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More info about Children's Dance Festival

About Us

The Peanut Butter & Jelly Dance Company was founded in 1980 to present performances and programs by adult professional dancer/teachers for elementary and pre -school-age audiences, to sponsor concerts directed to the public, and to teach classes for children and teachers.

The PB&J Dance Company has performed all over the state. They have presented assembly programs, workshops and residencies to over 70,000 children in 300 sites around Massachusetts since 1980. In 1997, the company presented their work at the 'dance and the Child international' conference in Finland, where they were well received by young dancers and teachers from around the world. The SMALL FEETS dance company has presented an annual concert and 30 programs in schools since 1987.

PB&J is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. We have also received grants from the Brookline Council for the Arts and Humanities. We are also a City of Boston approved contractor. We can also be found at matchbook.org.

Who's Who In the Company

Jim Banta, a tenth season member of PB&J, has danced locally for Ballet Theatre of Boston, Impulse Dance Company, Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble, and most recently with Marjorie Morgan and In Vivo Productions, Cambridge Chamber Ballet, Annikai Dance Company, and Ballet Arts Winchester. Jim thinks Spiderman is really cool.

Paul Kafka-Gibbons has danced with PB&J since a lively audition in September ‘97, when both Paul and Jim were taken into the company. In the ten years since, they have merged their identities until they are one man -part tortoise, part hare -and nary a head of hair between them. Paul’s favorite color is blue. He dances in his living room with his family. He also dances with Joe Burgio in an improvisational duo É/Emu, with the Dadallamas, a multimedia performance group, and with fellow Peanut, Lynn Frederickson. Paul also writes novels and book reviews. His work can be found and downloaded for free at www.kafka-gibbons.net.

Lynn Frederiksen is West Indian, from St. Croix, USVI. She grew up on a small farm, dodging thorn bushes and shepherdess duties to dance in the pastures. For reasons unknown, she sought a change of climate and attended college in Massachusetts, obtaining a BA in Biology and an MA in Environmental Studies from Clark University. She worked for the Mass. Dept. of Water Resources, but dance kept nagging her, so she abandoned the rivers for an MFA from Smith College, and embarked on a life in the arts. She is married to a playwright and teacher, with whom she artistically collaborates on school musicals. She also collaborates with other local artists, and researches how dance illuminates the role of bipedalism in the evolution of human learning. She has given presentations based on this "Brain on Legs" topic at national conferences. She is delighted to be part of the sandwich.

Danielle Houck-Nino was born and raised in Miami, FL and began dancing as a toddler. She studied at Alvin Ailey and graduated from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. She recently moved from NY to Boston after finishing a contract with Norwegian Cruise Lines. She has performed with choreographers Mark Dendy, Doug Varone, and Perry Farrel from Jane’s Addiction, and toured with “Sesame Street Live.” Danielle has worked off-Broadway and in TV/film in “American Gangster”, “Rescue Me”, and “The Enchanted”. She also does commercial work—most recently a photo shoot for the new cover of the board game “Clue.” (She is the new Mrs. White!) Danielle is certified in Pilates, Yoga and personal training. She looks forward to her adventures in Boston.

Erin Pellecchia, Administrator & Assistant Teacher, has transplanted herself to Boston from New Jersey, after completing a postgraduate degree in Cultural Management in London. She dances for several choreographers in the Boston area, and works as an Administrator for “e”inc., an environmental nonprofit. She is expert at keeping Jeanne organized and all the kids want to sit next to her in the warm-up circle in the PB&J Dance Classes for Kids.

Jeanne Traxler, Director, was an original founder of the PB&J Dance Company in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1976 and in Massachusetts in 1980. She teaches PB&J Dance Classes for Kids and co-directs the SMALL FEETS dance company. Jeanne is also involved in dance and the Child international, an organization whose mission is to increase and develop opportunities for young people to experience dance as creators, performers, and spectators throughout the world. She is the USA Chapter National Treasurer and has taught for daCi at the international meeting in Finland in 1997 and at two National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) conferences. She is also a founding member and on the organizing committee of the Children’s Dance Festival, an annual day of dance workshops and performances for and by children. Jeanne has taught workshops for all of the Dance Across the City days and at the Wang Theater’s Artropolis program. She has also choreographed six elementary school musicals in Brookline, for one of which, she collaborated on lyrics for the original music. While growing up, Jeanne ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch every day for 14 years!


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