From conducting Broadway musicals in such venues as the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles to leading summer orchestral performances for thousands of concert-goers across Central New York, Travis understands and facilitates the important connection between audience members and orchestral musicians.

As a guest conductor with the Syracuse ...

From conducting Broadway musicals in such venues as the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles to leading summer orchestral performances for thousands of concert-goers across Central New York, Travis understands and facilitates the important connection between audience members and orchestral musicians.

As a guest conductor with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Symphoria, and The Syracuse Orchestra, Travis has led performances of a wide variety of repertoire, including Pops, Classical and Film music. He has also collaborated with well-known composers, including conducting the world premiere of Academy Award-nominated composer Patrick Doyle’s score for the silent film “IT” at the 2013 Syracuse International Film Festival.

Currently, Travis is interim Dean of the Carroll College of Arts and Sciences at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY, where he was the founding conductor of the Le Moyne College Symphony Orchestra. He studied violin performance and conducting at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and also holds an BMA from Le Moyne College and PH.D. in Arts Administration from the University of Kentucky.

Larry Crabtree is 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 ...

Larry Crabtree is 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 (ARAD).
He was a member of the Peter Pucci Plus Dancers-NYC, Shore Ballet-NJ, New Jersey Ballet, and New York Theatre Ballet, among others. He has toured nationally and internationally appearing at such venues as Lincoln Center, Joyce & Joyce Soho, The New Victory Theater, Edinburgh Festival, and throughout the United States,
Switzerland, Mexico, as well as dance appearances on nationally televised programs. As a teacher, Larry has been at Dance Centre North since 2006 and has been an Adjunct Faculty member at Le Moyne College, Syracuse University, a faculty member for Circle in the Square Theater School (NYC), the STEPS Studios (NYC), and New Jersey Ballet (NJ). Larry is the original Director/Choreographer of CNY Arts – Dasher’s Magical Gift and has had his choreography presented at the International Building Conference, in numerous Le Moyne Gifford Family Theatre/ Boot-n-Buskin productions, and for various musical/movement for actor collaborations in NYC, locally, and in Vermont.

David Slocum, a creative and experienced dance instructor, has been teaching and sharing his love for dance for over 25 years throughout Central New York. With a background in Ballet, Jazz, and modern-based contemporary dance, David has performed both classical and contemporary works with the Central New York Ballet, Dance ...

David Slocum, a creative and experienced dance instructor, has been teaching and sharing his love for dance for over 25 years throughout Central New York. With a background in Ballet, Jazz, and modern-based contemporary dance, David has performed both classical and contemporary works with the Central New York Ballet, Dance Centre North, and Upstate New York Ballet. He has contributed pieces to countless community concerts and dance festivals and has created award-winning choreography for many dance studios in the area. David was also awarded an Individual Artists Grant from the New York State Council of the Arts for an original work to commemorate National Dance Week. David has instructed classes at workshops for Dance Masters of America (D.M.A.) and the National Association of Dance Affiliated Artists (N.A.D.A.A.) and was certified through the Dance Educators of America Teacher Training Program. David has helped many students apply and be accepted into the New York State School of the Arts (N.Y.S.S.A.), Joffrey Ballet programs, as well as universities and colleges including The Ailey School at Fordham University, Columbia University, Rutgers University, the State University of New York at Buffalo, Marymount Manhattan College,
and Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Diana Torba earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Political Science from Barnard College, Columbia University. Her Bronx-based company, St. Michael’s Warriors, regularly performed across the East Coast, and on two international tours.  Upon returning to Syracuse, Diana founded SpeakDanceCNY, which regularly performs original dance works. Often ...

Diana Torba earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Political Science from Barnard College, Columbia University. Her Bronx-based company, St. Michael’s Warriors, regularly performed across the East Coast, and on two international tours.  Upon returning to Syracuse, Diana founded SpeakDanceCNY, which regularly performs original dance works. Often collaborating with various musical artists, Ms. Torba’s choreography paves new ways to electrify audiences with professional dance in CNY!

Ariella received her early dance training at Dance Centre North which included summer intensives at New York State Summer School of the Arts School of Ballet & Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Ariella furthered her dance education at the Purchase College SUNY Conservatory of Dance. While there she performed works ...

Ariella received her early dance training at Dance Centre North which included summer intensives at New York State Summer School of the Arts School of Ballet & Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Ariella furthered her dance education at the Purchase College SUNY Conservatory of Dance. While there she performed works by George Balanchine, Betty Jane Sills and former Martha Graham dancer Stephanie Tooman. She was selected to perform with American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company with work by Stanton Welch. Ariella found her true love in teaching while assisting Francis Patrelle’s Pre-Professional classes at Ballet Academy East in NYC. Ballet Academy East became Ariella’s new home where she taught for 18 years. Working alongside world renowned dancers and teachers (Elizabeth Walker, Olga Dvorovenko, Cornell Crabtree) she also received teacher training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Ariella was also on faculty at the Eglevsky Ballet directed by Maurice Brandon Curry and was children’s ballet mistress to Francis Patrelle’s Nutcracker. Ariella loves bringing her passion for dance and teaching to her hometown. Ariella is currently on staff at Dance Centre North.

For 38 years, Dance Centre North – located in Syracuse, New York, has served the Central New York Community as a superb training ground for young dancers. Dance Centre North offers Classical Ballet – Pas de deux – Variations – Jazz – Musical Theatre – Tap – Conditioning and Modern/Contemporary Dance Classes. We are a school ...

For 38 years, Dance Centre North – located in Syracuse, New York, has served the Central New York Community as a superb training ground for young dancers. Dance Centre North offers Classical Ballet – Pas de deux – Variations – Jazz – Musical Theatre – Tap – Conditioning and Modern/Contemporary Dance Classes. We are a school dedicated to aspiring students striving for excellence in artistry and the pure joy of movement. Dance Centre North is supported by a professional, proven and experienced faculty and offers numerous performance opportunities for their students throughout the year.

Classical Ballet is at the core of Dance Centre North’s education in dance training, the school encompasses elements of the Vaganova, Cecchetti and Royal Ballet techniques, with 10 levels in the curriculum purposefully intended to encourage incremental growth sufficient for the student’s age and physical development. To ensure our students' progress Dance Centre North provides year-round classes including a Summer Studies Program which is vital for mastering the technical training of a dancer.

The dedicated staff at Dance Centre North develop and reinforce the talents of their students, enabling them to gain technical and performance expertise needed for the stage. The rewards of this training are not only graceful and strong dancers, but young people able to use the skills they have acquired while training in dance, in both their academic education and in other future endeavors. Disciplining their minds and bodies while incorporating the etiquette of a ballet classroom results in a well-mannered and respectful environment.

In this nurturing environment students enhance their cognitive skills, attention capacities, memory abilities and sensory awareness, as well as mature physically, emotionally and socially. In addition, your child will develop teamwork skills as they cooperate with their classmates toward a common goal. These are the overall benefits of dance on a developing child, which are a necessity for life skills and academic
development.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Dance!
 “And I hope you dance!!”

Cathy Napolitano Mucci
Director