During Volunteer Appreciation Month, all of us at Yes, You Can Dance! would like to acknowledge a few of the MANY incredible volunteers that make our dance programming not only a success, but a reality!

Meet Barb! Originally from Baldwin, PA, Barb currently lives in Mt. Lebanon with her husband and three children.  Barb has owned and operated a stationery store and graphic design company, More Than Words, for over 20 years. Here she’s been able to combine her training and experience in event planning, public relations and graphic design, and has been very fortunate to work on some amazing events with equally amazing people. Among the notable are the weddings of Dwyane Wade and Gabriel Union, Wiz Khalifa, Ashley Harlan and Ben Roethlisberger, Maria Hanslovan and Andrew McCutchen, and Yes, You Can Dance! Assistant Director, Joanna Reed and her husband Ben Ogrodnik. Working daily with brides can be a challenge, both timewise and mentally, but Barb is constantly re-energized by dancing!

Barb has been a dedicated Volunteer Dance Mentor for the Special Needs Ballroom Program and a member of the Performance Team (pictured with her dance partner, Bobby) since their beginnings. Barb states, “When the opportunity to volunteer with Yes, You Can Dance! was presented, there was no hesitation at all. Yes, You Can Dance! has exceeded my expectations in so many ways. Working with the special needs students, watching them grow in both dance ability and in their interaction with mentors and students alike has been enormously fulfilling. Dance can heal. It can unify. Connect. Build. Challenge. Reward. In Yes, You Can Dance!, it’s done all this and more – I can’t imagine not being a part of this wonderful community.”

On a typical Sunday, Barb is volunteering during all Special Needs Ballroom classes offered; she is there with our instructor from 12-6pm! Thank you Barb for bringing your passion and warmth to every dance class you mentor!