So You Think You Can Dance—At the Mount
9/21/2023
Faculty Spotlight: Professor Denys Drozdyuk Inspires Communication Through Movement
Denys and Antonnia performing on NBC’s “World of Dance.” Photo courtsey of Casey Durkin/NBC.
It’s no coinci-dance that one of the Mount’s newest adjunct professors has a catalogue of experience in the professional dance circuit—making him the best candidate for the job.
Adjunct dance professor Denys Drozdyuk is bringing to the classroom (or Sharp Center Dance Studio, to be exact) nearly two decades of high-level knowledge and practice, and implementing his personal successes in ballroom dance into the undergraduate level courses he’s teaching right here at Mount Saint Vincent.
Denys was born in Ukraine and arrived in the United States in 2005—18 years ago. However, prior to finding his home here in New York City, he moved with his family to Canada when he was only 12.
From a young age, he had a passion for dance.
“Dance is simply part of the culture in Ukraine,” noted Denys. “Because I started to dance so young, I never really ‘chose’ to do it. That is why, after graduating high school, I had to sit down and really reflect on why am I dancing. It is during this introspection that I came to realize that expressing myself through music and organizing my thoughts through movement was an internal need and desire—and that’s when I decided to follow my passion and pursue dance professionally.”
So, to get to where he is today, Denys knew he needed to find a way to put his passion into action.
“Simply put, I wanted to be the best that I can be in my particular dance genre.”
Shortly after moving to Canada, Denys realized that the ballroom dance scene in Canada was not at the level he had hoped for and already experienced in Ukraine—even as a youth. If he wanted to be the best, there was really only one answer: go back to Europe.
At that time, Europe was the home to some of the best teachers and most competitive ballroom dancers. He knew he would receive far better training and competition programs if he left Canada. With that in mind, he placed an ad on the internet that he was looking for a ballroom dance partner, found one, moved to Berlin by himself, and lived and danced in Germany for five years.
Talk about dancing to the beat of his own drum!
After learning all Europe had to offer him in his teenage years, Denys applied to The Julliard School back stateside in Manhattan, was accepted (with a full scholarship, nonetheless!), and made his way to America.
While studying for a BFA in dance at Julliard, Denys studied under some of the institution’s finest dance professors and even spent time taking exchange courses at both Columbia University and the University of Toronto. After graduation, he went on to earn an MA in dance education from New York University and, most recently, participated in the Harvard University Crossover Into Business Program for professional athletes. The Crossover Into Business Program is a semester-long, competitive, free initiative in which professional athletes develop their business acumen by working with MBA student mentors at Harvard. Denys and his current dance partner, Antoinna, were the only dancers to get accepted in that cycle.
After studying for one year at Juilliard and taking a break from ballroom, Denys felt that he needed to get back to ballroom. He knew, however, that he could only do that with a dedicated and disciplined partner who shared a similar mentality as him. That’s how his journey with Antonina began.
Antonina first went to Germany to study ballroom dance with the same teacher as Denys. But at the time when she came, Denys already left for New York to study at the Juilliard school. It was Denys’ dance teacher in Berlin who introduced them to each other. Denys flew to Germany for a tryout with Antonina—because, at that time, Antonina lived in Germany. Needless to say, it worked out and Antonina moved to the United States at 17 years old in order for them to dance professionally together. Many years later, they also became a couple in private life and got married.
“DNA Dance Academy is our in-person dance school, where we teach competitive dance classes to children, adults, and professionals in both Manhattan and Brooklyn,” noted Denys. “We teach ballroom and creative movement exercises, with a goal of sharing the culture of ballroom dance in the greater New York City area.”
In contrast, DNA in Motion—another initiative they began—is a way for business owners and corporate professionals, many who do not have prior dance experience, to connect with each other through movement. Both online and in-person workshops offer an engaging, fun, and educational movement experience with the goal of enhancing productivity, creativity, and communication between teams. Beyond that, participants build emotional and physical health and find stress relief.
“DNA in Motion started during COVID, when we couldn’t dance in person. Many corporate offices were trying to find ways to keep their employees engaged during a difficult time. Instead of Zoom happy hours or game nights, we suggested companies encourage their employees to find ways to not only move their bodies, but also use a different channel of expression to relax and have fun.”
For Denys, dance and movement are a language.
“We help people understand that you can communicate with and get to know others through movement, not just words,” said Denys. “Since prehistoric times, people survived because of the power of nonverbal communication. This highlights the importance of movement and non-verbal communication. Dance really engages with this idea and develops it, allowing people to become better communicators by using all the faculties that they have.”
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Left: NBC “World of Dance.” Photo courtesy of Trae Patton/NBC. Right: Photo courtesy of Dance as Art by Kevin Richardson.
Now where does the Mount come into play in Denys’ journey?
Well, he has always been interested in teaching dance in the higher education setting. That’s why Denys used the internet to research schools in the NYC area looking for dance professors. The rest is history.
“College dance and professional dance are so separate—as one is academia and the other dance,” Denys explained. “If students can learn from professionals like me, we can diminish the gap between dance and academics. The biggest barrier is helping students learn to control their self-conscious behavior and show them how dance and movement can open up new avenues for expression, personal freedom, and the power to act. Through dance, I teach students how to connect to their own soul and spirit and show them how to share it with the world. This is very important to do, regardless of profession or career.” says Denys.
Denys’ hire comes just as the College revived it’s minor in dance program. The dance minor was put on hiatus by the Division of Communication, Art, and Media during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when social distancing prevented dance classes from operating. Now, with COVID-era restrictions lifted, students at the Mount with a passion for dance and movement can, once again, add a dance minor to their curricula.
The dance minor is for any student interested in learning about different dance traditions and styles, art organization management, performance production, and storytelling through movement and music. It requires 18 credits and exciting new classes are on the horizon. This semester, Denys is teaching two courses: Dance Forms and Movement and a first-year seminar course titled Let’s Social (& Media) Dance 2.0. The Mount also hopes to add classes in ballroom, African, Caribbean, hip hop, and contemporary dance forms in the near future.
When asked about what style of dance Denys loves most, he responded:
“I specialize in Ballroom dance and I love this style, but I love all kinds of movement. I also think it’s important to understand what you’re good at while paying attention to what you like. I’ve made a career out of professional ballroom dancing, but I also love experimenting with street, hip hop, house, groove, rhythm, and contemporary—I love all these styles. It is important to stay curious.”
Denys has been involved in what seems like a never-ending amount of performance opportunities and competitions, including: holding the title of World Ballroom Dance Champion (three times), winning season three of “So You Think You Can Dance Canada,” and choreographing more than we can list—including dances at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and “World of Dance” on NBC. And that’s just to name a few!
However, even with all the television shows Denys and Antonina have appeared on, there’s still one experience that stands out to Denys as something he’s most proud of:
“I still feel humbled to have been asked to perform at Lincoln Center here in New York City. It’s difficult to be asked to perform at such a treasured space as a ballroom dancer. You can’t pay money to perform at Lincoln Center, you must be invited based on your achievement and skill. I felt it was not only a personal achievement, but a chance for me to get to feature ballroom dance at such a historic and prestigious venue.”
Outside of teaching and the professional dance circuit, Denys has been involved in the NYC Ukrainian community. He’s advocated at the Ukrainian Institute of America (UIA) and events organized by UIA and Untied Nations, and recently has performed at the Ukraine Independence Day event to help raise awareness about and celebrate the Ukrainian culture.
He knows that to be a great dancer—or to do anything—you have to include your soul. He has been putting his soul both into dance and into helping Ukraine. So often education sidesteps passion and puts an emphasis on knowledge and theory. It is Denys’ mission to bring out of students their soul and their spirit.
“Dance is not theoretical—it’s something you learn by doing. I’m excited to be teaching at Mount Saint Vincent and helping students to find their individuality and a true unique voice.”
Having Denys as a new faculty of the College is part of Mount’s commitment to educating the whole person in goodness, discipline, and knowledge. We wish Denys all the success in his classes and are happy to have him as part of our community!
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment and leadership in the 21st century.