About Us

SammyJDance (SJD) is a dance education company specializing in helping prepare pre-kindergarten (pre-K) children become school ready. Samantha McLoughlin, owner/teacher, created this unique program by combining a variety of popular dance styles and childrens' music with the New York Department of Education’s mandated grade skills. The program is also culturally aware and sensitive. Most importantly, it is fun and the pre-schoolers, both girls and boys, look forward to their weekly classes.
SJD’s program started as a pilot project with a city grant in 2014 at one location in a Bronx pre-K school.  It is now in 5 schools. With its combination of creative movement, dance exercises, music and encouraging learning development, all aiming for well-rounded school-ready children, the program is particularly suited to pre-K schools in communities in the Bronx with its lower incomes, and non English speaking families. 

Samantha McLoughlin runs the program and personally trains the other teachers who she hires for this unique program. Samantha and her teachers are all professional dancers who have studied and worked at renowned schools including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Mark Morris Dance Centre and Dance Theatre of Harlem.

Our dance program connects to eight important objectives for development and learning. We help children excel in following objectives: Gross Motor Skills, Social-Emotional, Physical, Language, Cognitive, Mathematics, The Arts and English Language Acquisition. Your personal program outlines when and how the dance teacher will connect to your curriculum and schools cultural background. Dance is a unique way for children to learn and explore knowledge and life!

SammyJDance will come to your house and provide dance and arts session for your child! The lessons change and allow for movement breaks along with arts and crafts to support fine motor and focus. 

We will read a book or do an arts and craft activity that connects to our weekly dance class! 

Our dance program connects to eight important objectives for development and learning. We help children excel in following objectives: Gross Motor Skills, Social-Emotional, Physical, Language, Cognitive, Mathematics, The Arts and English Language Acquisition. Your personal program outlines when and how the dance teacher will connect to your curriculum and schools cultural background. Dance is a unique way for children to learn and explore knowledge and life!