only child, compassionate friend, dedicated Special Education teacher, gifted dancer and childhood cancer survivor. She was attending graduate school at NYU in hopes of becoming a dance therapist so that she could share her love of dance and its positive impact on her life with the lives of fragile children. She herself had been treated and cured of cancer as a very young child at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. On May 19, 2002, Dréa’s life was cut short by a drunk driver as she returned home from attending a dance performance, but her passion for children and dance live on. With determination from family and friends Drea's Dream is being fulfilled! Thank you, Dré, for having such a wonderful vision! Andréa loved life, family, friends, children and dance!
Dréa’s Dream is a dance therapy/expressive movement program for children with cancer and special needs funded by The Andréa Rizzo Foundation.
The Andréa Rizzo Foundation is the only 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization in the United States that provides grants that exclusively fund dance therapy programming for children with cancer and special needs. Services are provided by trained Dance/Movement Therapists (R-DMT's and BC-DMT's) registered with the American Dance Therapy Association. In addition, the Foundation funds expressive movement programs that are directed by dance professionals of the highest caliber.
What is Dance/Movement Therapy? The American Dance Therapy Association defines dance/movement therapy as: “the psychotherapeutic use of movement as a process which furthers the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual.” Dance therapists are dancers who are trained in both dance therapy and counseling or psychotherapy. They work in a wide variety of settings, such as psychiatric and medical hospitals, rehabilitation centers and nursing homes, community mental health agencies, schools and special education settings, wellness centers and private practice.
Our Video Profiles
Visit the Sloan-Kettering homepage
Visit the Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA homepage
DanceLifeTV.com tells Andréa's story… Watch Part 1 & 2
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Board of Directors President: Susan Rizzo Vincent, Organizational Founder Vice President: Donald Mollitor Vice President: Katie Dugan Vice President: Sarah Puerini Vice President: Michael Battaglia, Esq. Secretary: Maureen West Recording Secretary: Theresa Schimmel Treasurer: Nancy Heagney Asst. Treasurer: LeeAnn Hooper Dr. Christopher Bentley, O.D. Marlborough Family Practice Marlborough, CT Amy Bullock, MS Ed., CCLS Director, Child Life Development Services Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA Mary Connolly Vice Chairperson of the Newport RI City Council Professional Lecturer in Education Salve Regina University, Newport, RI Greg Cummings Marketing Advisor Robyn Flaum Cruz, Ph.D., BC-DMT, LPC Editor-in-Chief, The Arts in Psychotherapy President, The American Dance Therapy Association Assoc. Professor & Coordinator of Dance Therapy Lesley University, Cambridge, MA Janice DeFrances, Ed.D. CEO/President, Harmony Hill School, RI Day & Residential Treatment Center For Severe & Emotionally Disabled Youth Diane Duggan, Ph.D., BC-DMT Licensed Psychologist / Registered Dance Therapist New York City Dept. of Education Adjunct Asst. Professor Graduate School of Dance Education & Special Education New York University, NY
Rhee Gold Publisher, Dance Studio Life Magazine Producer, DanceLife TV Christopher Gray Executive Director, Designate A Driver (D-A-D), RI Malissa Morrell, MA, ATR, MFTI Arts Coordinator Mark Taper-Johnny Mercer Artists Program Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, CA Nina Pickett, M.H.A Administrator, Dept. of Pediatrics Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NY Andrea Ricci Coordinator/Choreographer WNBA Connecticut Sun Dance Team Simone Zappa, R.N., M.B.A Director of Medical Affairs NY Presbyterian Hospital, NY Catherine L. Tully Owner/Editor, www.4dancers.org Outside Europe Representative, National Dance Teachers Association, UK Burr Tomlinson Northern RI Business Relations Marketing Coordinator Rhode Island Medical Imaging Pamela Caira Artistic Director Step by Step Dance Studio, Waltham, MA |
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