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NPAC STAFF Cheryl Cusick Deborah McElkenny Michael Wilson Crystal Rose Danielle Gibbons Todd Hall Francesca Ruini Kacie Ferraro Gerry Granahan |
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Terpsichore
CHERYL CUSICK
is the owner and Artistic Director of the Narragansett Performing Arts Dance Centre and is the Director of the Terpsichore Dance Company, a multi-award winning competitive dance company comprised of dancers ranging in age from 7-18yrs.
Her dancing career began with training at age four, and has since included performances throughout New England, California, Boston and New York in Television and theater circuits. Her dancing credits include studying with such dance greats as Gus Giordano, Luigi, Daryl Retter, Alwin Nikolais and George Balanchine to name a few. Cheryl studied privately with the late Mr. Barry Weiss of The Juilliard School at his request. He was the famed choreographer of the I Love New York commercial presentation staring Mikhail Baryshnikov. Mr. Weiss also assisted Cheryl with her studies at The Juilliard School in New York City.In addition to her dancing career, Cheryl is a former Miss Teen Ocean State, Miss Providence and Miss Providence County. She captured the coveted title of Miss Rhode Island in 1987, and represented Rhode Island at The Miss America Pageant in 1988 in Atlantic City New Jersey, winning the Talent Award through the program. Viewing the organization as a worthwhile scholarship program that afforded her great educational opportunities, she has since served as the scholarship and awards chairperson on the Board of Directors for the Miss Rhode Island Scholarship Program, and has served as an emcee for the pageant. Cheryl is currently the Executive Director of the MISS RHODE ISLAND OUTSTANDING TEEN PAGEANT, a scholarship based program organized to encourage positive achievement by helping to nurture and build the scholastic achievement, creative accomplishment, healthy living and community involvement of our nation’s youth.
Her educational background includes Rhode Island College Physical Education Major and Dance Minor, The Harvard University Summer Dance Center, Rhode Island Ballet Arts Academy, The Boston Conservatory, The Boston Ballet, Broadway Dance Center NYC, Rhode Island's Ballet Theatre, STEPS on Broadway, PeriDance NYC and The Juilliard School. She has been an active member of the Professional Dance Teacher's Association and Dance Educator's of America since the age of eighteen. Since that time Cheryl has also;
*Danced the lead roles in productions of Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, La Boutique Fantasque, West Side Story and Cats. Cheryl has judged many auditions for prominent Ballet Companies, such as The Boston Ballet School and Rhode Island's Ballet Theatre. Cheryl judged the Ocean State Talent Competitions, as well as many other well established Dance/Talent Competitions and pageants throughout New England and in New York.
*Directed and instructed after school dance programs for the Cranston, Narragansett and Providence Elementary School systems, as well as directed the Dance Rhode Island Jazz Company: choreographed various musical productions for the Saint Patrick High School Drama Club for four years, as well as yearly recital productions for Dance Rhode Island even after opening her own school in 1991.
*Produced and directed the Miss South County Regional Scholarship Pageant 1991-1994 as well as co-producing the Miss Western Rhode Island Scholarship Pageant. Both are local preliminaries to the Miss America Scholarship Program.
*Placed first in Hoctor's National Dance Competition in NYC where at the age of 14, she competed against dancers from all over the United States and Canada. She was also the Grand Regional Champion in 1992 at the Professional Dance Teacher's Regional Competition.
*Performed, modeled in and co-directed numerous fashion shows including the New England Bridal Extravaganza, working with such stars as Robin Leach from the popular 1980's TV show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, Corbin Bernson and Kristian Alfonso from Days of our Lives.
*Managed and Directed Dance Rhode Island (Scituate), Dance Rhode Island (Providence) from 1991-1996, and then her own Narragansett Performing Arts Dance Centre beginning in 1991.
*Directed the Dance program for the Rhode Island Scholar Athlete Games in July 2001.
Cheryl's success is largely attributed to her ability to communicate with dancers and dance enthusiasts alike. Since opening Narragansett Performing Arts in 1991, Cheryl has brought some of the most talented teachers in the business to the area, and has provided Master Class opportunities not only to her students, but to dancers across the State. Under Cheryl's direction, NPAC has built upon her original vision and has grown beyond her expectations. NPAC now houses two large dance rooms and also offers voice lessons, drama lessons and Master Classes. Seventeen years after opening it's doors, NPAC's committment to bringing quality education to the South County Community continues to benefit all dancers, both recreational and career oriented.
KACIE FERRARO
has been a part of NPAC's family for nine years, and joins us for her fifth year as an instructor ameritus, as she is a Junior at UNH this year! She was also one of the only freshman accepted to the UNH Dance Team during her first year there! Kacie is known for her fabulous tapping feet, but she also excells in every other form, having won many high score awards for her performances in both jazz and lyrical as a member of the Terpsichore Elite Dance Company. She has played lead roles in productions of La Boutique Fantasque, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, the role of the animated Mrs. Potts in our 2005 production of Beauty and the Beast, and the lead role of POCAHONTAS in our 2006 production. A former member of Rhode Island's Ballet Theatre, Kacie was Miss Rhode Island Outstanding Teen 2005, a talent based scholarship pageant! She competed for the title of America's Outstanding Teen in Orlando, Florida in August 2005! In addition to all that Kacie does within the dance community, she is also very active in civic and social activities in the South County area. Kacie spent time in Camden, New York where she assisted in building homes for those less fortunate with Cluster Thirteen Ministries. She was a member of the National Honor Society for three years, and served as the Coordinator for Inductees. Kacie competed in the 2007 MISS RHODE ISLAND SCHOLARSHIP PAGEANT and was the recipient of the JUDGES TALENT AWARD! She continues to be a wonderful role model, and we're looking forward to many great years of dance with her as a part of our fabulous staff!CRYSTAL ROSE started dancing at the tender age of 3! She began dancing under the instruction of Nancy McAuliffe at Rhode Island Ballet Arts Academy in North Kingstown, RI. Here Crystal studied ballet, tap, jazz & theater dance under the direction of Nancy McAuliffe, Ellie Lupo & Myles Marsden. Crystal continues to study and teach at RI Ballet Arts Academy. At the age of 10 Crystal became one of the founding members of Rhode Island's Ballet Theatre. She was given the opportunity to perform multiple times in the Moscow State Ballets production of The Nutcracker.’Crystal was also able to study under the instruction of Sascha Radetsky, star of the movie Center Stage and principal dancer with American Ballet Theater. Crystal began studying hip hop under the instruction of Jackie Henderson, founder and choreographer of Off the Curb. She was asked to join the Off the Curb Performance Troupe, and youth outreach program. With Off the Curb, Crystal performed up and down the East Coast, at a variety of events! From concerts, to youth to youth programs, to fitness conferences, to block parties. No matter where she was, Crystal always danced her heart out! Crystal taught classes at the Off the Curb Studio and for the youth outreach programs across the state of RI. She also taught if after school programs through out the state of RI. Through Off the Curb Crystal was able to meet and perform with artists such as 112, Ludacris, Stevie B, Lisa Lisa, the Sugar Hill Gang, and the Rock Steady Crew. She was also given the opportunity to study under the instruction of Crazy Legz from the Rock Steady Crew and the incomparable Savion Glover. Crystal is currently studying dance at Rhode Island College. She is thrilled to be joining the staff at Narragansett Performing Arts and we look forward to many years of working together!
MICHAEL WILSON grew up in Casper Wyoming and started taking classes there when he was just a child. Later he had received enough scholarships to get to New York City where he studied with David Howard, Diana Cartier, Douglas Wassell, Melissa Hayden, Madame Darvash and Finis Jung. Michael ended up at the Joffrey School and later toured with the Metropolitan Opera Company. He also danced in Caracas Venezuela with Ballet Caracas as well as with Louisville Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet, Festival Dance Theater and many other regional companies as a guest artist. Michael considers himself very lucky to have learnt much of Balanchine's Repertiore in addition to that of Paul Taylor, Jiri Kylian, Agnes deMille and Frederick Franklin. After retiring from Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Michael let go of the dance world for a number of years, but he is very excited to be back! He is well known in Southern Rhode Island for his face paced, exciting ballet classes and we're very proud to have Michael as a part of our dance family!
DANIELLE GIBBONS has been a long time Master Class teacher with NPAC, and is joining us for her fifth year as a Senior Staff Instructor! She was trained in Classical Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop and Acrobatics and has had extensive experience in teaching all ages and levels. Danielle was a dancer in Las Vegas Nevada where she performed in FOLLIES BERGES, as well as being a featured dancer in the film OUTSIDE PROVIDENCE. Danielle has trained across the United States with some of the best dancers and choreographers in the business, and has also been featured in various industrials including the ABS Sports Show. Danielle has choreographed for many award winning dance companies, and has won numerous choreography awards and special awards for her work as a SeniorChoreographer for our own Terpsichore Dance Company! She is the proud mother of five year old Dylan and lives in Warwick with her husband Casey. Danielle is looking forward to continuing to share her talents with us at NPAC for many years to come!
TODD HALL is an important part of our Master Staff! After visiting us on several occasions as a Master Class Instructor, Todd graciously accepted our invitation to play the role of ERIC in our 2004 Production of The Little Mermaid. Todd's dancing career has taken him from The Professional Children's School in New York City to the World renowned Joffrey Ballet. The path of his career has also allowed him to work with the School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet and Rhode Island's own Festival Ballet. Todd has also performed professionally with the Washington Ballet, and has taught Master Classes with various ballet companies across the United States. A native Rhode Islander, Todd now reides in Upstate New York where he continues to teach and guide young people in the art of Classical Ballet. Todd will be visiting us throughout the year teaching partnering classes as well as Master Classes, and who knows, maybe we'll have another lead role for him this year!
DEBORAH MCELKENNY comes to Rhode Island with over twelve years of intensive dance training with the King Centre for the Performing Arts in New Jersey, and after having toured and competed with the New Generation Dance Company throughout the United States. Her love of dance has brought her eighteen years of dance and teaching experience with both children and adults. Deborah is also an AFAA Certified Fitness Instructor, STOTT Trained Pilates Instructor, Personal Trainer and Zumba Instructor! She is the loving mother of three beautiful children, and is a valued member of our stellar teaching staff, and we look forward to working with her for many years to come!
FRANCESCA RUINI
joins us after having moved here from Sassuolo, Italy. Francesca shares a solid background of classical training with her students. When she was five years old she began studying ballet at the Marie Taglione Ballet School in Modena, Italy. Francesca studied there until she was Thirteen, at which time she added to her experience by studying Jazz and Contemporary Dance in France at the International Ballet School Ecole Seperieure de Danse De Cannes Rosella Hightower. It was here that Francesca trained under the direction of such International Masters as Daniel Frank (Opera de Paris), Jose Ferran, Monica Saez, Rosella Hightower and Claud Winzer. At the age of Fifteen, Francesca was training at a professional level as she returned home to study with Donatella Sturam whom had retired from Aterballetto, one of the foremost ballet companies in Italy. At the age of Twenty-one Francesca began to teach ballet everday to young students, and she hasn't stopped since! In addition to performing and teaching, Francesca has choreographed performances of Aladdin, Don Quixote, The Never Ending Story, An American in Paris, Alice in Wonderland, Pipi Calze Lunghe and Mozart Rondo. Francesca describes herself as a great lover of the arts. She has also studied Mime and Opera, and has designed scenographies for use in the theater. In addition to her long list of accomplishments, Francesca has attained the GOLD bar of the National Dance Council of America, a wonderful honor! We are more than pleased to have Francesca as a part of our teaching family at NPAC, and we look forward to many great years together!GERRY GRANAHAN brings us expertise in the field of music dating as far back as the 1950's! In fact, from 1958 well into the 60's, Gerry charted several hit songs as both a singer and songwriter, including the signature tune of the former MY BOYFRIEND'S BACK. Gerry was one of the more influential producers of pop rock on the East Coast during this era, as well as being a highly successful recording artist working under several different aliases! Gerry has remained involved in the music industry in various capacities throughout the years, and his career takes him back and forth from the East Coast to the West Coast. He remains busy promoting young people in the music industry and negotiating with record lables to sign his talented students! Mr. Granahan is also a former VP at Paramount Records. He currently teaches voice at several studios in the New England area, and we're thrilled to have him as a part of our teaching staff!