A Dance Class Like No Other: Medical School Students Teach Ballet to Kids With Autism
If you peered through the window of Studio 5 at Ballet Academy East on the Upper East Side, and watched these ballet dancers moving under the watchful eyes of their young instructors, the class might seem like countless other classes in New York City.
But this class is different.
The kids all have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). And the instructors are three medical students at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, located just a few blocks from the studio.
Struck by the rise in ASD and motivated by a shared love of ballet, the medical students are replicating a successful ballet curriculum created by the California-based nonprofit Ballet for All Kids, which has been implementing its program for children with developmental differences for close to a decade.
The students, Noy Alon and Camila Vicioso, both third-year medical students, and Michelle Adler, who is in her fourth year of a combined MD/PhD program, set out to create a program geared toward children ages 6 to 12 years old with a diagnosis of ASD, regardless of severity level or other medical conditions. Each semester features two 45-minute classes, one tailored for beginners and one for returning students.
“I have been working with Ballet for All Kids since 2020. When I came to Mount Sinai, I knew I wanted to bring this program to New York City, so I partnered with two amazing fellow student founders,” says Ms. Alon, who has been dancing ballet for 14 years.
“Children with autism can have difficulty with balance and joint mobility. Ballet is uniquely suited to help them with both of these challenges, and this incredible program meets children where they are,” says Sheena Ranade, MD, Associate Professor of Orthopedics, and Pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine and Division Chief, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery. Dr. Ranade is a faculty advisor and mentor.
The program offers a free 12-week ballet curriculum, with funding support from the American Psychiatric Association Foundation’s Helping Hands Grant and the Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation. The funds cover the cost of securing ballet studio space, providing transportation assistance for families, and purchasing ballet slippers for each child.
The initial results appear promising.
Adalia Richardson said she saw improvements in her 12-year-old daughter, Isabella, now in her second year of participating in the program, noting improvements in confidence and coordination. “She’s done amazing and made so many friends,” she told WCBS-TV.
In response to the overwhelming enthusiasm from families, the children’s eagerness to continue ballet, and a long waiting list, the team hopes to establish long-term continuity and sustainability for the program.
The ballet program combines community outreach, clinical benefits, and rigorous research to support children with ASD. “Many children with ASD have limited access to recreational activities that are adapted to their needs, despite the important role movement, routine, and community can play in development,” says Ms. Vicioso, who has been dancing ballet since she was two years old.
The three students first offered the classes two years ago in partnership with the Seaver Autism Center at Mount Sinai, under the leadership of Clinical Director Alexander Kolevzon, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, and Pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine.
“The ballet program addresses a critical and often unmet need for kids with autism to experience meaningful recreational programs that build social skills,” says Dr. Kolevzon. “As a bonus, we’ve been pleased to see how families have fostered a strong community around the ballet program.”
The program has now completed four semesters and has included more than 40 families and 20 medical student and graduate volunteers from Mount Sinai, who provide one-on-one support for each child, allowing for individualized teaching within a structured environment that prioritizes having fun. The classes are taught by the three founding students alongside a new member of the leadership team, Eliana Elikan, a second-year student.
Thinking about the discipline, focus, and strength required of ballet from their own experiences, the team was also interested in studying how a structured recreational ballet program for children with ASD could have positive outcomes in both mind and body. The co-founders worked together to start a randomized controlled trial under the name Approach to Dance for Autism (ADAPT).
“As the prevalence of diagnosed ASD continues to rise, recreational movement programs are highly relevant to pediatric musculoskeletal care,” the founders wrote in an article in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, published in November 2025.
So far, their data has shown improvements in balance and motor skills, coordination, attention and engagement, and psychosocial skills following the 12-week ballet curriculum, along with high adherence and attendance to the classes. Early insights from the pilot study have also informed multiple international presentations and an ongoing manuscript currently under review.
“Every kid comes into our class at a different starting point, and what makes this program so special is that for each child, we devise an individualized plan. I believe that every child who participates in this program will gain something meaningful, whether that’s physical skills, confidence, or a sense of connection,” says Ms. Adler, a ballet dancer since she was two years old. Growing up with a sister with Down syndrome, she saw firsthand the impact of communities who come together to support their kids.
“Seeing our students taking something they have loved for so many years and bringing it to a community that hasn’t had easy access to ballet and other recreational opportunities is just amazing. It reflects the strong commitment at Mount Sinai to engaging with our community,” says Dr. Kolevzon.
