|||||

Instructor Biographies

MIRIAM ALOUF, born in Israel, is a board certified teacher graduate from WIZO teacher’s seminar and the London School of Arts where she studied Ceramics and Sculpture. Her work was shown in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and New York. She taught soldiers Arts and Crafts while she served in the Israeli army. In addition, Miriam was the founder of the Ceramic Center in Great Neck where she held art classes and parties for 25 years.

ARSHAK ANDRIASOV, a New York-born composer, pianist, conductor and teacher, has been surrounded by music all his life. Arshak began playing piano at the age of three and was accepted into the Lucy Moses School of Music when he was six. He has performed concerts at the Merkin Concert Hall, Abraham Goodman House, Steinway Hall and the Lang Recital Hall. His musical compositions draw on a vast array of musical resources ranging from Armenian folk music to Russian classical musical with certain elements of American jazz, while also using means of contemporary language to create a complex system of juxtaposition.

JUDE AMSEL, a photographer, ceramist, and glass artist, exhibits her works in galleries nationwide. Her work is represented in museums, public spaces, and is in many celebrity collections. Jude was selected by the State of New York to create a commemorative work of the fallen firefighters of September 11, 2001 at the New York City Fire Museum. In 2003 she was presented the GNAC Artist of Distinction award, bestowed to an individual artist or art activist whose work in the field has been outstanding and deserving of recognition. Visit www.clayscreen.com.

JENNIFER ANDERSEN, an artist and teacher, graduated from Queens College where she received an award for excellence in fine arts. Jennifer also played a part in the 2006 art festival at the Waverly School of the Arts and the 2007 art festival for the Uniondale Public School District. Her specialties include drawing, painting, collage, and ceramics. Aside from her artistic endeavors, Jennifer has also studied acrobatics and gymnastics for more than twelve years. She studied at, and performed for, Gardiners Avenue Saturday Dance program in acrobatics, as well as taught there for three years.

EVELYN BALASSANIAN started dancing at age 8. By age 12 she was training in Russia and at 14 she was performing as a soloist with major European dancers, teachers and choreographers: George Balanchine in Serenade; John Butler in Schehrazade; Morris Bejar; Robert DuWarren; Robert; and Inga Urazgildier. In the U.S. she joined the Dance Theatre of Long Island with artistic director and international choreographer, Ali Pourfarrokh. For 15 years she taught and choreographed ballet at the Long Island School of Dance and Berest School of Dance. She continues to teach and dance with the American Theatre Dance and Eglevsky Ballet.

BENJAMIN BENFIELD is an artist and teacher who graduated from the University of Vermont where he studied painting with Frank Owen. He has participated in a number of group art exhibitions in the Burlington, Vermont area and has worked as a professional illustrator. Ben has more than six years experience teaching sailing to children ages seven to seventeen on Long Island. He is currently enrolled in a Masters of Science program in Art Education at Long Island University, C.W. Post.

ABBEY BOKLAN & PETER SUTTON are avid social ballroom dancers who have taught social dancing on Carnival, Costa, Celebrity, and NCL cruise lines. For the past six years, Abbey and Peter have studied in New York and Buenos Aires with great tango masters including Guillermina Guiroga and Mariel Franganillo of Forever Tango, Gustavo Rosas, Osvaldo Zotto, Lorena Ermocida, and Juan Carlos Copes.

JOSE BOLIVAR Jose performed and taught Break Dancing and Power Moves in dance clubs on Long Island and Queens. In 2003, after a visit to the Copacabana in New York City, he took an interest in Latin dance, joined a ballroom dance school and became a dance instructor managing the Salsa and Latin dance department. Jose has been teaching and performing for 10 years. He is also a certified personal trainer with 6 years of experience and a Latin Instructor at Rhythms and Soul Dance Studio and GNAC.

CHASEY DEAN attended the Juilliard School and was a member of the Pete Rugolo/ Stan Kenton and Charlie Barnett Orchestras. From 1956-60 he played with Xavier Cugat and Abbey Lane. He also played four years at the Copacabana and frequently on Broadway. He has played with all the jazz greats. He currently teaches saxophone, clarinet, oboe and flute privately.

GLADYS DIAZ-CEPEDA is a professional dancer, teacher and choreographer. She earned her B.A. Degree at CUNY Hunter College. She holds a Department of Education certification in Dance Education and is a certified Zumba instructor. She has performed with various professional Modern and Mambo Dance Companies in the U.S. and Europe. Gladys has also had the opportunity to dance in music videos, instructional dance videos and television. She is a very passionate dancer and teacher and is very excited to teach Zumba!!

DAVID DODDS Dave found his true calling in the percussion section. Years of classical training built a strong technical and musical foundation for him while real-world experience with a number of different jazz, rock, and fusion bands helped him develop. His focus lies on timbre, musicality, dynamics and taste. His style of classically grounded, jazzy beats can be heard with a number of NY/New England artists including his favorite project, the independent jam band Blake & The Family Dog.

JONATHAN GELLERT has taught Acting at such venues as UCLA, NYU, New World College of the Arts, Ossining High School and Great Neck North High School where he currently teaches and directs productions. Jonathan received his MFA in Theater Directing from UCLA and his MA in Theater Education from Emerson College. He has appeared Off-Broadway and in many regional theaters and is a member of both AEA and SAG.

BERNIE GENZER worked for 30 years in New York City as a Speech Arts and Drama teacher. He has 15 years coaching experience for the Richmond Hill High School fencing team in New York and 15 years experience coaching the Great Neck Public Schools fencing teams. Mr. Genzer presently referees for Nassau County High Schools.

ENIKA GJOKORECI, a piano teacher for over 20 years, began teaching applied piano and piano class at the Artistic Lyceum (the best music school in the country) after graduating from the Academy of Arts in Tirana/Albania. She has taught all ages and levels and her piano students have been accepted in the most prestigious music schools throughout Europe and the United States. In addition, Enika is a very active soloist and chamber musician. Recitals in New York brought her to venues such as: Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Flushing Town Hall, LeFrack, Colden Center, and Bronx Community College.

LISA HITCHCOCK is a multimedia artist and award winning graphic designer. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of C.W. Post, Long Island University with a BFA in Digital Arts and Design. In addition to digital arts, Lisa also works on a variety of fine arts projects including mural painting, drawing, illustration and cartooning. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Art Education at Queens College.

CONSUELA Y. HOLMES holds a B.F.A. in modern dance from TCU. She has taught ages 2 through adult for over 10 years. Ms. Holmes has danced professionally and taught dance workshops throughout the states as well as overseas (S. Africa, Australia, and New Zealand). One of her greatest joys is to see the benefits of dance instilling self-confidence and discipline which shapes lives of children for years to come.

ASIYA KALENDAR is from Tashkent, Uzbekistan where she received her Master’s Degree from the Tashkent Conservatory. In 1972, she joined the faculty of Tashkent’s Music School No. 21 as the principal choral conductor and senior instructor in music history, theory and Solfeggio. As a skilled piano teacher, Mrs. Kalendar has brought her students at the GNAC to a high level of accomplishment; many going on to study at the Manhattan School of Music and other distinguished music schools. Her students consistently achieve top scores at the NYSSMA competition each year.

EDWARD KALENDAR – was born in the former Soviet Republic of Tajikistan. He studied classical composition with Aram Khachaturian. His music was played on the radio and television throughout the Soviet Union and Europe. He studied conducting with legendary Pierre Boulez and by 1975, Mr. Kalendar was a famous songwriter and composer of over twenty-five film scores. Among major prizes in musical composition, he was awarded the prestigious title of “Honored Artist of the Republic” in Russia in 1988. In 1994 he joined the faculty at GNAC. A concert at Alice Tully Hall in 2006 marks his most recent appearance.

AVIVA KHADRA (A.K.A Mele Loki), Director of the Harem Belly Dance Studio, is a performer, teacher, and choreographer of Middle Eastern, Hawaiian and Tahitian dance. Performance credits: Lincoln Center, NY, Epcot Center, FL, several resorts in the Poconos, television, as well as, nightclubs and restaurants in NYC and the tri-state area. Aviva has studied with world renowned Morocco of NYC, Tarik Sultan, Renate, Deborah Maltese, and Katerina, PA. She is also a former member of Casbah Dance Experience, Casablanca International, Turkish Delights, Goddesses Bas Harem and Harem Belly Dance Troupe.

DANIEL KLEIN has studied vocal pedagogy with legendary teachers Judith Oas Natalucci and David Jones. His performance training has come from Sherrill Milnes, Jerome Hines, Carlo Bergonzi, and Martina Arroyo, among others. He received a Masters of Music in Vocal Arts from the University of Southern California and his BFA in Vocal Performance from Carnegie Mellon University. Daniel has appeared with the Los Angeles Opera, Opera Pacific, Pittsburgh Opera, Bolshoi Opera, and the Aspen Music Festival. He has sung in major concert halls including Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and the New Israeli Opera House.

JUDY LEFF is the Director/Owner of While They’re Little, a company she started after her second child was born. She and her teachers have all been trained to teach Music Together by the Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, NJ. In addition to the Mixed Age Music Together classes, While They’re Little also offers Babies Only classes as well as Music Together in a Pre-school setting. Additional information about Music Together classes can be found at www.whiletheyrelittle.com.

MICHAEL J. MACALUSO is the President of Architots® Inc. and has been delivering unique Architectural programs to New York City students since the opening of the Architots design studio in 2002. He is the creator and lead instructor of the award winning Architots Curriculum and has been a member of M.J. Macaluso and Associates Architects since 2000.

ANNA MALZONE has sung in New York, Boston and California and toured Italy and Canada as a soloist. Anna received her B.F.A. in Vocal Performance and a M.A. in Music History from Long Island University. Recent performances included opera scenes with the Long Island Opera Workshop and in the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra’s “Don Giovanni”. She has also been engaged to do lecture /recitals on musical subjects. Ms. Malzone has been teaching Voice and Piano for 8 years. She has prepared students for recitals, competitions, College, Broadway and NYSSMA.

GLENN MANION has been playing the guitar since 1969. In 1983, he and his musical partner and wife, Suzanne Smithline, formed “Squeaky Clean”, which specializes in presenting classic rock and roll in schools, theaters, and the like. The group made regular appearances on Nickelodeon’s “Eureka’s Castle” for several years. As a songwriter, he has received awards from ASCAP and the SKC/ New York Music Awards, BA New York University.

JENNIFER MORAITIS has been dancing since the age of four. After dancing for over ten years Jennifer began teaching classes of her own to students ranging in age from age 2 through 13 in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and pointe. Most recently, Jennifer has begun teaching classes to adults as well. She is a current dance major at Queens College and has been a part of the Queens College dance team for the past year.

MARILYN MOSKOWITZ is a visual artist who has studied with some of the great artists of our time (Milton Glaser, Fairfield Porter, Jack Levine and Elisabeth Osborn). She is imbued with a deep respect for the figurative tradition and the endless challenges for artists working within the broad spectrum of the tradition. Her work has won numerous awards and is included in many corporate and private collections. B.F.A., University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

STEFAN PAOLINI, pianist, keyboardist and singer has composed and performed extensively in the genres of jazz, classical, rock, and experimental music. He is a founding member of the Long Island Opera Workshop, and his performance credits include Alice Tully and Carnegie Hall. He studied music and graduated Cum Laude from CUNY Queens College with several music-related awards, and was the recipient of the Carl Schachter Scholarship. Stefan is presently engaged in various musical projects, including a jazz trio; avant-garde duo; and metal band.
 

ANNIE PASQUA, a singer, pianist, and composer whose performance credits include Carnegie Hall, Nassau Coliseum as well as an appearance on Good Morning America with Kenny G. Annie received her B.S. in Music Education from New York University and Masters in Composition from Queens College. Annie has been a composer/lyricist in the BMI Lehman Engel Music Theater Writing Workshop in Manhattan and has musical directed works premiered at New World Stages and the York Theater. Annie is currently workshopping her new musical, Tess (based on Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles) with her sister Jenna in Manhattan.

BENNY REID is a graduate of the prestigious Indiana University, is a Concord Records Recording Artist and endorser of Selmer Saxophones and Vandoren Reeds. He has played with numerous acclaimed musicians and bands including Frankie Valli, The Temptations, Chico O’Farril Band, among others. He currently leads his own group around the world and is recording his sophomore album due out next year. He teaches saxophone, flute and clarinet. For more info visit www.bennyreid.com.

CAROL ROSENTHAL has been a loving and enthusiastic art teacher for over 25 years. With energy and creativity that is infectious, Carol specializes in awesome hand-made books & journals, magical paper creations, hand-painted clothing, drawing, painting, and a wide variety of unique and exciting art projects using multi-media. When not teaching children she is providing staff development, workshops and courses for teachers. She serves on the GNAC Art Advisory Committee.

JASON SAGEBIEL, a composer and guitarist (M.A., CUNY), has performed at Merkin Hall, the Symphony Space, Brandeis University, Sara Lawrence College, LeFrak Concert Hall, and Carnegie Hall. Though busy as an active performer who has given several world premieres, Jason remains a committed teacher. He is on the faculty of the Great Neck Arts Center and teaches classical guitar at Queens College through the BAMM program. With an emphasis on pedagogy and clear instruction, he is also the director of the Queens Guitar Society. Please visit www.sagebiel-music.com for more information!

JOEL SALMAN is a Professional Chess Master and one of LI’s top ten players who teaches chess full time in several Nassau County School districts. He defeated a Grand Master in 1998 at the US Masters, received the international title of FIDE Master in 1994, and was awarded the Life Master (1993) and the National Master (1992) titles from the United Chess Federation. His experience as a tournament arbiter and organizer includes competitions for Inter-national Grandmasters. BA in Mathematics, Johns Hopkins University.

KRISTIN SAWYER teaches violin and viola lessons to students ages 4 through adult. She has performed with the Roanoke and Charlottesville Symphony Orchestras in 2000-2003. In addition, she has participated in many Fallchamber music and orchestra festivals and most recently has toured throughout Italy as both a chamber musician and soloist. In New York City, Ms. Sawyer has performed in Carnegie Halls’ Isaac Stern Auditorium and Weill Recital Hall. Ms. Sawyer continues her studies in violin with Daniel and Todd Phillips.

CHARLENE SLOANE has found that the beading art form inspires her most. Charlene has studied at FIT, the Long Island Embroidery Guild of America and with numerous craftsmen from all over America. Charlene’s beadwork has been published in Bead and Button and has exhibited at World of Beads V and VI at the Museum of Arts and Design in NY. Charlene was also the recipient of best mixed media artwork in a juried art show at The Guild Hall Gallery in East Hampton, New York.

DANIEL PITT STOLLER is an actor, director, and playwright. He holds an MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. His musical, Benjamin Starling was produced in 2004 at the Spirit of Broadway Theatre in Connecticut. Danny has previously taught creative workshops for the Wingspan Arts Center, Making Books Sing, and Junior Levels. He has also contributed musical theatre study materials for Camp Broadway in New York City.

LESLEY STOLLER, a NYS Licensed Music Teacher with an MA in Psychology. He has been teaching Music for the NYC Department of Education at Queens Children’s Psychiatric Center for nineteen years. Mr. Stoller is a permanent Member of the BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theater Workshop where he developed his new Musical, The Talking Cure. He is an ongoing contributor to The Night Kitchen Radio Theater, and recently conducted his original score for their production of The Emperor’s New Clothes at The Kennedy Center’s Family Theater. Mr. Stoller is excited to be part of the GNAC staff.

KATYA SURRENCE began studying ballet at the age of five with Mahri Coshever. After adding jazz, tap, ballroom, voice, and acting to her training, she performed in various regional ballet companies, musicals, films and in revues and on cruise ships. She has taught in California, the Bahamas, Japan, Guam, New Jersey, and in New York. Katya believes that proper technique is important but must be combined with the joy of movement as well.

LANCELOT THEOBALD Jr. a former professional football player with the Italian Football League, has performed on Broadway in Indigo dancers and at the Metropolitan Opera, Sampson et Delilah. He has trained with George Faison, Frank Hatchett, Geoffrey Holder and Ted Levy. Lance’s choreography has been seen at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, CBS, NBC, Mary Tyler Moore’s walkathon for diabetes research, and more. He has choreographed for the New York Knick City Dancers and choreographed and assistant directed the promotional tour and video for the hip-hop artist REYN and Motown’s R&B artist Lateaf’s music video.

DENA WEINER, a graduate of Bank Street College of Education has been working in early childhood education for over 10 years. Her experience with primary art and drama has always been a focus to her classroom teaching. Dena feels that using a multidisciplinary approach to teaching has always helped her students absorb their knowledge. Her classroom has been described as "edutainment" Now a mom of two young girls Dena uses her developmental understanding to help children express themselves through different mediums and helps parents and caregivers become better parents through the language of praise.

RITA WILMERS, a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology and a fashion designer in NYC for 25 years, decided to pass on her knowledge of design and sewing. In 2000, Rita created a fashion design program for 7-12 year olds and teens at the Art Lab in Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island. She participated in the Lincoln Center Institute teaching workshops receiving a National Educator Workshop certificate, 2006. Rita has developed and taught after school programs for Community Works, NYCID, 21St Century and ESL classes. Rita’s work is currently featured in the new TV series Gossip Girl.

ANNETTE ZBODULA has been working in ceramics since 1981. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder where she studied with Betty Woodman. Annette’s wheel thrown bowls, plates and vase forms are enhanced with brushwork and varied textures borrowed from nature. A professional potter, her clay work is named after her original space of Speakeasy Pottery.

SERVING LONG ISLAND AND THE NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA FOR OVER FIFTEEN YEARS

113 Middle Neck Road | Great Neck, NY 11021 | (516) 829-2570