Summer Newsletter: Cliff Walk One Month Away!

The Andréa Rizzo Foundation Summer Newsletter

NEWS

Cliff Walk Coming Up in August

We will have our annual Cliff Walk this year on August 15, 2026 at 1pm. As always, it will be held at McCauley Hall Veranda.

As we approach August for our 25th annual Cliff Walk celebration on Salve Regina University’s campus in Newport, Rhode Island, we are reminded of the many, many wonderful volunteers who helped to create our non-profit and have continued to work hard for so many years to support Dréa’s Dream. We never dreamed that the program would grow as it has and gain so much recognition in the field of pediatric dance therapy.

We are especially proud of our highly regarded dance therapists (R-DMT’s and BC-DMT’s) who carry out Andréa’s dream by helping so many children with cancer and special needs through dance/movement therapy in hospitals and schools nationwide. We are so grateful for the generous support of so many individuals and organizations, as well as thousands of dancers who, through their donations and fundraising efforts, have made this dream come true. Andréa’s dream lives on because of them. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for each and everyone!

The Ronald McDonald House Program Restarting in July (NYC)

We are excited to resume Dréa’s Dream at the Ronald McDonald House in New York City! Our new dance therapist (featured below) is Gracie Hutchinson, R-DMT!

Gracie was an intern during the 2025-2026 school year at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center until she received her credential of Registered Dance Therapist (R-DMT) this past May, graduating from Sarah Lawrence. We look forward to Gracie representing Dréa’s Dream at RMDH-NYC.

Honoring Sharon Mulcahy: Teacher, Friend, and Dance Therapist

Sharon Mulcahy will be moving on from Connecticut Children’s Medical Center after 15 years, and we have bittersweet feelings about her retirement. Even before the founding of The Andréa Rizzo Foundation, Sharon Mulcahy has been a faithful supporter of our mission as well as a key figure in our foundation’s history. Sharon was Andréa’s dance teacher from the time Andréa was in elementary school. She inspired Andréa in so many ways, including sparking her interest in the field of dance/movement therapy.

Sharon was also the first dance therapist funded by our foundation to provide Dréa’s Dream in public schools. For several years, she brought dance therapy sessions to children with special needs in schools throughout Connecticut. Eventually, she headed up our longtime Dréa’s Dream program at Memorial Elementary School -- the school Andréa attended as a young child. When there was a need for Dréa’s Dream at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC), Sharon developed that program and provided dance/movement therapy to the pediatric patients at CCMC for many years. The staff and children at CCMC have been so grateful for Sharon’s efforts and her impact on so many young lives -- and so are we!

Sharon has represented The Andréa Rizzo Foundation by speaking at dance related conferences and events nationwide and has helped our Dance Across America campaign to thrive by both creating fundraising events at her own dance school and supporting others at their dance events.

For all these reasons and more, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge what Sharon has done to help build our mission and keep Dréa’s Dream alive. Words can’t express how deeply grateful we are for Sharon’s love and devotion to our mission and the special touch she adds to everything she does. Sharon, from everyone at The Andréa Rizzo Foundation, and on behalf of all the children whose lives you have touched, THANK YOU!

Welcoming Back DMT at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center

The foundation has funded Dréa’s Dream pediatric dance therapy at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) for 15 years. We are in the midst of transitioning to a new dance therapist.

We are grateful to dance therapist, Sharon Mulcahy, R-DMT, for 15 years of outstanding service for the children at CCMC. We look forward to starting again and are in the midst of interviewing dance therapists for this program. We look forward to beginning Dréa’s Dream again at CCMC.

Dance Across America Events

Summer is here! There were several benefit performances to support The Andréa Rizzo Foundation this past Spring. We are grateful to each every dancer who participated. We had many loyal dancers taking the stage to donate their time and talents to support our cause of bringing dance therapy to children who have special needs. Here's the list and some photos from their events. Take a peek to see all of the amazing smiles, pliés, and jétés in 2026 so far… and this is only the beginning.

January

January 23 – Broomfield, CO – Live Love Dance held their annual fundraiser to support the foundation. They raised $2,000 and this is their 13th year raising funds. Click to watch!

March

March 1 – Norton, MA – On the Barre Dance Studio of Norton, along with Dance Express of Easton, Duxbury Dance Shoppe of Pembroke, Feet In Motion of Franklin, Insyc Dance Center of Quincy, Live Love Dance Studio of Carver, and Xplosion Dance Center of Cohasset pledged their support for The Andréa Rizzo Foundation’s nationwide fundraising effort “Dance Across America” for the eighth consecutive year. Christine Corcoran oversaw more than 100 dancers at the benefit dance performance, which showcased a variety of dance styles, including jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, modern, and hip-hop throughout the afternoon.

March 22 – Palm Springs, CA – Dance With Miss Lindsay Dance Studio pledged its support for the Andréa Rizzo Foundation for the eleventh consecutive year. They held an Alice in Wonderland themed Tea Party on Sunday, March 22 from 12:30-3:00 pm at the studio. 100% of the proceeds benefit the foundation!

April

April 24 – Matawan, NJ – Arts in Motion held a benefit with Susan Rizzo Vincent in attendance along with her husband. Dancers have been supporting the foundation for 20+ years and it has been wonderful to see.

April 25 & 26 – Newport, RI – The Salve Regina University Dance Club held an amazing performance with dancers, singers, and choreographers! We are so grateful for their 20 years of dedication to the foundation. Board members, Maureen West and Andréa’s Salve roommate and former Board member Katie Dugan joined Susan Rizzo Vincent for the event.

May

May 3 – West Lafayette, IN – Purdue University’s Higher Ground Dance Company (HGDC) has pledged their support for the 24th year. The dance company held their Spring Show on Sunday, May 3 at 12pm and 4pm at the Loeb Playhouse located on the university’s campus. HGDC’s performances were open to the public and featured over 40 routines in all styles of dance including hip hop, jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical, musical theater, and more. The choreography showcased was student created, and the company is entirely student run as well, with 220 dancers who participated in this semester’s performance. They raised over $8500 for the foundation from this event.

May 9 – Astoria, NY – Astoria Dance Center once again pledged its support for the Andréa Rizzo Foundation’s nationwide fundraising effort “Dance Across America” for the 15th consecutive year. The Center held a benefit performance at 6pm on Saturday, May 9 at Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden in Astoria. Astoria Dance Center’s owner and director Natalia Yepes-Lutchman, along with Assistant Director Jazmin Murillo, oversaw 54 dancers who continue the tradition of the annual Dance Across America fundraiser. Dancers choreographed their own dances and performed them in a showcase at the event. Their Performance Team performed their competition dances as well. Dancers raised money for the event, with 100% of the proceeds collected benefit Dance Across America.

Coming Up!

August

August 21 – Friday Night Lights – Lake Washington High School, WA

Friday Night Lights will once again, come through to support Dréa’s Dream.

Last year’s line-up included:

Jackson Dance Team

Redmond Dance Team

Eastlake Dance Team

Liberty Dance Team

Merdian Mattson Diamonds Team

Northwood Dance/Cheer Team

Mercer Island Dance/Drill Team

Lake Washington Dance Team

Lake Washington Boosters

Tahoma Dance Team

Puyallup Dance Team

Ballard Dance Team

Issaquah Dance Team

DANCE THERAPIST CORNER

Here is a piece written by Sharon Mulcahy in 2015 about her work in CCMC.

Being a dance therapist with The Andréa Rizzo Foundation’s dance therapy program Dréa’s Dream continues to be a very special part of my life. My strong bond with Andréa began long before becoming a dance therapist. My two daughters and I ran a school of dance for twenty years. Andréa, as a young cancer survivor, began dancing with us at a very early age. Her love of dance was very evident from the outset. She continued to dance with us until she headed off to college where she pursued her dance training on a higher level. Andréa often stated that, “Dance was her life “.

My becoming a dance therapist was yet another bond between us as Andréa had a strong desire to become a dance therapist so she could return to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) where she had been cured of cancer as a child. She wished to “give back “ by providing dance therapy with the pediatric cancer patients. This was her dream; however, at age 24, her life was tragically ended by a drunk driver. Even though this was a mother’s worse nightmare, her mother, Susan, vowed to keep Andréa’s dream alive.

Thus began The Andréa Rizzo Foundation “Dréa’s Dream“.. bringing dance therapy to pediatric cancer patients and children with special needs. I was both humbled and honored when Susan asked me to be the foundation’s ﬁrst dance therapist. I began my work for the foundation in 2007 as the resident dance therapist at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, CT.

Once a week for one and a half hours I serve, at bedside, the pediatric cancer patients ages one year to seven years of age. For many of these children, this provides a much needed opportunity for them to move to music and above all, a reason to be ﬁlled with joy and laughter. This form of therapy also serves to provide a child in need with pain management.

Another benefit of dance therapy is its positive effect on the entire family. Often parents and siblings will join in the movements done to music. To see their child moving and laughing means the world to these parents. To be able to enhance a child’s attitude is truly the very best medicine.

A notable affirmation for the positive effect of dance therapy on the children has come from both the nursing staff and the doctors. They have told me how much the children have beneﬁt from my work. I have also been asked by the physical therapist to use dance therapy in conjunction with her on occasion.

Once a month, as a dance therapist for the foundation, I work with a group of special needs pre-schoolers in an elementary school. Movement to music, large and small motor activities, and free-style dance moves has been most rewarding for the children and myself, as well. Regardless of their disabilities, movement to music is the very best avenue for their continued growth and development.

Now, the beginning of 2015, it is a tribute to the work of the foundation that the number of dance therapists now reaches across the country in numerous children’s hospitals. Dance Across America has provided funding for these programs. I thank God for this wonderful opportunity to serve as a dance therapist for the foundation.

Sharon O’Neill Mulcahy, R-DMT

Stay in touch through our social media outlets!

Donations can be made on our website here.

Facebook: /arizzofoundation

Instagram: @DreasDream

Twitter: @DreasDream

YouTube: @danceacrossamerica

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Talent on Parade has become a loyal sponsor, helping us get Dance Across America up and running for the past several years. They are an official sponsor of the Dance Across America campaign in support of Dréa's Dream nationwide.

We thank the Rhee Gold Company for continuing to support our efforts and spreading the word of Dréa's Dream in their Dance Studio Life magazine and through DSL Dance Wire news on-line.

The Moret Group has provided prizes for our Dance Across America pledge-raising competition each year. We are so grateful to John Debease at The Moret Group for arranging the donation of fabulous activewear for our top pledge raisers.

The Andrea Rizzo Foundation | 401-952-2423 | dreasdream@aol.com | DreasDream.org

10 East Beach Road Charlestown, RI 02813

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