Instructors

Cathy Napolitano-Mucci: (Director/Instructor) 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 19 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.

Jennifer Nappi: 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 School of Dance. 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.

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 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 most recently returned from apprenticing with Verb Ballet of Cleveland, Ohio where she was part of the reconstruction of Paul Taylor's "Esplanade".

Larry Crabtree: 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. He was a member of the “Peter Pucci Plus Dancers", "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" and "Maury Povich" shows. As a teacher, he has been a faculty member for Circle in the Square Theater School (NYC) at the STEPS Studios (NYC), Center Stage for Dance & Theater and New Jersey Ballet, NJ. In addition to his current classes at DCN, he is an Adjunct Faculty member at Le Moyne College, Syracuse University and teaches at the Bill Reed Summer Musical Theatre Intensive held annually in Vermont.

Maryann Iannettone: 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. She 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 and Theatre Dance at Dance Centre North. She 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.

Catherine Burke: is a graduate of Dance Centre North and received her BS in Childhood Education from SUNY Oswego, and her Master's Degree in Education from SUNY Cortland. She is currently on the faculty at Fremont Elementary School. As an officer in Oswego's Delsarte Dance Organization, Catherine both performed and choreographed many works in ballet, jazz, lyrical and tap for all four years she attended. As an apprentice for CNY Ballet, Mrs. Burke was featured as the lead swan in "The Ugly Duckling", the bird in "Carnival of the Animals, "Playing Bach", "Deep Peace" and "Swing Suite" to name a few. Catherine has also shared her teaching skills in our Summer Intensive Program in both Tap and Theatre Dance.

David Slocum: trained in both Modern and Jazz at STEPS and the Broadway Dance Center while attending the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. He also studied with Miami City Ballet and was guest artist with both the Miami Contemporary Dance Company and the Angel-Fraser-Logan Contemporary Dance Company. In Central New York, David has lent his talents to numerous theatrical productions for Salt City Performing Arts Center, as well as teaching and choreographing in several schools. As one of the three founding members of the CNY Ballet Company, his roles ranged from the Boy in "The Ugly Duckling", "Way Over Yonder", “Deep Peace", "Playing Bach", the duet "Chantez Les Bas", "Sing Sing, Sing with a Swing", "Catch Me When I Fall", and "Carnival of the Animals", as well as his noted and inspiring choreographic work entitled "Part of a Whole".

Deborah Boughton: on a Ford Scholarship, graduated from the National Ballet School in Washington, DC, and was accepted as a member of the National Ballet Company. Miss Boughton came to Syracuse in 1969 to become a faculty member of the Metropolitan School of Ballet. She was a soloist with Syracuse Ballet Theatre from 1970-1978 and directed the Syracuse Ballet Theatre School from 1977-78. Miss Boughton has choreographed for Syracuse Ballet Theatre, Civic Morning Musicals, The Syracuse Symphony's "Tiny Tots" and "Family Series", Landmark Theatre's "Lunchbox Series", Center of Ballet and Dance Arts "Dances for Young People", Lincoln Center Institute for Arts and Education, Cultural Resources Council's "Festival of Nations" and Youththeatre's "The Adventures of Rudolph". Miss Boughton was the owner and director of the Center of Ballet and Dance Arts for 33 years and this years recipient of the Post Standard Achievement Award.

Candy Elisa Costa: Aguilera was born in Cuba and began her ballet training at the Elementary School of Ballet in Santiago de Cuba. Eight years later, she graduated as a professional ballerina and teacher at the Professional School in Camaguey, home of the country's second most prestigious Ballet Company. During her professional career, Candy worked for the Company as teacher, choreographer, artistic director and ballerina. She held the rank of First Ballerina in the Santiago Ballet Company, where she danced and worked for 10years. Candy spent one year at the National Ballet of Cuba, preparing for the role of The Queen of Willis in Giselle and dancing in many contemporary ballets. She was preparing for her evaluation as First Ballerina with the National Cuban Dancers when she moved to the United States. This past September she was invited to dance in Syracuse Opera's production of "Frida Khalo" dancing the role of Frida. In 2011, she performed as a Soloist in one of Mark Mellits pieces for the Visions of Sound in Rochester and Syracuse. She is currently teaching in the Syracuse area and in the Seymour After School Program.