Staff
Carol Mezzacappa
As a performer Carol danced at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music in addition to numerous NYC theaters, off-Broadway, across the United States and in Europe, as a featured dancer in regional operatic and theatrical productions, and on television. Carol was the resident choreographer of the Regina Opera Company.
Carol directed dances, choreographed original works, and taught in NYC's finest institutions, among them are: Teachers College Columbia University, NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Brooklyn College, Purchase College, the Fieldston School for Ethical Culture, and the Poly Prep Country Day School. She has also taught for university, college and independent dance programs across the United States, as well as in England, Canada, and Taiwan.
Carol was named the Year 2000 Fine Arts Artist/Scholar in Residence by the University of Nebraska and the 2000 Distinguished Lecturer for the School of Health Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. In 1997, Carol was one of 13 artists/companies honored by the University of Nebraska at Omaha for her contributions to the modern dance world. While in her hometown, in 1998, she was the recipient of the Performing Arts Award bestowed upon her by Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes honoring important Brooklynites of Italian-American Heritage.
Carol held a B.S. in Dance and an M.F.A. in Performing Arts Management, both from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, as well as an Intermediate Certificate in Labanotation from the Dance Notation Bureau. She served as an Advisory Board Member for the Charles Weidman Dance Foundation, the Dance Professional Associates, and the Beacon IS 220 (Pershing) Community Program.
Carol served as a consultant for the Dance Directory. She has also served as a panelist for the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts, Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden's Civic Conference, the New York Foundation for the Arts, PASE – The Partnership for After School Education, and the Brooklyn Arts Council. She was the Dance Coordinator for the Brooklyn College Preparatory Center for the Performing Arts from 1983-1992 and also worked in the Development Department of The New York City Ballet and as comptroller for Nappi/Eliran Advertising, a theatrical advertising agency in NYC.
Carol led professional development training sessions, not only for YDR’s staff members, but also for the Directors and staff of The After School Corporation (TASC) and PASE’s New York City sites. In addition, she also provided professional development sessions for NYC Board of Education dance and academic teachers of grades K-8.
Carol passed on October 12, 2004.
Craig Gabrian
, Executive Director, is a founding Director of Young Dancers in Repertory. As a dancer/choreographer, he performed as part of Dance Consort: Mezzacappa Gabrian performing in his own works, and works by Carol Mezzacappa, dance pioneer Charles Weidman, and former Humphrey-Weidman dancers. Dance Consort has been presented at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, along with other presenters across the country. Craig has also performed as guest artist with other modern dance companies in NYC and the Midwest, as well as with regional and touring musical theater companies.Craig has been working in the Humphrey-Weidman Technique for over 25 years. For 10 years he worked with master choreographer/teacher Harriette Ann Gray, as a dancer and soloist with her company. He has also worked with other Humphrey-Weidman dancers of the 1930’s and 40's including Peter Hamilton, Nona Schurman, Ernestine Stodelle, Beatrice Seckler and Lee Sherman. Along with teaching and choreographing for Dance Consort and Young Dancers in Repertory, Craig has choreographed for other professional, regional and college dance and theater productions. Craig has combined his B.F.A. in Dance from Stephens College and his degree in Education from the University of Missouri at Columbia with years of professional experience, to help develop the Arts-in-Education programming for Young Dancers in Repertory, servicing private and public schools throughout NYC along with both in-school and after school programs.
June December
, Office Manager since October 2000, with sixteen years of experience in the corporate world as an Insurance Broker with a large New York firm. In conjunction with her corporate experience, June assisted in the running of the Brooklyn College Preparatory Center for the Performing Arts office which provided dance, music and theater classes for children of ages 3 to 18 years old. June holds a Bachelors Degree in Performing Arts specializing in Dance from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York.Molly Campbell, Instructor, B.A. Dance, University at Buffalo. She has been a dance instructor for two years and was involved in various sports programs prior to that. Since joing YDR she has provided instruction via our Arts in Education program and our after school programs. Molly has performed with the Regina Opera company and has done much volunteer work with children of special needs. YDR staff since October 2005.
Jenny Chang, Instructor, holds a BFA in dance, Marymount Manhattan College. Jenny has performed with Times Square Millennium Extravaganza, A Tribute to Leonard Bernstein, HOT FEET, and the Greater Lansing Ballet Co. Jenny is also a NYC Physical therapy aide. YDR staff since 2006.
Mary Johnna DiClementi
, Instructor, MS Reading, Brooklyn College; BFA Dance, Marymount Manhattan College; founding member YDR's Touring Ensemble. Has performed with local New York City dance companies. Certified Teacher New York City Board of Education, P.S. 244. YDR staff since 2002.Stephanie Fagen
Alaine Handa, Instructor, attended the University of California, Los Angeles for Dance. Alaine has choreographed for Third Culture Kids, Breathe Easy, Matrix, Que Sera Sera, V.I.C.T.I.M., Utopia, Spiritual Decay, and The Exodus. Alaine is a Co-Artistic Director of The Movement Collective.
Madeline Hoak, Instructor, holds a B.A. Theater and Dance, Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. Ms. Hoak has worked as Director and Playwright of the KidSpot Theatre Company, has been an actor and educator for Children’s Stage Adventures, Inc. and was an Instructor and choreographer at the Stage Door Workshop. Madeline has performed with the Flea Theater, the Ice House and the Foothills Theater. YDR staff since 10/2006.
Felicia Kennerly, Instructor, BFA Dance, City College of CUNY. Has participated in SUMMER DANCE Intensive programs at Harvard University in Massachusetts. She has performed with a number of companies including the Freeman Repertory Ensemble, Rod Rodgers Dance Company and Nova Dance Company. Ms. Kennerly is in the progress of choreographing "A Kennerly Christmas Carol" and has also choreographed for the Staten Island Conservatory of Music and the Rosetta Lenoire Eubie Blake Amas Musical Theatre. YDR staff since 2006.
Ann Mazzocca, Instructor. MA in Dance, University of California. Since May 2003, Ann has been performing with Mikerline Haitian Dance Company. Ann has choreographed OGUN for Springfield College in MA, and DREAMS--IBO for the Bloomfield High School Cultural Dance Ensemble, among other pieces. Ann currently teaches YOGA.
Doreen Miranda, Education Associate/Program Manager, Instructor, BA Forensic Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts for dance. Doreen formed MIRANDANCE, a Brooklyn based dance company in 2000. Doreen has taught dance for Education in Dance and was the Performing Arts Director at the Beacon School of P.S. 314. Doreen has performed with TomasianEntertainment and VeritaProd Productions. YDR staff since 2003. Currently running YDR's OST after-school program at P.S. 127.
Veronica Reid
, Instructor, is a native Brooklynite and has been performing with Dance Consort since 1996. She has been a dance instructor at YDR's Center for Dance Studies and Outreach Programs since 1995. She is also a licensed dance teacher for the NYC Board of Education, and a certified fitness instructor and personal trainer. Veronica has performed with several NYC-based modern dance companies and for two regional opera companies. She has a BFA in dance from Marymount Manhattan College.Trayer Run-Kowzun, Instructor, received her BFA in dance from the National Institute of the Arts in Taipei, Taiwan. Since coming to New York in 1993, Tsuio has developed an openness of mind and a sensitivity to other multicultural dance forms. In Hong Kong and Taipei, Taiwan, she performed in the International Festival of Dance Academies. In the US, she dances with Premiere Dance Theater, Freeman Repertory Dance Company, Dianne Eno/fusion Danceworks, Azahar/Estelle Eichenberger, Artpartners/Tsehaya & Company Inc, and the staff of Young Dancers in Repertory. She received a "Modern Tradition Workshop" Scholarship at Jacob’s Pillow. In recent years, she has continued her studies in Horton Technique with Tee Ross and Milton Myers. She teaches at Premier Dance Theater, and Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club - Performing Arts in addition to Young Dancers in Repertory. Following her choreographic debut at MFA Choreographic Project Showing at Temple University, her creative works have been performed by herself and her students.
Maralin Springer, Instructor, graduated from John Dewey H.S. in June 2000. She attended Sage Junior College in Albany and Hunter College in New York. She is currently studying small business management at home and hopes to publish her second book of poetry sometime this year.
Zoe Scheiber
Julie Turner, Instructor, holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Southern Mississippi. She has danced in the DNA Student Performance workshop, Dance Space Works, Cool New York Dance Festival and the D.U.M.B.O. Dance Festival in NYC.
Kelly Williams, Instructor, holds a BFA Degree in Dance from the Florida State University and an AA Degree in Modern Dance from the Florida School of the Performing Arts. She just finished a season dancing with the Demetruis Klein Dance Company in South Florida. Kelly has had the opportunity to study and dance with such dance companies and dance programs as: Mikhail Baryshnikov and the White Oak Dance Project, Garth Fagan Dance Company, Boglisi Forman Company, principal members of the Martha Graham Dance Company, Anne Carlson, Chris Berdenside, Pacific Repertory Ballet and Dance, Florida Dance Festival, and Florida Dance Masters. Kelly has also danced for the Venus International Model Search (televised January 2000 on E TV), and was a RHUMBA Dancer for Anheuser-Bush. Kelly is currently in the Work-Study Program at Dance Space Center in Manhattan where she is further continuing her dance training.