Revere’s Karen Pisani to Teach Youth Theater Arts Workshop at Marblehead School of Ballet

Special to the Journal

The Marblehead School of Ballet (MSB) is expanding its March programming with two distinctive workshops targeting different age groups: a Theater Arts Workshop for children ages 8-12, led by Broadway performer and Revere native Karen Maria Pisani, and an Adult Dance Intensive designed for dance enthusiasts from young adults to seniors. These programs showcase the school’s commitment to comprehensive performing arts education across generations.

Broadway performer returns to inspire young artists

Learn what theater kids do in New York City with Broadway performer, dancer, and choreographer Karen Maria Pisani! Pisani, who grew up in Revere studied dance at her mother’s school, Tina Malfitano School of Dance, and also learned the art form from her father Pat Pisani, who studied with Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. She returns to the Marblehead School of Ballet to teach a Theater Arts workshop that will introduce another generation of aspiring young performers to Broadway. MSB invites youngsters ages eight to twelve years old to explore the world of performing arts, creating a Broadway atmosphere where dance, voice, and acting skills are learned and applied.

Technique and creativity are the keys to a triple threat! For the theater-loving youngster, this class is for them. The Theater Arts Workshop runs from March 11 through April 15, 2026, meeting on Wednesdays from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the school’s studio, located at 115 Pleasant Street in Marblehead.

A Legacy of Performance Excellence

As a student at Revere High School, Pisani sang with the chorus, performed in the drama club’s plays, and performed in dinner theater and summer theater productions. She pursued a career in dance, with a luminous career spanning over 30 years as a performer, serving as Dance Captain in the National Touring Company of A Chorus Line, performing in iconic productions such as Gypsy, Dames at Sea, Fiddler on the Roof, and Stop the World! I Want to Get Off. Her choreographic credits include 32 years as choreographer for the Hasty Pudding Theatricals and a special event at Harvard’s 350th celebration. As Artistic Director of the National Dance Institute/New England with Jacques D’Amboise of the New York City Ballet, she worked with 500 Boston area school children choreographing their Event of the Year and their television spot on Channel 4’s KIDSFAIR. Pisani also served as Artistic Director of the National Dance Institute/New England and choreographed the Jack Lemmon segment of the Kennedy Center Honors.

Adult Dance Intensive Offers Comprehensive Training

Simultaneously, MSB will host an Adult Dance Intensive, a transformative program designed to refine technique, build strength, and inspire artistic expression,  from March 7 through March 9, 2026. Students may register for one, two, or three days, with sessions running March 7 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. and March 8 to March 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Led by MSB Director Paula K. Shiff, the ballet intensive program caters to dancers — young adults to seniors — with elementary to advanced ballet training to refine their technique, enhance performance in variations, and improve strength and flexibility. This personalized program offers a blend of classical ballet training, challenging variations, and targeted stretch and strength exercises in a supportive environment.

The program builds upon the school’s extensive experience teaching adults for 55 years and also offering dance intensives during the summer. “In the Adult Dance Intensive’s focused and immersive environment, students face challenges that push them beyond their comfort zones, fostering resilience and discipline to hone their technique,” said Shiff. “Students refine their skills, develop better musicality, and become more expressive in their movement.”

Shiff brings her own distinguished background to the intensive, having trained with E. Virginia Williams at the Boston Ballet School and studied at the American Ballet Theatre and Martha Graham Studio. Since founding the Marblehead School of Ballet in 1971, she has served on faculties at Salem State University and North Shore Community College, and she was recognized with Salem State University’s Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts.

Registration

Due to limited enrollment, prospective students are strongly encouraged to register by March 1 for the Adult Dance Intensive. Interested participants may register online for both workshops at https://marbleheadschoolofballet.com/classes/schedule/ or contact the school directly at 781-631-6262 or [email protected].

The Marblehead School of Ballet, founded in 1971 by Paula K. Shiff, has earned a wide reputation for the excellence of its training and integrity of purpose. Classical ballet forms the core of teaching with particular emphasis on correct alignment and development of strength and agility. The sheer pleasure of dance and music is always central to the classroom experience.