Joanne D Arduino (Artistic Director and owner of  The Dance Studio: The Official School of Ballet Theatre of Scranton) has taught dance in Scranton for over 40 years. She began her training under the late Constance Reynolds and in 1974 was awarded a scholarship to the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts. Mrs. Arduino earned elementary and intermediate certificates at the Royal Academy of Dance, in London, England and completed her advanced studies with the Royal Academy in Toronto, Canada. She has studied and collaborated with many well known choreographers and teachers and was selected by late Gus Giordano to represent Pennsylvania as a Jazz Ambassador at the Jazz Dance World Congress.

Mrs. Arduino has been an instructor at College Misericordia, Marywood University and the University of Scranton where she pioneered the course “Dance and Movement in Early Childhood Education.” She has conducted numerous educational programs and residencies in dance throughout the region in conjunction with Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit #19 and is proud to be the first Pennsylvania Council of the Arts rostered artist in her field to represent Northeastern Pennsylvania in the state directory which includes the most prestigious artists in Pennsylvania.

In addition, she has served on the faculty of the Dance Educators of America’s National Convention in New York City, teaching ballet for young children.

During the summer of 1994, she traveled to Bombay, India  to be Guest Choreographer for a major motion picture working with the late director and film star, Mehmood, India’s Bob Hope.

Mrs. Arduino has choreographed for many local theatre groups and served as Dance Captain, and performed in, the Richard  Harris production of “Julius Caesar, A Work in Progress.” In addition, she has choreographed for Marywood College Alumnae productions and the WNEP-TV performance of “Peter and the Wolf,” the Scranton Cultural Centers Theater for Youth presentation “Pirouettes and Puppets,” as well as co- produced a children’s preschool movie “WORLD TRAVELERS”.

Mrs. Arduino is also a member of the Dance Educators’ of  America, the Professional Dance Teachers’ Association, has served on the Scranton Community Concert board, chairperson of the Dance Millennium Project, and the stakeholders group of Scranton Tomorrow. She serves as dance chairperson for the NEIU #19 Summer Arts Alive Scholarship Program and it’s new school, The Lyceum.

Mrs. Arduino is a recipient of an Honorary Membership in the Marywood College alumni Association for her service and contributions and was awarded the Presidential Medal from that university. In 1995, she received a special award from Allied Services for her work with physically and mentally  challenged individuals. She has been named to the Jaycee’s “Outstanding Women in America”, and presented a “Woman  of Distinction” Award by the Scranton Pocono Girl Scout Council for her work in the arts.  Joanne was named ‘A Woman of Merit’, by the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center’s ‘Award for Woman Entrepreneur’ for 2007, and received ‘The ATHENA Award’ by the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce in 2007, for: demonstrating excellence, creativity, and initiative in her business and/or profession; providing valuable service, contributing time and energy to improve the quality of life for others on the community; actively assisting women in realizing their full leadership potential. The Athena Award

In 2010 and 2011, Mrs. Arduino and  The Dance Studio: The Official School of Ballet Theatre of Scranton were named one of three finalists for The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce “Small Business of The Year Award”, and received the 2010 “Star Award” from Broadway Theatre of Northeastern Pennsylvania for her service to the community in the performing arts. She was appointed to the Lackawanna County Commission for Women.

At Ballet Theatre of Scranton, she was principal soloist since the age of 18 and has danced all of the major classical roles. She was appointed Artistic Director in 1991, a position she maintains to the present day assuming all the duties of director and teacher for the Senior, Apprentice and Children’s Companies, as well as producer for the ballet productions including the annual holiday gift of the Nutcracker.