About
Coupé Theatre Studio offers classes in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Acro, Modern, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre, Acting, and vocal performance/voice. The program also includes Dance Into Summer, Coupé Kids, and a Summer Intensive, and students can take acting classes and audition for Rockland Youth Dance Ensemble’s yearly production of The Nutcracker.
• Ages: 3–18 years old
• Schedule: Dance Into Summer for ages 3–adult runs June 2–June 25 as a 4-week session; Coupé Kids is for ages 3–6; Summer Intensive for ages 7–18 runs June 29–August 7 with 1–6 week options
Coupé Theatre Studio opened in 1970 in Nanuet, New York. Diane Coupé Frankel created the Rockland Youth Dance Ensemble in 1983, then known as Coupé Dance Company. The studio describes itself as Rockland County’s home for dance.
The leadership team includes DIANE COUPÉ FRANKEL as Artistic Director and ALISON LISTER as Associate Artistic Director. The faculty consists of degreed educators and working artists, and teachers have degrees and professional performance backgrounds. Over 30 highly qualified teachers are on staff.
Diane Coupé Frankel trained first with her mother, then at the Hammond School in Chester, England, and was accepted to the Arts Educational School in Tring before transferring to the London Professional School and London College of Dance and Drama. In 1956 she was awarded the Stanislav Idzikowski Award for choreography by the Royal Academy of Dancing in London, appeared with the London Festival Ballet and in Musical Theatre around England, and was an original cast member of eleven Broadway musicals including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Funny Girl, Mame, Coco, and Nowhere to Go But Up. She was asked to join the teaching staff at Tring, instructing children in all disciplines of dance. In 1990, she received the Rockland County Executive’s Arts Award for her contribution to the arts in Rockland County, New York.
Alison Lister trained at the Stretton School of Dance and Drama in Shrewsbury, England, then at the London College of Dance, where she trained extensively in all forms of dance, dance teaching, and choreography, and graduated with a first class diploma in 1989. She is in America by special invitation of the U.S. Government as one of the few people in England qualified to teach Revived Classical Greek Dance. She received the County Executive’s Arts Award in Arts Education in 2000.
The Rockland Youth Dance Ensemble is a nonprofit organization created by Diane Coupé Frankel and is dedicated to enriching students in the performing arts with performance and arts education opportunities. Rockland Youth Dance Ensemble was the recipient of the Rockland County Executive’s Arts Award for Arts Organization in 2003. Coupé students have the opportunity to audition for and perform in Rockland Youth Dance Ensemble’s yearly production of The Nutcracker.
Coupé Theatre Studio states the philosophy: “We believe that our students deserve the highest quality of instruction and individualized attention, and that every single student is special. Coupé strives to ensure this philosophy is carried out in each and every class.” The studio offers a well-rounded education across classical and contemporary styles, with a structured curriculum that includes level placements, progress checks, and thoughtfully sequenced training. Classes are carefully monitored for size, compatibility of students, and quality of teaching, with small classes, individual attention, and age-appropriate pacing. The studio notes values of quality, integrity, and fairness, and describes frequent performance opportunities including a fully staged annual Dance Festival and year-end recitals. The program is described as serving ages 3–adult, from beginner to pre-professional, and notes that students can gain confidence, discipline, joy in movement, college and career preparation, and lifelong friendships.
Last updated May 28, 2026.
• Ages: 3–18 years old
• Schedule: Dance Into Summer for ages 3–adult runs June 2–June 25 as a 4-week session; Coupé Kids is for ages 3–6; Summer Intensive for ages 7–18 runs June 29–August 7 with 1–6 week options
Coupé Theatre Studio opened in 1970 in Nanuet, New York. Diane Coupé Frankel created the Rockland Youth Dance Ensemble in 1983, then known as Coupé Dance Company. The studio describes itself as Rockland County’s home for dance.
The leadership team includes DIANE COUPÉ FRANKEL as Artistic Director and ALISON LISTER as Associate Artistic Director. The faculty consists of degreed educators and working artists, and teachers have degrees and professional performance backgrounds. Over 30 highly qualified teachers are on staff.
Diane Coupé Frankel trained first with her mother, then at the Hammond School in Chester, England, and was accepted to the Arts Educational School in Tring before transferring to the London Professional School and London College of Dance and Drama. In 1956 she was awarded the Stanislav Idzikowski Award for choreography by the Royal Academy of Dancing in London, appeared with the London Festival Ballet and in Musical Theatre around England, and was an original cast member of eleven Broadway musicals including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Funny Girl, Mame, Coco, and Nowhere to Go But Up. She was asked to join the teaching staff at Tring, instructing children in all disciplines of dance. In 1990, she received the Rockland County Executive’s Arts Award for her contribution to the arts in Rockland County, New York.
Alison Lister trained at the Stretton School of Dance and Drama in Shrewsbury, England, then at the London College of Dance, where she trained extensively in all forms of dance, dance teaching, and choreography, and graduated with a first class diploma in 1989. She is in America by special invitation of the U.S. Government as one of the few people in England qualified to teach Revived Classical Greek Dance. She received the County Executive’s Arts Award in Arts Education in 2000.
The Rockland Youth Dance Ensemble is a nonprofit organization created by Diane Coupé Frankel and is dedicated to enriching students in the performing arts with performance and arts education opportunities. Rockland Youth Dance Ensemble was the recipient of the Rockland County Executive’s Arts Award for Arts Organization in 2003. Coupé students have the opportunity to audition for and perform in Rockland Youth Dance Ensemble’s yearly production of The Nutcracker.
Coupé Theatre Studio states the philosophy: “We believe that our students deserve the highest quality of instruction and individualized attention, and that every single student is special. Coupé strives to ensure this philosophy is carried out in each and every class.” The studio offers a well-rounded education across classical and contemporary styles, with a structured curriculum that includes level placements, progress checks, and thoughtfully sequenced training. Classes are carefully monitored for size, compatibility of students, and quality of teaching, with small classes, individual attention, and age-appropriate pacing. The studio notes values of quality, integrity, and fairness, and describes frequent performance opportunities including a fully staged annual Dance Festival and year-end recitals. The program is described as serving ages 3–adult, from beginner to pre-professional, and notes that students can gain confidence, discipline, joy in movement, college and career preparation, and lifelong friendships.
Last updated May 28, 2026.
Is this your business? There is no cost, but you will be asked to sign up or log in.