“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy,
a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. If you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.”
― Martha Graham
Stephanie
Van Dooren-Eshkenazi
MSc Student Clinical Development Psychology | Certified Yoga & Dance Instructor | Group Leader Autism Center
Psychology
Stephanie graduated with a BSc in Psychology from the University of Amsterdam (2023) and is pursuing a MSc in Clinical Developmental Psychology from the same university. Additionally, she works at Raeger Autismecentrum, where she supervises a group of children with autism become more self-reliant and socially adept.
Dance Teaching
In NYC, Stephanie was a faculty member at the Ailey School where she taught and choreographed for the Professional Performing Arts High School & Professional Division (including BFA Fordham students), Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, Dance Theatre of Harlem School, STEPS On Broadway and Peridance Capezio Center. Further, she has served as a Guest Teacher for the NYC Department of Education Dance Blueprint & Professional Development Day. Currently in The Netherlands, she continues her craft as a freelance dance teacher. Notably, she teaches a slowflow dance class with Stichting Dance Connects to people age 60+, to help them flourish physically and psychosocially.
Yoga
As a 200-RYT yoga instructor she has led the Yoga Department at Living Well Balanced on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, a holistic wellness center. More so, studying yoga sparked the drive to continue her academic studies in the field of psychology.
Professional Dance Training
Stephanie received her pre-professional dance training at The Dutch National Ballet Academy in Amsterdam. She continued to study at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in NYC on scholarships from the Van Den Ende Foundation, Han Lammers Fond, and became the first recipient of the Pearl Lang Award Scholarship. As a student she was a member of Graham II, performing leadroles. such as The Bride in Appalachian Spring, and Ms. Graham herself in American Document performed at the Joyce Theater. She discovered she loved to teach and completed her Dance Teacher Certification from the school in 2010, becoming a faculty member until 2016.
Professional Dance Career
In 2010, she joined NYC-based Buglisi Dance Theatre, immediately dancing soloist roles (i.e., in Moss, Requiem and Sand), and serving as a dance teacher and rehearsal director. Most prominently, Stephanie served as Assistant Rehearsal Director in staging The Table of Silence, a Ritual for Peace with 150+ dancers at Lincoln Center Plaza performed annually since 2011 on 9/11. Further, she has served as Assistant to the Director in re-staging Suspended Women at The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and has taught repertory workshops at STEPS on Broadway, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Peridance Capezio Center, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School.
Stephanie's further performance credits include: Michael Mao Dance, 360 Dance, Richard Move, Blakeley White-McGuire, Mary Anthony, ACB Dance, Nimbus Danceworks and Jesse Factor, among others. She has performed in the musical King & I at Opera North in Principal roles Eliza and Topsy, and she has served as Associate Choreographer and Dance Captain.
When she is not in the studio or on the yogamat, she can be found spending time with her daughter & husband, and friends.