Danita Shaheen is originally from Johnson City, NY and moved to the Capital Region of New York State in early childhood.  Her exposure to dance began there with coursework at the Albany Dance Institute under the direction of former NYC Ballet Soloist David Otto.  She spent her last three years in Albany honing her skills as a member of Mr. Otto's Capital Ballet Company and in summer sessions with the Boston Ballet and Vermont-located Burklyn Ballet.  She also expanded her repertoire to include exposure to African and Modern Dance as well as theatre and the visual arts over three summer intensive sessions at Bates College, Lewiston, Maine.  Danita continued to pursue her love of dance as a student at Marymount Manhattan College, and graduates as a dance major with a bachelor's in Fine Arts in May 2006.  While training at Marymount, she also studied with the David Parsons Dance Company for two summers.  Danita continues to challenge herself by exploring new techniques fusing classical and modern dance forms with music and visual arts.  She is the Director of an arts organization in development — "Alternative Arts Association" that will stage its first production choreographed by Ms. Shaheen in late Spring 2006.