Director

Marlayne Schaeffer

As the Director of the Dance Centre for over 30 years, Marlayne’s passion for dance was ignited at the age of five when she stepped into the dance studios of Radio City Rockette Irma Brown for ballet and tap classes. Marlayne has studied with some of the dance world’s most noted professionals including ballet training with Madame Darvish and Finis Jung, jazz with Frank Hatchett, and tap with Judy Bassing. She studied Horton Modern extensively at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and worked and collaborated with famed choreographers Andre Tyson and Ray Tadio. Later Marlayne traveled the Northeast performing with the Kinetikos Dance Company which was awarded several Connecticut Commission of the Arts grants. She has a BA in Education, has studied at the Institute  of Creative Movement in NYC, done graduate work at Wesleyan University, and has taught workshops with Fairfield University and its annual Teachers’ Revival Program. After teaching third grade in the Westport School system for five years, Marlayne returned to her first love of dance and began developing the Dance Center’s programming and curriculum along in addition to creating the award winning student performing companies at the Y. Her credits also include being a certified pilates, spinning and group exercise instructor as well as a certified personal trainer for many years at the Y.

For more information email mschaeffer@westporty.org

Contact us at: 203.226.8981 memberline@westporty.org