SYRACUSE CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY
Established in 1986
Meet the Choreographers
Ruth Arena - Contemporary Ballet
Ruth Arena holds a BFA in dance from The University of Arizona and an MA in teaching artistry from Wayne State University. She studied with The Paul Taylor Dance Company and performed with Dzul Dance in NYC. Ruth is on faculty at The Ballet & Dance Center and Le Moyne College, and is a founding member of Dance Educators Living With/Through Cancer.
Adriana Battle - Modern
Adriana has been with the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company for 3 seasons and this will be her 2nd season as a choreographer. She was previously the Executive Director of the Le Moyne Student Dance Company at Le Moyne College where she was also a choreographer and dancer for 4 years. She’s excited to continue having the opportunity to perform with the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company.
Cristina Battle - Modern
Cristina Battle has been a choreographer for the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company since 2014. She is the moderator for the Le Moyne Student Dance Company (LSDC) at Le Moyne College, and has taught and choreographed for LSDC over the last 15 years. Cristina spent some time teaching and choreographing at The Ballet & Dance Center, where she had the opportunity to choreograph several pieces for the Syracuse Symphor!a. She has danced for a variety of local dance teams, and has been a dance and Zumba instructor for many local and out of state fitness centers, studios & schools.
Laurie Deyo - Modern
Laurie has taught, choreographed, and performed in the Syracuse area since 1984. She holds a Master’s Degree in Dance and Dance Education from NYU where she studied modern with members of the Limón, Graham, and Cunningham Modern Dance Companies. While in NYC she continued her ballet and jazz training at NYC studios with various teachers including David Howard, the Joffrey School faculty, and S.T.E.P.’s, She also performed and traveled with the Kaleidoscope Dance Company, and NYU’s Student Dance Company. She spent 15 years as dance faculty at Syracuse University teaching modern, ballet, jazz, creative movement for the classroom, tap, and aerobic dance.
Marisa Guzmán-Colgrove - Jazz
Marisa Guzmán-Colegrove, owner and artistic director of Guzmán's Dance Studio, is a lifetime member of the CNY dance community. She specializes in Flamenco and is one of the only teachers of this dance style in Upstate New York. She also teaches jazz, creative movement, ballet, modern and is trained in Stott Pilates. She is an award-winning choreographer whose credits include the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company, Syracuse Opera, Syracuse Symphony, Fayetteville-Manlius High School musicals, Town of Manlius summer shows and most recently a SALT award winner for her choreography in CNY Playhouses’ “Adams Family.” She has performed with Alegre Flamenco throughout the Upstate Region. She recently got her certification to teach Rhythm Works Integrative Dance classes for children with special needs.
Brandon Jones - Hip Hop
Brandon has been dancing and studying hip hop, musical theater and jazz for the past 13 years. He has choreographed and taught for The Ballet & Dance Center, Dance Theater of Syracuse, Dominique's Dance Creations, Say Yes to Education, Peaceful Resolution, the Le Moyne Upper Bound Summer program and he has choreographed for several SCDC concerts and was part of the Syracuse School of Dance faculty for ten years.
Barbara LaNeve - Tap
Barbara has studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern dance, and musical theater since she was a child. She continued her studies in college, adding exposure to flamenco and hip hop dance. She received her undergraduate degree in Exercise Science and Dance. While pursuing her Master's Degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, she served as a graduate assistant in Dance. She continues to teach dance for local studios and for Syracuse University's Dance Minor. She has completed the requirements for a NYS teaching certificate in Dance Education. She continues to study dance via classes, masterclasses and workshops. Her mission is to continue to study dance and spread the love of dance to all.
Kate Lemos Brown - Musical Theatre Jazz
Kate Lemos-Brown 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, traveling throughout the states from one regional theater to the next. While being back in the Syracuse area, she has contributed her performance, director and choreography skills to the local theatre and dance scene, including 10 years at Marcellus High School's All-School Show. 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.
Benny Simon - Contemporary
Benny Simon has a diverse background as a dancer, choreographer, educator, and arts administrator. He holds a Masters in Dance Education from New York University, and is a PhD candidate at The Ohio State University where his research explores intersections of dance and technology as a model for more inclusive and sustainable futures. Benny has taught at Gibney Dance, Broadway Dance Center, Mark Morris Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, and Peridance Center. Most recently he was an Assistant Professor of Dance and Director of the Summer Dance Institute at Ohio University, and currently serves as Director of Arts Administration at Le Moyne College. Benny’s work has been performed at The Ailey Theater, The Ohio State University, Ohio University, SUNY Brockport, Syracuse University, New York University, Brooklyn Artists Exchange, and in Triskelion Arts’ WAXworks and Split Bill. Most recently he choreographed Layer I for The Everson Museum, and Folding In: Redux, a dance-film that evokes Judson-era dance spaces in New York City. Other works include Orbit and Sum, presented at the Agnes Varis Theater in New York and Further Responses at Ohio University. He has performed with Alexandra Beller/Dances, The Lovelies, and Diane McCarthy Dance.
Mary Pat Speno - Jazz
Mary Pat Speno, former artistic director of the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company, has been choreographing for the company since it’s inception in 1986. Known for her fast pace, fun audience pleasers, Mary Pat will once again live up to her reputation with this year’s Company jazz piece entitled “Louisiana Dance Hall”. After retiring from her position as Director of the Syracuse School of Dance and Artistic Director of the Syracuse Contemporary Dance, is delighted and excited to now be a part of The Ballet & Dance Center’s faculty. She has performed in most of the Syracuse Contemporary Dance concerts and choreographed for all of them. Mary Pat has performed in several musicals for Salt City Playhouse and Syracuse Musical Theater. She choreographed for the “Festival of Nations”, Jamesville-Dewitt Schools, was creator and director of the Dance Workshop Ensemble, and participated in the Baldwinsville’s “Arts in School” program. Mary Pat also has choreographed for figure skaters and has been part of the Litz Team Seminars in Lake Placid. She was a long-time student of Lorraine Hovercraft and Gus Giordano (Chicago), along with Le Ballet Jazz (Montreal) and Alvin Ailey (New York City). As a popular, talented, and energetic teacher, Mary Pat will continue to bring these attributes to her students.
Lisa Stuart - Contemporary
Growing up in New Jersey, Lisa was exposed to the magic of Broadway at a young age, and started commuting to NYC at age 16 to take dance classes in the “Big Apple”. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Hampshire. At UNH, Lisa was an accredited teaching assistant for the dance department, dance captain for the University Dance Theater Company, and recipient of the Jean Mattox Dance Scholarship Award. After college, Lisa performed professionally in various shows throughout the US and Caribbean. Lisa was the choreographer for CNS High School musicals for 25 years receiving local recognition of SALTY and SHSTA awards for best ensemble and choreography. Lisa has been a faculty member at The Ballet & Dance Center for over ten years. Aligning with her philosophy, she appreciates the professional, positive and nurturing environment provided to students. Lisa's dance philosophy: everyone can dance, as it is part of the human experience! Her goal as an educator is to pass her love of dance to the next generation, learn from their innovative ideas, and help students respect the art of dance and the skill it takes to be a “dancer".
Hanni Schwarzlander - Modern
Hanni has worked as a professional dancer, director, choreographer, and teacher for over 30 years. Raised in Syracuse, she began her early training at the Syracuse Ballet Theatre and the Lorraine School of Dance. She danced her way through a BA at Oberlin College and Syracuse University, after which she performed extensively in Paris and throughout Europe in revues, on cruises, and for national television. Back in the US she continued performing, touring nationally with the Broadway musical Will Rogers Follies and working in both dance companies and regional theaters in the Northeast. Between shows, she returned to NYC to take classes with many notable teachers at Steps, Broadway Dance Center, Djoniba’s, and the David Howard Studio. As a dance educator, Hanni currently teaches at Syracuse University and the Ballet and Dance Center. She has taught master classes internationally, and is also a certified Zena Rommett Floor-Barre ® Mentor, training teachers worldwide and bringing this valuable strengthening and aligning technique to the Syracuse area. Passionate about her work, she creates environments where individuals are empowered through creative expression, while simultaneously challenged as they develop both technique and performance quality. Hanni is excited to bring a piece to the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company performance this year!
Meet the Guests
ASCUAD Arts 315 - Choreography by Akilah Cage
Akilah’s School of Cultural Urban Arts and Dance (ASCUAD) offers many class varieties such as Afro beats, Hip Hop, Funk, Contemporary, Acrobatics, Step/Drill, and Reggae. Students can also learn many other things such as graffiti, rap, poetry, music history, etc. Akilah says, “Our students are the future.” She is happy to meet like minds and is excited to bring her style of dance and art back to the community. Akilah "LadyStylzs" Cage, is a native of Memphis, TN but has resided in Syracuse, NY for the past two decades. She owns and directs ASCUAD (Akilah's School of Cultural Urban Arts and Dance) which she established 20 years ago and has taught Hip Hop for The Ballet & Dance Center for 15 years. She has traveled, performed, and competed internationally and she has performed and choreographed routines for several celebrities. She currently teaches 2nd grade in the Syracuse City School District.
Anjani Dance Academy - Choreography By Seema Sureshkumar
Anjani Dance Academy is the region's premier Indian Dance Ensemble, based in Syracuse, New York. They offer training in Indian Classical Kathak Dance, Bollywood Dance, Rajasthani Folk Dance, Bhangra and Yoga Dance. Seema Sureshkumar is an adjunct dance professor at Le Moyne College, a recipient of CNY Arts education grant, CNY SCR Grant, NY State seed grant, and a former member of the International Dance Council. She is trained in Indian Classical Kathak Dance, Bollywood Dance, Rajasthani Folk Dance, Bhangra dance.
Special Guests from Virginia - Becky Richardson & Lauren Clingenpeel
Becky graduated from James Madison University, where she focused the majority of her training and performance in modern dance. She began her teaching career with Centreville Dance Academy (in Virginia) in 2004, before moving to Syracuse in 2008. While in Syracuse, she taught at Syracuse University, Le Moyne College (with LSDC), Syracuse School of Dance and The Ballet & Dance Center, all of which she loved immensely before life took her back to Virginia. Her New York performance and choreography credits also include Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company (in 2012), Take Away Dance (with Benny Simon), and Vision of Sound (with the Society of New Music). Since returning to Northern Virginia in 2013 she has continued to choreograph and teach at Centreville Dance, and also danced with the modern dance company ClancyWorks. She believes strongly in helping students experience the beauty and joy inherent in dancing (and life!) and to find and appreciate the unique beauty that they each bring to the world. She is thrilled and so very thankful for the opportunity to dance again with her dearest friends and dance family in Syracuse!
Lauren grew up dancing in the Northern Virginia area training in modern, tap, jazz, ballet, and lyrical. She now teaches at a studio in Northern VA where she helps students grow in their technique, and also build their artistry and confidence in communication through movement. Lauren's passion is exploring new ways to utilize the art and communication of dance as a means to express and connect with the world, and is looking to go into movement therapy after studying dance and social work in college. She is thrilled for this opportunity to dance and perform with SCDC, and looks forward to how their paths will continue to intertwine in the future!
The Ballet & Dance Center Youth Company
Choreography by Laurie Deyo (see bio above) & Margaret Falcone (see bio below)
In The BDC Youth Dance Company is for students who are interested in furthering their dance training, performing more throughout the year, and using their art to connect with outside communities. The company offers students the opportunity to perform at town festivals, fundraisers, charity events, and other community performances. It also gives students the chance to expand their dance education through workshops, master classes, and intensives. Through these opportunities, dancers will be able to refine their technique, hone their performance skills, and learn a variety of repertoire that will be performed throughout the year.
Margaret Falcone - Contemporary
Margaret Falcone is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Syracuse, NY where she trained at The Ballet & Dance Center. She graduated summa cum laude from Boston Conservatory at Berklee in 2019 with a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance Performance and emphases in modern dance and choreography. At the Conservatory, she performed works by Otis Sallid, Roderick George, Joe Chvala, Merce Cunningham, and Stephanie Martinez, among others. She also had the opportunity to produce three of her original works on Boston Conservatory’s mainstage. Now, she is currently Assistant to the Dean of Dance at Boston Conservatory and is the program director of two divisional outreach programs: Movement Matters, which brings dance to senior citizens in the Boston area, as well as Step by Step, an adaptive dance program for students who have Autism and Down syndrome. Margaret previously danced with DrumatiX, is currently a freelance dancer with artists in the Boston area such as Jenny Oliver and her Modern Connections Collective, and has been a member of BoSoma Dance Company since 2019. Dance has always been a major influence in Margaret’s life and she is excited to continue her explorations as a guest choreographer for SCDC.
SpeakDance CNY - Choreography by Diana Torba
SpeakDanceCNY is on a quest to increase the visibility and normalcy of professional modern dance performance in Central New York, and to prevent flight of aspiring artists from our communities by providing regular opportunity for creation, rehearsal, and performance of original danceworks. Led by Diana Torba, who brings over 15 years of professional dance creation and production launched from the South Bronx to greater NYC, the East Coast, and a number of domestic and international tours, SpeakDanceCNY brings together local professional dancers who have had a chance to study and mature. Homegrown dance performance opportunities provide hope for the young dancers of greater CNY that dance does not have to stop when one graduates high school.