Sara Lawrence-Sucato (BA Dance & MS Organizational Leadership from Mercyhurst University, Erie, PA) hails from Columbus, Ohio and lives and works in the Cleveland, Ohio area. Sara has worked in various capacities with The Dancing Wheels Company & School since 2006. She danced in the company for sixteen seasons performing works by noted choreographers Marc Brew, Nai Ni Chen, David Dorfman, Christopher Fleming, Catherine Meredith, Stuart Pimsler, David Roussève, Ginger Thatcher, Mark Tomasic, Michael Uthoff and Robert Wesner as well as by internationally renowned choreographers Donald McKayle and Dianne McIntyre. She served as the company’s Tour Manager for thirteen years and as Rehearsal Director for three years.

In her capacity as The Dancing Wheels Company & School’s Director of Education, Sara combines the roles of Director of Outreach & Community Engagement and School Coordinator, oversees the design and implementation of a new company traineeship program, and teaches physically integrated dance technique in residencies, workshops, and master classes for The Dancing Wheels Company & School. Her most recent teaching opportunities have included developing and teaching as a Master Teacher for the Dancing Wheels Teacher Certification program; Dancing Wheels Summer Dance Workshop 2024; masterclasses at VSA Intersections (Atlanta, GA, and Columbus, OH), “Counter Balance” Inclusive Dance Festival (Chicago, IL), and ACT Conference (Columbus, OH); workshops at ED@LEAD (Raleigh, NC), Ohio Dance Festival (Columbus, OH), Oglebay Institute (Wheeling, WV), Fort Wayne Dance Collective (Fort Wayne, IN), MOVE Inclusive Dance (Nashville, TN), Old Dominion University (Norfolk, VA), Point Park University (Pittsburgh, PA), and Festival Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo (León, Mexico); and residencies for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio-based organizations including Center for Arts-Inspired Learning, Cleveland Play House, City of Cleveland’s Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Centers (NRRCs), MetroHealth, Medicore Transport and Achievement Centers, Old Trail School, Laurel School, and Julie Billiart School, as well as MOMENTA’s “Chance to Dance” (Columbus, OH) and Arts Partnership (Findlay, OH). Sara is also a class instructor for Dancing Wheels’ professional dance company. Residencies include Julie Billiart School (Lyndhurst, OH; OAC), MetroHealth (Cleveland, OH; OAC), Summit Academy (Akron, OH; Art Possible Ohio), Sunbeam School (Cleveland, OH; Art Possible Ohio), UCP (Cleveland, OH; OAC), and Youth Challenge (Cleveland, OH; OAC).

As a teaching artist for the Dancing Wheels Company and School, the classes that Sara teaches range from recreational to professional, and she works with students ages three to adult of all different experience levels in dance and often with a population of mixed abilities (with and without disabilities). Sara loves that she can share her art within an educational setting by performing as a professional dancer, advocating for dance and other arts within schools, and teaching dance in settings where young students may not otherwise experience it.

As a teaching artist, Sara works alongside educators to enhance the learning process through the arts. She knows that the arts in learning provide benefits such as academic achievement, critical thinking skills, and social and emotional development. Sara’s own passion for dance is what draws her to encourage others to experience and build an appreciation for movement.

 

Availability

The Dancing Wheels Company and I are available for teaching engagements in-person or virtually upon request.

 

RECENT PROJECTS: “Move 2 Connect” classes at Dementia Friendly LIFE’s memory cafes (Lorain County), Adults living with dementia and their caregivers, recurring classes: Bi-monthly classes engaged adults living with dementia and their caregivers to connect and interact through shared creative and artistic experiences.

“Minds in Motion” residency at Sunbeam School (Cleveland) through Art Possible Ohio, Grades K–2 and 5–7, 10-week residency: Minds in Motion brings together body and brain movement and learning. Based on dance educator Anne Green Gilbert’s “BrainDance,” eight developmental movement patterns which incorporate breath, tactile sensation, and body movements in relation to the spine are used to integrate the brain and the body in sensory-motor development and lifelong learning activities. Using dance concepts, music, and written text, students will experience activities that strengthen neuronal connections and improve memory. Expanding the definition of normal and acceptable, we connect students of all backgrounds to address disability, diversity, individuality, and inclusion.

“Minds in Motion” residency at Julie Billiart School (Lyndhurst), Grade 2, 10-week residency as above.

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images courtesy of the teaching artist.