By Krystle J Bailey
Danielle Brindisi, owner of BeYou Arts has traveled the world as a performing artist. After a high school soccer injury, she redirected her talents and poured her time and attention into singing lessons. By the age of 18, Brindisi was working on tour with celebrity singing teams, living out her performing arts dreams on the West Coast.
Her experience as a young woman attending New York University in 2001 changed her world dramatically. Back on the East Coast, Brindisi was booking opportunities left and right while continuing to further her education in musical theatre. On September 11th, 2001, she witnessed the second plane crash into the World Trade Center. The post-traumatic stress that followed changed everything for Brindisi. Her world shut down. She stopped singing and performing and began spending all of her time with her family. Having witnessed the most tragic experience, Danielle shut down.
Years later, she eventually got married to her husband, never bringing up September 11th again. Brindisi went on to finish school, attend a brief stint at Temple School of Nursing, ultimately ending up back in the entertainment industry.
Her healing began when she started singing again at the request of a nun who asked her to perform in church. Performance had always been her true calling and though she initially sang through the tears, she slowly became her truest self again.
Brindisi went on to graduate from Stockton with a degree in Liberal Arts and Musical Theatre Education. Stockton combined her credits from NYU and gave Brindisi the time she needed to heal, grow, and come into the next season of her life.
Danielle Brindisi now uses her life experiences, knowledge, and passion to pay it forward. As the owner of Be You Arts in Northfield, she teaches local youth the art of performance through singing, dance, and theatre. In addition to the technicalities of performance taught at Be You Arts, Brindisi takes pride in teaching the kids about the emotional and mental skills needed to thrive in the performance world. Using her own life experiences, she is able to connect on a deeper level with her students, encouraging and supporting them through some of their toughest times.
Brindisi taught singing lessons and bartended for years, saving her money to finally launch her own studio, which opened its doors in 2019, right before the Covid-19 pandemic. The studio quickly filled with students, boasting over 100 students and a 100% booking rate for those who auditioned.
When the world began to shut down six months after opening, Brindisi and her team got creative with ways to keep the kids involved, knowing that the arts would be so important for their mental well-being during the uncertain times ahead.
“Kids were hurting. They needed an outlet. It was so sad seeing their mental health decline,” shared Brindisi. The Be You Arts team got to work, offering virtual classes, fundraisers, and looking for opportunities to safely gather as soon as possible. Four students were signed to agents during the pandemic including roles in movies and commercials.
As things have begun opening up again, now two years into the pandemic, Brindisi explains that the arts have suffered greatly with the remaining uncertainty. In an effort to keep the health and safety of kids as the top priority, Be You Arts is offering small classes with social distancing protocols in place as well as private lessons as needed.
Brindisi is hopeful for the future, as she looks forward to filling her cherished studio with dedicated students who find hope, healing, and passion in the arts. She is committed to creating a space where youth can learn and grow emotionally as well as in their skillsets.
Be You Arts offers classes in dance, acting, improv, auditioning, singing, and so much more. Visit www.beyouarts.com to get involved.
