Written by Isabella Aranda Garcia & Gia Miller
When The Pulse opened 20 years ago, there were only 100 dancers. Today that number has tripled thanks to the studio’s mission to provide professional dance instruction to all ages and levels while inspiring a love of dance. The studio is run by husband-and-wife duo Bill Doran and Jennifer Dell, who always prioritize their students, doing what is best for them.
With their wide range of classes—from ballet, tap and jazz to hip hop, contemporary and acrobatics—students beginning at age two can pirouette step ball change, bounce and flip all the way through to high school graduation
The Pulse is deeply committed to giving back to the community. Through its in-house dance company, Nova Jazz, the dancers select a new charity each year, raising money through fundraisers and performances; this year’s efforts will support The Community Center of Northern Westchester.
Did You Know?
The Pulse began offering adult classes this past fall. Now, us “older folk” can tap our hearts out on Mondays at 7:15 p.m., practice our hip hop moves on Wednesdays at 8:15 p.m. or explore lyrical/contemporary dance on Fridays at 10 a.m. And unlike their kids’ classes, which fill up quickly, these new courses haven’t reached max capacity yet. New sessions begin in January.
Runner-up: Katonah Art Center, Mount Kisco
This article was published in the January/February 2025 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
To view all 2025 Connect to the Best winners, click here.
Gia Miller is an award-winning journalist and the editor-in-chief/co-publisher of Connect to Northern Westchester. She has a magazine journalism degree (yes, that's a real thing) from the University of Georgia and has written for countless national publications, ranging from SELF to The Washington Post. Gia desperately wishes schools still taught grammar. Also, she wants everyone to know they can delete the word "that" from about 90% of their sentences, and there's no such thing as "first annual." When she's not running her media empire, Gia enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, laughing at her crazy dog and listening to a good podcast. She thanks multiple alarms, fermented grapes and her amazing husband for helping her get through each day. Her love languages are food and humor.
Isabella Aranda is a designer, writer and social media specialist with an M.A. in emerging media from the New Media Institute at the Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication. Driven by curiosity and inspired by timeless modern design, she blends creativity and strategy to craft compelling narratives that engage diverse audiences.
Her expertise spans digital marketing, content creation and UX design, with notable achievements such as co-creating the Georgia On Your Mind podcast and leading digital campaigns that significantly boosted engagement. A Venezuelan immigrant, Isabella brings a multicultural perspective to her work, enhancing her ability to connect with and inspire others.
