About Neighborhood Music School
Neighborhood Music School (NMS) is the largest community arts school in CT, with a 113-year history of providing high-quality music, dance, and drama programming to learners of all ages, types, and skill levels from across the state. NMS offers an arts-infused middle school and preschool, as well as leadership development and summer programs, and provides more than $275,000 in financial aid and tuition support for 550 students each year. Located in New Haven's Audubon Arts District near Yale University, NMS is easily accessible off I-9. NMS is a wonderful place for young children to nurture their love of music and movement, with talented and experienced artists like Dorota Xeller leading the Music in Motion classes. Families value the arts and sense of community at NMS, which has been a supportive, welcoming, and nurturing environment for students of all ages, from toddlers to teenagers, in dance, music, and drama. NMS is a gem for those who want to be part of New Haven's vibrant creative community.
I am a participant in Rachel Balaban’s “Dance for PD” Zoom class and Clare Byrne’s Dance for PD” in- person dance class in Mystic. I supplement these weekly classes with 2-3 You-Tube “Dance for PD” classes each week, typically the classes sponsored by the New Orleans Ballet Foundation.
These classes have helped me tremendously to address the physical and social challenges of Parkinson’s. Physically, the classes have been particularly good at helping me to maintain my balance and avoid falls. If I start to lose my balance, I just “dance my way out” of the potential fall. I have only fallen once in the last 3-4 years (and that was really...read full review
have been attending PD dance classes for over 5 yrs. This has been a class that keeps you moving when Parkinson’s tries to do the opposite. More than that it feels more like family and friends getting together weekly to
check in and make sure everyone is doing ok. We are all there for each other with Rachel as our fearless leader. She motivates us and encourages us with her words, music and movement. I feel fortunate to have found this class at the beginning of my Parkinson’s diagnosis and hope to continue this journey with this special community for as long as possible.
Nancy Renna
I cannot say enough good things about our family’s experience at NMS. The Preschool has been the most amazing program for our child, beginning with the toddler program up through preschool. The Preschool teaching team are some of the very best people I know. We have also taken advantage of early childhood dance and music classes as well as adult piano lessons, all of which are fantastic. NMS is one of the most special places I know.