Sheila Roman Rees developed Story Dances more than 20 years ago as a way to engage young children in creative movement classes. Stories are told not through words but through movement. She is proud to be a messenger of the joys of movement and dance for children.
After graduating with an M.Ed. in Dance from Temple University in Philadelphia, Sheila began intensive study in New York City with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company, one of the modern dance pioneers. She continues to be inspired by her teachers: Dr. Edrie Ferdun, Dr. Sarah Hilsendager, Helmut Gottschild, Eva Gholson, Randy Howard, Cathy Ward, Cindy Reynolds among others.
Her undergraduate work at the University of Maryland on child development, family studies and early childhood education set the stage for later fusing dance, customized to the needs of young children, with the core concepts of early childhood education.
Sheila is a member of the National Dance Education Organization and has studied Laban Movement Analysis at the Laban/Bartenieff Institute for Movement Studies. She holds New Jersey and New York teaching certificates in Dance, Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education, teaching in both public and private sectors. She directed staff development workshops whose focus was integrating dance and curriculum at the Plainfield Board of Education, New Jersey Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and many area nursery schools.