Debra Giunta, founder of Design Dance, is an entrepreneur, arts educator and native Chicagoan committed to bringing arts programming to over 1400 students across Chicago every week.
Debra Guinta grew up dancing in the south suburbs of Chicago and has over 25 years of dance experience. She started teaching dance at age 16 and has been a dance educator for over 16 years, training students ages 2-70 in a variety of dance disciplines including tap, jazz, ballet, hip hop and creative movement. In 2008, Debra founded Design Dance to bring dance education to children in all communities regardless of age, experience level, background or income, through partnerships with local schools and community centers.
Design Dance is much more than just a dance program. Programming is designed to build courage, connection and self-awareness. Students are taught communication skills, empathy, confidence and focus. Each student, regardless of ability level, is given the tools to better express themselves and tell stories through movement, performance and collaboration. Classes are offered during the school day, after-school and at local community centers.
“As someone who struggled to find motivation for school work, but found boundless energy when pursuing my own projects at home, I know that traditional work and school structures aren’t always set up to engage your most flourishing qualities. Once I started working in schools, I got super excited about the opportunity to facilitate learning through creative programming. Today, I'm proud to say Design Dance increases access to arts education for over 1300 students annually.” ~Debra Guinta