The LakayRo Youth Dance Company Is Underway at YOU Fitness in Newark
The inaugural Genesis 2026 Youth Dance Company season is now in motion at the YOU Fitness dance studio in Newark, New Jersey. After months of preparation, community building, and securing a permanent rehearsal home, the first generation of LakayRo youth dancers steps into the studio together each week.
What is happening in that studio is more than a dance class — it is the foundation of a company built to last. Dancers in the Youth Dance Company receive structured training in Haitian and Afro-Diasporic dance, with attention to technique, conditioning, and cultural context. Each rehearsal is designed to build not only dance skill but confidence, discipline, leadership, and a deeper connection to heritage.
The season includes progressive dance training in Haitian, Afro-Diasporic, and contemporary styles; cultural education exploring the history and meaning behind each tradition; regular rehearsals and skill development; performance and showcase opportunities; mentorship and leadership development; and beginner-friendly entry points for new dancers.
Having a dedicated rehearsal space gives our dancers the consistency they deserve — the same place, the same schedule, week after week. That stability is what turns a class into a community. For families, that reliability matters. It means a child can plan around dance, parents can count on the calendar, and a company can grow together over the course of a full season rather than a handful of borrowed sessions.
The dancers who join this inaugural season will always be the first — the ones who set the tone, establish the culture, and become the older dancers that future cohorts look up to. There is real excitement in that. The first generation of LakayRo dancers is helping shape what this organization becomes: which dances are taught first, which stories are told on stage, and how a young company learns to perform together.
This milestone would not have been possible without the families, donors, volunteers, and partners who believed in this work before there was a studio to show for it. This home belongs to the community that built it, and to the young people who fill it with movement, history, and pride.
The season is underway, and there is still time for new dancers to join. We welcome our first generation home — and invite the next to step in.
Program Details
Genesis 2026 Inaugural Youth Dance Company
Genesis 2026 season · Tuesdays & Thursdays
Open to youth ages 8–17 years old · Tuesdays & Thursdays · 4:30–6:00 PM
Location: YOU Fitness dance studio, Newark, New Jersey
Registration currently open
Scholarships and financial assistance may be available when applicable
Join the First Generation
There is still time to register a young dancer for the Genesis 2026 season. Share LakayRo with families, volunteer your time, or make a tax-deductible donation to help expand arts access throughout New Jersey.
