has a multi-faceted background of training in dance. Locally, she has studied with Lucien Maley, Richard Sias and Veronica Manz. She has also attended numerous master classes in New York City at Dance Masters of America workshops, teachers conventions, and attended a teachers seminar with Jurgen Schneider, Irina Kolpakova and Janina Cunova on the Russian Ballet technique at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Mrs. Mucci has choreographed many community theatre musicals including the Pompeian Players and other local productions. Mrs. Mucci has also contributed her talents to the Syracuse Symphony Family Series, “Festa Italiana” and the New York State Fair International Building Performances. For 21 years, Mrs. Mucci has coordinated and rehearsed all the children’s roles in the Moscow Ballet’s production of the holiday favorite “The Nutcracker” as well as being a past participant in the Syracuse City School District’s Partners for Education and Business Program.
Katie Lemos Brown is overjoyed to share what she’s learned from the magical world of dance and musical theatre to the students of Dance Centre North! “Kate” grew up dancing locally at Ballet & Dance of Upstate New York and The New York Institute of Dance & Education. She began dancing at 3, but it wasn’t until 9 that her theatre career began as a street urchin in Theater 90’s production of Oliver – and she hasn’t stopped since!
Kate is a graduate of Shenandoah University Conservatory, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre, with a minor in dance. Her training is inclusive of ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip-hop, flamenco, ballroom, choreography, and various musical theater styles. Her performance resume is extensive, as she enjoyed her first career as a professional actress before starting businesses and a family in CNY with her husband Ty! A short list of favorites includes Aida (with Donna Drake), Cats (with Marc Robinson), Jo March in Little Women, Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Ulla in The Producers and soon-to-be Cassie in A Chorus Line! While being back in the Syracuse area, she has contributed her performing, directing and choreography skills to the local theatre and dance scene, including a decade directing Marcellus High School's All-School Show, teaching advanced jazz at The Ballet and Dance Center, choreographing for Symphor!a Pops Concerts and receiving multiple SALT nominations and awards. As a jazz teacher, she enthusiastically challenges her students not only to the demanding technique and style needed to execute high-level jazz dance, but also the emotional power uniquely expressed through the performance experience.
trained with Isabel Dix and Eileen Weiner. She then studied with Eva Goulette and Serpa Salatino at Syracuse Ballet Academy. A veteran performer, she has appeared in 20 Pompeian Players productions in both chorus and lead roles. Maryann has also performed with Shattuck-Nye Productions, Syracuse Musical Theatre, The Syracuse Opera Theatre and The Talent Company. Currently, Maryann teaches all levels of Tap at Dance Centre North and also has worked as a choreographer for the children’s chorus at Our Lady of Pompei School in their performances at Disneyworld, Universal and in Washington, D.C.
Studied Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Tap at Dance Centre North for 14 years. After auditioning, she attended Summer Intensive Programs at Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in Carlisle, PA. Jennifer was also accepted at Burklyn Ballet Theatre in Vermont and the NYSSA Contemporary Dance Company and the Angel- Fraser-Logan Contemporary Dance Company. While attending a jazz workshop with world-renown jazz instructor and company director Gus Giordano, Jennifer was awarded a scholarship to the Gus Giordano Dance Studio in Evanston, Illinois. As one of the three founding members of CNY Ballet Company Dancers, Jennifer’s eclectic training has enabled her to dance a wide range of roles including contemporary ballet, modern and jazz. For CNY Ballet she has most notably danced the Girl in “The Ugly Duckling”, Aquarium & Fossil in the “Carnival of the Animals”, “Way Over Yonder”, “Playing Bach”, “Catch Me When I Fall”, “Chantez Les Bas”, and “Swing Suite”. Jennifer has also performed with the “Underground Dance Project,” a jazz dance company in New York City, as well as being a “Las Vegas Finalist” in the 2006 season of the Fox Network’s hit TV program “So You Think You Can Dance.” In addition to teaching, she is represented by Go To Talent Agency in Los Angeles as well as choreographing and dancing with an international singing group.
Larry Crabtree is originally from Syracuse, N.Y., where he received his training at the Center of Ballet under the direction of Deborah Boughton. Larry was a Principal Dancer/Assistant Director/Ballet Master for the Anglo-American Ballet based in New York City for over 20 years, under the artistic direction of Catherine Kingsley (ARAD). He was a member of the Peter Pucci Plus Dancers-NYC, Shore Ballet-NJ, New Jersey Ballet, New York Theatre Ballet and Center Stage for Dance & Theater-NJ, among others. Mr. Crabtree has toured nationally and internationally appearing at such venues as Lincoln Center, Joyce & Joyce Soho, The New Victory Theater in NYC, Edinburgh Festival (Scotland) and throughout the United States, Switzerland, and Mexico, as well as dance appearances on television programs including the “Today Show” and “Maury Povich” shows. As a teacher, Larry has been at DCN since 2006, was an Adjunct Faculty member at Le Moyne College and Syracuse University, a faculty member for Circle in the Square Theater School (NYC), the STEPS Studios (NYC), Center Stage for Dance & Theater and New Jersey Ballet (NJ), the Bill Reed Summer Musical Theatre Intensive held in Vermont, and Summer Dance Intensives at Dance Works Studio, Utica, NY. He is the original Director/Choreographer of CNY Arts - Dasher’s Magical Gift and has also had his choreography presented at or by the International Building Conference, various Le Moyne Gifford Family Theatre, Boot-n-Buskin, and various musical and movement for actor collaborations at the College, NYC Cabarets, Musical Reviews, Musical and Straight Play Productions at Circle In the Square Theatre School, and for various dance schools in the NYC, Vermont, and Syracuse areas.
Ariella received her early dance training at Dance Centre North which
included summer intensives at New York State Summer School of
the Arts School of Ballet & Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet . Ariella
furthered her dance education at the Purchase College SUNY Conservatory
of Dance. While there she performed works by George Balanchine,
Betty Jane Sills and former Martha Graham dancer Stephanie Tooman.She was
selected to perform with American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company with
work by Stanton Welch. Ariella found her true love in teaching while assisting
Francis Patrelle’s Pre-Professional classes at Ballet Academy East in NYC.
Ballet Academy East became Ariella’s new home where she taught for 18 years.
Working alongside world renowned dancers and teachers she also received
teacher training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Ariella was also on
faculty at the Eglevsky Ballet directed by Maurice Brandon Curry and was
children’s ballet mistress to Francis Patrelle’s Nutcracker. Ariella is excited
to bring her love for dance and teaching to her hometown.
A native of Syracuse, New York, Ann Owen began ballet studies at age ten with David Shields. At twelve she received a scholarship to the North Carolina School of the Arts, and at sixteen she was invited to study at the School of American Ballet under a full Ford Foundation scholarship. There she completed the professional division and performed in annual SAB Workshops under the direction of George Balanchine, Alexandra Danilova, Suki Schorer and Andrei Kramarevsky. She was also fortunate to study with Maggie Black, Marjorie Mussman, Richard Thomas, Twyla Tharp, The Paul Taylor Dance Company and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. Her professional performing career was as a soloist with the Cleveland Ballet, dancing classical and contemporary roles. After receiving a B.A. in Literature from SUNY Purchase, she joined the faculty of the SUNY Purchase Youth Ballet and subsequently served as its program director. In addition to teaching in Cleveland, and the NY metropolitan area, Ann was a full-time faculty member at the Stamford City Ballet under the direction of Allegra Kent. Her dance career also includes training in Dance Education from both the New York City Center Teaching Artists Program and The 92nd Street Y's Dance Education Laboratory. Ann is an ABT Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT National Training Curriculum. Prior to resuming her fall 2019 teaching schedule at Dance Centre North, Ann will attend a week-long teacher training workshop at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB), widely recognized as a leader in the world of dance education. Founded in 1955 by Marcia Dale Weary, CPYB is renowned for it’s curriculum, which builds technical strength, stamina, and flexibility while nurturing artistic development. Alumni of CPYB routinely join such prestigious companies as the American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet.
Bradley Stone is a performer, teacher, and choreographer of musical theater and dance. Bradley’s professional credits include the Broadway revival of Oklahoma! directed by Trevor Nunn and choreographed by Susan Stroman, the 1st National tours of Pippin (Catherine) and Thoroughly Modern Millie, Phantom-The Las Vegas Spectacular, the Las Vegas and Hollywood Bowl productions of Hairspray directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes. Regionally, Bradley has performed with Sacramento Music Circus, Reprise! Theater Company in Los Angeles, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, St. Louis Repertory Theater, LA Opera and more. Bradley has also appeared on television on The Today Show, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and The Late Show with David Letterman among others. Bradley has taught dance and theater locally and around the country as a Broadway Connection instructor and is an accomplished musical theater choreographer. Bradley received her training at The Center of Ballet & Dance Arts in Syracuse along with summer studies at The Juilliard School, NYSSSA and The Hartford Ballet. Bradley holds her B.A. in Performing Arts from Saint Mary's College of California and her M.A. in Arts Administration from Le Moyne College and is a member of Actors Equity Association.
Ligia has over ten years of professional ballet experience performing leading roles in repertoire ballets such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Napoli Variations, Les Sylphides and contemporary works. She earned her BFA in ballet from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, graduating summa cum laude. While a student at CCM she taught ballet and pointe technique to 8-17 year-old students in the Preparatory Department.
She got her MFA and PhD from The Ohio State University, one of the top 10 university dance programs in the country. While a graduate student at OSU she taught levels I-IV ballet technique to majors and non-majors. She also taught at Wittenberg University as an associate professor, responsible for beginner to advanced levels of ballet, pointe, dance history, dance anatomy, and ballroom. At Wittenberg University Ligia choreographed several ballet and neo-classical ballets, as well as supervised student’s choreography for dance recitals. While living in Springfield, OH, Ligia taught ballet and pointe, and choreographed for the Gary Geis, a local dance studio and company. In addition to her own works, she has also choreographed The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty for dance schools where she has taught ballet and pointe technique.
Ligia has been teaching beginner to advanced ballet at SUNY-Oswego since 2014. At SUNY she has helped develop a minor in dance and in addition to ballet, has been teaching modern dance technique and academic courses in Dance History, Anatomy for Dancers, Dance Composition, and the multi-cultural course “Dance Around the World.” This past summer Ligia got certified to teach yoga through the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.
Studied Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and Tap at Dance Centre North for 13 years. As a student there, she was accepted into Summer Intensive Programs at the Timothy M. Draper School of Dance and the NYSSA School of Dance. After auditioning, she was accepted into the Paul Taylor II Shadowing Program, where she was trained under the instruction of Andy LeBeau ,as well as various members of the company. During this time, she was involved in the reconstruction and performance of several excerpts from Paul Taylor’s “Aureole”. Additionally, Brianna was chosen to dance in the “Table of Silence” project with the Buglisi Dance Theatre during their residency in Syracuse. She has also contributed her talents to various other community performances including roles as the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz,” Fossil in “Carnival of the Animals”, Fouette Girl in “Graduation Ball”, Witch Winter Gray/White in “The Adventures of Rudolph” and most recently appeared with Dance Centre North in Symphoria’s Holiday Pops concert.
began her dance training at Dance Centre North studying ballet, pointe, Pas de Deux, modern, jazz, tap and Theatre dance over the course of eleven years. During her time at Dance Centre North, she performed various roles in the Moscow Ballet Nutcracker, played the role of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz presented by Dance Centre North and Rudolph in The Adventures of Rudolph presented by CNY Arts. In the Summer of 2009, she attended the New York State Summer School of the Arts Ballet Program where she trained with professional ballet dancers from the New York City Ballet. She also participated in the Paul Taylor II Shadowing experience in 2011. Following her training at Dance Centre North, she attended Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania to obtain a Minor in Dance with the Mercyhurst University Dance Department. While attending Mercyhurst she performed contemporary works choreographed by Neta Pulvermacher, Meredith Lyons, and Katrina Fitzpatrick in Mercyhurst University’s Raw Edges performance in 2013 and 2014. In addition, in the spring of 2014 she choreographed “The Source”, “It Takes Two” and “Reliance” showcasing Mercyhurst dancers. For her senior year at Mercyhurst, she joined the Mercyhurst Dance team and performed hip hop pieces at a variety of events on campus. She most recently appeared with Dance Centre North in Symphoria’s Holiday Pops concert and is looking forward to continuing her dance career as a Ballet instructor at Dance Centre North.
Diana Torba first fell in love with modern dance at Dance Centre North as a teenager commuting from Oswego, leading to a 2 decade run in NYC as a choreographer, dancer, student, and director of the widely loved and produced Contemporary Catholic Dance Company, St. Michael's Warriors. A graduate, magna cum laude, with both dance and political science majors, of Barnard College, Columbia University, Diana produced dance in every venue imaginable across New York City, throughout the NorthEast, and on two international and one West Coast tour with SMWarriors. She is the creator of more than 50 original dance works.
Ms. Torba is delighted to return to CNY to share her endless enthusiasm for classical modern dance techniques, and history, and to provide hope for professional performance opportunities through her new project SpeakDanceCNY.
Samantha Dougherty was born and raised in Central New York and has studied ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, modern and tap dance disciplines in several area dance schools for the past twenty years. From 2006 to 2009, she was a member of “The Light of the World” professional ballet Company, under the directorship of Ashley Rollinson. During that time, Ms. Dougherty had the opportunity to perform in venues all over New York State, as well as in China. While in China, she had the privilege of promoting the arts through dance in several school districts located in southern China and tourist venues in Beijing. She has choreographed musical productions including Christmas and Easter presentations, “The Sound of Music”, dance ensemble pieces for community events for the “Festival of Nations” and the Syracuse City Department of Parks & Recreation. From 2010- 2012, Ms. Dougherty taught dance in the after-school program in the Liverpool School District and has been a dance competition judge in the New York District Youth Convention Fine Arts Festival for the past two years. In addition to the aforementioned dance styles, she has also studied Ballroom and Latin for the past six years and has performed in many regional exhibitions in Argentine tango, rumba, cha cha, waltz, quick step, foxtrot, and jive.
Julie Lombardi began her dance training at Dance Centre North. As a student there, she was accepted into Summer Intensive Programs at Burklyn Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet. and the Columbia City Ballet Summer Dance Institute. As a dance major at SUNY Purchase College, Julie received a B.F.A. in Dance Performance with a concentration in Dance Composition. Julie furthered her education at SUNY Upstate Medical University and graduated with a doctorate in Physical Therapy. While at Purchase, Julie trained with Ted Kivitt (former principal with A.B.T.), Joyce Herring, and Pascal Rioult (formerly of the Martha Graham Co.], Neil Greenburg (of the Merce Cunningham Co.), Kevin Wynn (of the Jose Limon Co.), and Hernando Cortez (from the Paul Taylor Co.), and studied at the Taylor School. As a member of the Purchase Dance Corps, Julie performed the leading role in Paul Taylor’s “Company B”, the solo work “Rouen” based on Saint Joan of Arc, “Road Trip”, “Zion”, and “The Arabian Variation from the “Nutcracker.” She also apprenticed with Verb Ballet of Cleveland, Ohio where she was part of the reconstruction of Paul Taylor’s “Esplanade”.
Marissa started dancing when she was three years old and received the majority of her training at
Dance Centre North. During her time at DCN, Marissa studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern and pas
de deux. She has had the opportunity to perform in numerous productions including The
Nutcracker, Dasher’s Magical Gift, Symphoria’s Holiday Pops Concert, Festa Italiana and as
Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz ballet. In high school, she began helping out as a counselor for the
Summer dance camp and later started teaching theater dance and ballet year round. Marissa is
also a musician and plays the trombone and piano as well as previous performances in the vocal
jazz choir. While attending Nottingham High School she was involved in numerous clubs
including the Nottingham Girl Up Club, Honor Society, and Ballet for All. Marissa currently
attends Syracuse University at the Newhouse School of Public Communications with a planned
major in magazine, news, and digital journalism.
