I help schools, districts, and organizations rebuild focus, engagement, and human connection — through movement, presence, and the arts. Not by fighting the screen, but by offering something better.
Founder, artist & educator behind
I started in dance-arts education in 1995 with American Ballroom Theater's Dancing Classrooms — the program at the heart of the documentary Mad-Hot Ballroom, which I appear in. Three decades later, I still believe the same thing: when you move people's bodies, you reach their minds.
Today I work with school districts, educators, and organizations who know something's broken — people are checked out, anxiety and disconnection are up, and no amount of willpower can compete with the pull of a screen. I teach how to meet people where they are and move them forward, through their bodies rather than against them.
As founder of Ballroom MADNESS, co-founder of Conga Kids, and founder of the Dance Education Project — and an Arts Integration & Social-Emotional Learning Specialist with the Los Angeles County Office of Education — I've built movement-based programs that have reached thousands of students. On stage as a keynote speaker, I bring that same energy into every room.
Each talk pairs a research-backed idea with movement the audience actually does. Tailored for educators, conferences, and leadership teams.
Why willpower and device bans fail, and how movement and human connection deliver what the screen only promises.
Movement-based social-emotional learning that builds focus, regulation, and resilience — without taking time away from teaching.
What three decades on stages and in classrooms taught me about earning real attention — and how any leader or teacher can do it.
Hundreds of students, social ballroom dancing together — the kind of focus, joy, and connection that movement unlocks.
Moments from schools and stages — students dancing, connecting, and paying the kind of attention you can't fake.
What impressed us most was how seamlessly Daniel's program connected SEL with academic readiness. Students were more focused, more cooperative, and better prepared to engage with challenging material. It didn't feel like one more initiative — it felt like a practical tool teachers could immediately integrate.
After implementing Daniel's program, referrals to my office for behavioral issues dropped noticeably. Students had healthier ways to release energy, and teachers reported calmer classrooms overall. It wasn't just a program — it shifted how our students interacted with each other.
Keynotes, workshops, and virtual sessions for schools, districts, conferences, and organizations. Tell me about your event and I`ll be in touch.