Kaye-Lynn Dance Studio offers classes for dancers of all ages at studios in Milltown and Edison. Nicole Borlan of East Brunswick scoured the area for more than a year for a dance studio that would enroll her daughter, Serena.
Serena, now 11, has autism. Dance school after dance school turned the girl down, Borlan said. But everything changed five years ago, when the mother called Robin Kaye, owner and operator of Kaye-Lynn Dance Studio.
“I got about a year’s worth of ‘no’ from all of the local dance schools,” Borlan said. “I finally called this school, and Robin agreed to take her in. She was about to start a program in the fall.”
That program, Kaye said, was a small dance class for children and adolescents with special needs. With three or four kids per class, Kaye-Lynn’s teachers are able to give those students the attention that they needed to thrive, both on the dance floor and among their peers, she said.
By now, more than 50 children with special needs have taken a variety of classes through Kaye-Lynn’s two locations in Edison and Milltown. There, they have laughed, bonded with others and learned new skills, often with the aid of a “buddy,” a typically developing student who volunteers to help dancers with special needs, Kaye said.
She said it would be a place where children with special needs feel like they’re being challenged, but not to an extreme point.
“And they make friends,” she said. “They feel like they fit in.”
Kaye serves individuals with various degrees of autism, Down syndrome and social conditions, she said. The environment is positive and nobody dwells on missteps, she said.
In addition to hip-hop dance and other forms of the art, the children play with balls and do cheerleading acts, she said.
“Sometimes these children are not accepted, so I want them to be able to do everything,” Kaye said.
First and foremost, the activities are meant to be fun, but Kaye also tries to refine her students’ motor skills, teach them structure and build their self-worth, she said.
“I never want kids to leave here feeling like they can’t do something,” she said.
Tilak Daga, a 19-year-old East Brunswick High School student with Down syndrome, has taken classes at Kaye-Lynn for about two years. He recently won a dance competition for typically developing individuals, based on his Bollywood moves.
His father, Kamal Daga, said Kaye’s dance studio has benefited his son in many ways. And the young man loves the hobby.
“He’s very happy every time he’s here,” Daga said. “Even if I forget, he knows what time he has to go to Robin’s class.”
Borlan’s daughter, Serena, honed her dance skills to the point where she now takes mainstream classes at Kaye-Lynn, her mother said.
And the girl made her first friend at the dance studio.
“It was really cool as a parent to see that happen,” Borlan said. “I’m really glad that she has the opportunity to do something that other kids get the chance to do. It’s fun for her, and she loves it.” The partnership benefits both sides, said Kaye, joking that she has a bachelor’s degree of fine arts in dance and a degree in special needs within her heart. Many of Kaye’s typically developing students — and her daughter, who will one day take over the business — have learned a great deal from the students with special needs, they said.
“I enjoy it, and I can’t wait until I come here after a long day of school,” said Alyson, 9. “They feel so happy. It’s more helpful than we realize.”
Other girls have shifted their focus to futures in special education, thanks to their experiences at Kaye-Lynn.
Jasi-Lynn Tauber, Kaye’s daughter, said it is both an honor to follow in the footsteps of her mom and grandma, and to bring joy to the lives of those who are less fortunate.
“My mom really puts an impression on these kids and changes their lives,” Tauber said. “With the kids whom I teach, their parents are so proud of what they do because, really, in this world, the kids don’t get the chance.”
Kaye also works with adults who have special needs. Although it’s personally rewarding, it’s simply the right thing to do, she said.
“This is my journey. This is my road I’m supposed to be following,” Kaye said. “My passion is shared with others in such a great way.”
Kaye-Lynn Dance Studio hosts a number of classes for kids interested in all types of dance and even musical theater. The studio prides itself on holding humble shows at the end of each year, rather than costly, self-important recitals.
For more information, visit www.kayelynndance.com, or call the Edison branch at 732-548-8452 or the Milltown branch at 732-548-2333.