Cortlandt's Street Beatz Dancers To Perform At Disney World

CORTLANDT, NY — Street Beatz, a local dance studio in Cortlandt, which is now in its 17th year, is sending a group of elite dancers to perform at Disney World.

Alice Eisenkraft, Elena Gross, Nevaeh Menendez, Logan Perry, Ava Sherwood, Judah Tavernise, Lizzy Dealy-Urena, Nevaeh Wolf, Nala Wolf and Sage Weidenbaum, along with Street Beatz Alumi Jazmin Barnett, Saige Perry and Leanna Strang, will be traveling to Florida to perform as part of the Dance the Magic Program.

Organizers said Dance the Magic was created to give talented studio dancers from around the world the opportunity to dance down Main Street, U.S.A., in beautiful costumes, and be featured in a parade in front of thousands of Disney Park guests.

Street Beatz's group will perform three dance numbers: a parade piece, a showcase piece and a production piece. The first piece, choreographed by studio owner Alexis Menendez, is set to a remix of “Circle of Life” to be performed on Dec. 3, at Hollywood Studios on the Beauty and the Beast Stage, followed by the production piece to be performed alongside dancers from around the world, choreographed by Dance the Magic. The parade choreographed by Dance the Magic will dance down Main Street on Dec, 4.

A spokesperson for the studio said the dancers worked hard to prepare and learn the dances and might have even been seen practicing the parade routine at the Peekskill Waterfront or at Van Cortlandtville Elementary School with Menendez rollerblading behind them holding a speaker with the music and giving feedback.

The group practiced even on cold and rainy days to make sure the dancers were confident and ready to submit for approval. The routines had to be recorded in advance to receive ultimate approval to perform at the event.

After Florida, the dancers will get right to work on their next event, Dancers Against Cancer, an event hosted by Street Beatz at Yorktown Stage on Feb. 11. DAC was started by Alexis Menendez after losing her mother Deborah Diaz to Cancer. Every year the studio chooses a different cancer charity to benefit and invites local dance schools including Starstruck Dance Studio who has participated each year the event was held, to perform and raise money for the cancer charity through ticket sales and raffles. Last year's event raised $13,500 to donate to Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center.