Dance Against Drugs (DAD), a Westchester County, New York based organization, is founded on a passionate love for the performing arts, and a vision that children can channel their energies positively, as opposed to negatively via drug use. Our program inspires teenagers to feel positive about themselves and their lives, and to create rather than destroy. We also seek to create awareness among younger children to prevent them from embarking on a downward spiral. Dancing provides children with a deeply rewarding experience that is both enjoyable and healthy. Instead of the temporary drug "high" and subsequent crash, teens can experience the sustained exhilaration of dance, all the while keeping their minds and bodies strong.
DAD programs use the elements of Indian Classical Dance, or Bharatanatyam and Odissi, and apply them to many different mediums, be it Western Classical Music or telling stories through dance. We combine several different activities to achieve our goals. These include conducting introductory workshops, afterschool programs, demonstrations, and giving performances. By involving more and more people in our modern approach to an ancient art, we make it accessible to everyone.
JOY 2007 | JOY 2009 | HOPE 2009 - Yorktown Stage | HOPE 2009 - Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater, New York |
Laya Rajan is a senior in high school. A classical Indian dancer since the age of four, Laya is driven by her love for dance and a wish to make the world a happier, safer place for everyone. Making a difference, one person at a time, is her dream. DAD is the manifestation of this desire.
Erika de Julia is from Medellin, Colombia, where she began her studies in folkloric dance, ballet, and flamenco. At the age of 21 she moved to Cuba to study flamenco with the Ballet Espanol de Cuba, under the direction of Eduardo Veitia. Two years later, she returned to Colombia and founded L’Arzapua, a flamenco group for which she performed and choreographed. Erika is currently a member of American Bolero Dance Company, under the direction of Gabriela Granados. She also teaches at the company school in New York City.
Malinda Crump currently performs in the New York area. She began her dance training at the age of five and has been hooked ever since. After receiving a BFA in Dance and a BA in psychology from Webster University, she moved to Kansas City where she danced for several regional companies and presented her own choreography. Malinda currently dances at Peridance and performs and tours with various dance companies in the New York- New England area.
Alice Fischetti is a junior at Lakeland High School currently studying ballet at Manhattan Youth Ballet with Francois Perron, Deborah Winget and Nadeje Hottier. She began her training at Westchester Ballet Center under the direction of Rose Marie Menes. She has attended various summer intensive programs with companies such as Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and American Ballet Theater. She has also appeared and danced roles in Westchester Ballet Center’s Nutcracker as Dewdrop, has performed Dying Swan, Kitri’s variation from Don Quixote, and has performed in other shows such as Magic Toy Shop, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia and Cinderella. Alice also performed in Dances Patrelle and the Yorkville Nutcracker.
Laya Rajan is a senior at Yorktown High School. She started Bharatanatyam at the age of four. After her arangetram at age twelve, Laya began learning Odissi as well. Laya learns Bharatanatyam from Guru Nalini Rau, and Odissi from Guru Anindita Nanda. She has also spent summers in India doing intensive dance training and participated in workshops with such eminent teachers as Smt. Padmini Ravi and Smt. Banumathi. Currently she performs both styles all over the tristate area. Laya’s desire to bring classical dance to a wider audience led her to experiment with setting various world dance forms to western classical music. She is the founder and president of Dance Against Drugs, a New York based not for profit organization. Dance Against Drugs has performed in the New York area and supports various youth charities.
Akhil and Nikhil Neti are seniors at Lakeland High School. They have a great interest and appreciation for music and other associated art forms. They currently play violin privately and participate in their high school’s chamber orchestra. They also enjoy playing duets during their free time and for music competitions. They have assisted with the stage crew and sound for the JOY 2007 Dance Against Drugs program. They are looking forward to helping out by doing the same for the new HOPE 2009 program.
Ajay Murthy is currently a senior at Lakeland High School. His current residence is in Yorktown, where he has lived nearly his whole life. His hobbies include and are not limited to playing tennis with friends and family, drawing, playing the piano, as well as the guitar. He was part of the stage crew and stage management team for DAD’s JOY 2007 program, and will return in this capacity for HOPE 2009.
Arya Viswanathan is a junior at Yorktown High School. She is a trained Indian classical musician as well as a proficient violinist and tennis player. Her love for the arts and her desire to make a difference has inspired her to join Laya and DAD in their endeavors. Arya coordinated the box office and stage management team for JOY 2007. She is coordinating ticket sales for HOPE 2009 as well as stage managing.
We would like to spread DAD as far and wide as we can. To inquire
about demonstrations, workshops, or starting a DAD chapter near you,
please email us at admin@danceagainstdrugs.org. We also welcome any questions,
comments, or donations, which will benefit various charities and educational institutions.
For information, please email us at danceagainstdrugs@gmail.com