SYRACUSE CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY
Established in 1986
Meet the 2026 Choreographers
Ruth Arena - Contemporary
Ruth K. Arena is an Adjunct Professor at Le Moyne College, where she was recognized as the 2021 Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Member of the Year, and on faculty at The Ballet & Dance Center (BDC). Ruth holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Arizona and a MA in Teaching Artistry from Wayne State University. She studied on scholarship at the Paul Taylor Dance Company School, and performed with Dzul Dance in New York City. Her choreography has been presented by the Syracuse Fringe Festival, the National Water Dance, several Boot & Buskin productions at Le Moyne, in concert with Syracuse Symphony, and in Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company concerts. Ruth is the author of Asking Evolving Questions to De-center Whiteness in the Dance Studio, published in the journal Dance Education in Practice. Ruth is a founding member of Dance Educators Living With/Through Cancer, a collaborative research project dedicated to building and disseminating knowledge as well as supporting dancers and dance educators with cancer experience.
Adriana Battle - Modern
Adriana has been with the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company for 4 seasons and this will be her 3rd season as a choreographer. She was previously the Executive Director of the LeMoyne Student Dance Company at Lemoyne 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 16 years. Cristina spent some time teaching and choreographing at the Ballet & Dance Center, where she had the opportunity to choreograph some pieces for the Syracuse Symphoria. 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. She is grateful for her SCDC family & the opportunity to share the stage with her sister.
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 the Limón, Graham, and Cunningham Modern Dance Companies, while continuing her ballet and jazz training at NYC studios with various teachers including David Howard, the Joffrey School faculty, and “STEP’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. She also choreographed and performed pieces for both faculty and student concerts. Laurie has been teaching at The Ballet & Dance Center since 2010 and currently teaches all levels of modern.
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.
Sarah Strauss - Contemporary
Sarah Strauss is a senior at Le Moyne College studying psychology, minoring in visual art and dance. She has been dancing for 4 years, she has been with the Le Moyne Student Dance Company (LSDC) since 2022, and Le Moyne Dance Team since 2025, she has choreographed for both groups. This is her second time with Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company and her first time choreographing for the company! She has worked on numerous projects through Le Moyne College including The Art of Movement, Edgar and The Red Room, YERMA, The Butterfly Effect, The Water Movement. She is so excited for you to come see the show and all the hard work that goes into it.
Lisa Stuart - Contemporary
Lisa is thrilled to be choreographing for the 2026 Syracuse Contemporary Dance Concert, marking the second time she has created and brought a new work to life for this inspiring event. With more than 50 years devoted to dance, Lisa’s passion was sparked by the allure of Broadway and refined through early training in New York City with legendary jazz artists. She earned her BA from the University of New Hampshire, and with a concentration in dance she served as a teaching assistant, dance captain, and recipient of the Jean Mattox Scholarship. Her professional career carried her across the U.S. and Caribbean, performing in productions such as 42nd Street, Chicago, Sugar Babies, and shows with Holland America Cruise Lines. She has been a faculty member at The Ballet & Dance Center for over 10 years, inspiring the next generation of dancers through solid foundations in jazz, tap, and ballet. Lisa spent 25 years choreographing musicals at CNS High School, shaping memorable productions like West Side Story, Hairspray, Addams Family, Tuck Everlasting, Chicago, and Mean Girls. This year, she is excited to bring her creative vision to Jamesville-DeWitt High School with Footloose. Believing that dance is an essential part of the human experience, Lisa teaches with a focus on strong technique, expressive artistry, and the power of storytelling. Her mission is to guide students in developing the skills, confidence, and imagination that allow movement to become a universal language—one that connects dancers and audiences alike. With all my heart for the art of dance, Lisa
Rowan Young - Contemporary Ballet
Bio Coming Soon!
Meet the 2026 Guest Artists
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.
The Ballet & Dance Center Youth Company - Choreography by Cristina Battle (see bio above)
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.
Guest Duet - Margaret Falcone & Jamie Rieger- 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.
Guest Duet - Becky Richardson & Kathy Taylor
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!
Kathy Taylor - Bio Coming Soon!
Hanni Schwarzlander
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!
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.