DMM LEGACY INTERVIEW • THEN & NOW

Thomas Varvaro: From Ailey II to Dance Educator

In 2013, Thomas Varvaro told DMM that a dancer’s legacy is measured by consistency and by whether the work changes a life. Today, his career has moved from Ailey II and professional performance into the classroom—where that definition of legacy has become literal.

By Dance Mogul Magazine | Ballet / Contemporary / Legacy Interview | Original interview: April 18, 2013 | Legacy update: August 18, 2026

DMM Documented the Question Before the Answer

When DMM profiled Thomas Varvaro in April 2013, he was finishing his second and final season with Ailey II. He had trained through The Ailey School, LaGuardia High School, the School of American Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet School and the Ailey/Fordham BFA program. The old article introduced him as part of a new generation of dancers who deserved a voice before their careers were fully written.

That editorial choice is more meaningful now because Thomas spent part of the interview defining legacy not as fame, but as impact. He said a dancer could touch thousands from the stage—or become a good teacher and change one young person’s life. More than a decade later, teaching is a central part of his professional life.

The Original DMM Conversation — 2013

Dance Mogul: At what age did you discover your passion for the arts?

Thomas Varvaro: At age eight, I began taking dance classes. It was my mother’s idea, and I fell in love after the first class.

Dance Mogul: Who were some of your early inspirations?

Thomas Varvaro: My early inspirations were Ethan Stiefel from American Ballet Theatre and Clifton Brown from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Dance Mogul: Was your family supportive of your passion for dance?

Thomas Varvaro: My entire family was extremely supportive of my passion for dance. As a young boy, they were subjected to watching nightly homemade performances. It was my mother’s idea to put me in dance class at age eight. After noticing my growing passion and dedication, she enrolled me in The Ailey School’s Junior Division for more professional dance education.

Dance Mogul: When did you know that you could become a professional?

Thomas Varvaro: When I was a kid, I accidentally walked into an Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater company rehearsal. I was totally embarrassed, but everyone was so nice and Renee Robinson even shook my hand. It was my first interaction with professional dancers. At that moment, I knew I was going to do everything it took to live that life.

Dance Mogul: What made your experience at LaGuardia High School special?

Thomas Varvaro: My experience at LaGuardia High School truly changed my life. I grew tremendously as a dancer and as a young man. I learned new things about myself daily and was nurtured in a special artistic community. I was encouraged, challenged and exposed to new things. These things are essential in building professional dancers. It takes kids with special talents and introduces them to a new world.

Dance Mogul: What was one of your most memorable accomplishments at that point in your career?

Thomas Varvaro: My most memorable accomplishment to date was my first performance with Ailey II. Coincidentally, it took place in Brooklyn, where I was born and raised. So many people who love and support me sat in Prospect Park despite the rain just to watch me perform. I truly felt like I was exactly where I was destined to be. It was a moment not many people experience, so I’m honored and blessed to have that memory.

Dance Mogul: What has dance taught you about discipline, determination and dedication?

Thomas Varvaro: Dance is a huge guiding force in my life. I grew up without a father figure, so dance truly raised me to be the proud and confident man I am today. It instilled a sense of self-worth through its strict discipline. The combination of discipline, determination and dedication is what separates dance students from artists. Dance requires you to push past adversity, disappointment, judgment and exhaustion. In my experience, these are all things a good father teaches his son.

Dance Mogul: What advice would you give young dancers who want to become professionals?

Thomas Varvaro: The best advice I can give young dancers is to find their confidence—their inner strength. They need to reflect and discover their beauty. If you don’t believe it, no one else will.

Dance Mogul: How can teachers help dancers remain grounded when opportunities begin to arrive?

Thomas Varvaro: I believe dance and discipline go hand in hand. The first lesson you learn in a dance class should be discipline, like any other sport. The rules of being a good sport—being gracious and humble—apply to dancers as well. I learned growing up that the teacher I disliked in September often ended up being a supporter and even a friend by June because those teachers showed discipline and demanded respect. Dancers should demonstrate discipline whether they are dancing professionally or not.

Dance Mogul: How important is it for dancers to build legacies instead of collecting momentary satisfaction?

Thomas Varvaro: Dance is a unique art form because every live performance is different, even if you do the same work every night. The audience is witnessing a moment that may never happen again. That’s the magic of dance. Dancers must build legacies through consistency in performance, technically and theatrically. A legacy means your art made a change or a difference in lives. Whether a young dancer grows up to touch thousands of people, or becomes a good dance teacher and touches the life of one young kid, both are legacies.

Dance Mogul: What were you doing then to take your craft to the next level?

Thomas Varvaro: I usually picked a theme or one thing to focus on that day depending on my schedule. On performance days, I focused on strengthening my core so I could really let go during the performance and trust my technique. On rehearsal days, I focused on my mind—how quickly I could retain choreography and take correction.

Dance Mogul: Is a publication like Dance Mogul needed to connect professionals with the next generation?

Thomas Varvaro: Absolutely. A publication such as this opens a door for an artist to share a story and connect with a reader. A huge part of being a dancer is helping the art form evolve. It is important for professional artists to give back to the next generation.

Dance Mogul: Is there anyone you would like to thank?

Thomas Varvaro: Of course I’d like to thank my mother, Marie Varvaro, for always being my best friend and biggest supporter—and for having really good ideas!

Watch the Archive: Thomas Varvaro With Ailey II

A strong legacy rebuild should not only tell readers what an artist was doing; it should let them see the period being discussed. This archival video follows Thomas during his Ailey II years and complements the original DMM conversation.

Where Is Thomas Varvaro Now?

Major verified developments since DMM’s 2013 interview include:

• Professional company work: After Ailey II, Broadway Dance Center records that Thomas joined Elisa Monte Dance in 2013, adding another major contemporary company chapter to his performance career.
• Teaching at Brooklyn High School of the Arts: The school’s current staff directory identifies Thomas in the Dance department. A 2026 student publication also documents his choreography and teaching in the school’s spring dance showcase.
• Broadway Dance Center faculty: Thomas continues to teach a contemporary modern/ballet fusion that integrates multiple technical lineages rather than treating ballet and modern as isolated languages.
• Next-generation intensive work: Élevé Dance Project announced Thomas as a guest artist for its 2026 Summer Intensive, extending his teaching beyond a single school or studio setting.

The Remarkable Part: His 2013 Definition of Legacy Became His Work

Thomas did not define legacy as a headline, a trophy or a permanent recording. He defined it through consistency and impact. That answer reads differently now because his current professional identity includes teaching young dancers every day. The archive lets us see the continuity between an idea expressed early in his career and the work he later chose to do.

This is one of the reasons DMM keeps returning to its older interviews. A good archive is not a storage room. It is a time bridge. It allows a new generation to see what an artist believed before life provided evidence of where those beliefs might lead.

Why This Matters to Dance Mogul Magazine

Dance Mogul Magazine was built to give artists a platform not only to display talent, but to pass knowledge forward. Thomas directly affirmed that purpose in 2013 when he said publications can help artists share their stories and give back to the next generation.

Today, his educator role reinforces the same principle. Performance can create a powerful moment, but teaching multiplies those moments through other people. For DMM, that is legacy in action: culture preserved, discipline transferred and another young artist given the tools to discover a voice of their own.

What the Next Generation Should Learn

• Confidence is a professional tool. Thomas’s advice was simple: believe in your own value before expecting an industry to validate it.
• Discipline is larger than technique. Respect, humility, preparation and the ability to take correction are part of the craft.
• Study across lineages. His current teaching reflects ballet, modern and contemporary influences together; range can deepen rather than dilute identity.
• Do not confuse visibility with legacy. A performance may disappear when the curtain closes, but what you teach, model and pass forward can remain in another person.
• Return to the community that developed you. Thomas’s current work in Brooklyn places professional experience back into the hands of young artists.

Continue Learning With DMM

Read more about training, career development and dance history through DMM’s Dance Knowledge Hub and explore the site’s Contemporary dance archive.

2026 Update Sources

• Brooklyn High School of the Arts — Thomas Varvaro staff page
• Brooklyn High School of the Arts — current staff directory
• Broadway Dance Center — Thomas Varvaro faculty bio
• The West Wing — 2026 Brooklyn Arts Dance Showcase preview
• Élevé Dance Project — 2026 guest artist announcement

FAQ

Who is Thomas Varvaro?

Thomas Varvaro is a dancer and educator whose training includes The Ailey School, LaGuardia High School and the Ailey/Fordham BFA program. He performed with Ailey II from 2011 to 2013 and later joined Elisa Monte Dance.

Where does Thomas Varvaro teach now?

Current school records list Thomas Varvaro in the Dance department at Brooklyn High School of the Arts. Broadway Dance Center also maintains a faculty page for his contemporary modern/ballet fusion classes.

What did Thomas Varvaro say about dance legacy in his DMM interview?

He argued that legacy comes from consistency and making a difference in people’s lives. He specifically said that reaching one young person as a good dance teacher can be a legacy just as meaningful as reaching thousands from the stage.

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