Ballet Instruction by Erin Drennan, Director
Erin danced with the New York Dance Theatre in principal roles including Dew Drop & Snow Queen in NYDT’s The Nutcracker, Frank Ohman’s Pavanne variation, which was set for her, the lead in Ohman’s Fantasia, among dozens of other roles. She has also danced with the FAITH Project Dancers, Perfections Dance Company, and in many regional and local productions. Erin has performed works by Maxine Steinman, Donald Mahler, Diane Lichtenberger, Frank Ohman, Regina Hill and Gregory Youdan. Performing has come second only to her teaching and choreography career. Erin has choreographed and produced a repertoire of ballet’s including A Midsummer’s Eve, Fantasia, The Firebird, That Awful Cinderella, Stormy Weather, Red House, Birth of the Blues and her upcoming work: Ballet’s Greatest Ghost Stories. Erin has studied and performed under the direction of many sought-after teachers including Wilhelm Burmann, David Howard and Stacy Caddell. She has molded hundreds of students and has had the privilege of teaching many upcoming stars of professional dance, including Trenk Kowalik, the Tony award winning star of Billy Elliot, the musical. Erin began teaching dance in the West Islip public school system. Her training began as a dancer and student of master instructors Frank Ohman, former soloist with the New York City Ballet, Diane Licthenberger and Stacy Caddell.
Erin is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. As a Project Plié Partner Teacher, Erin is bringing the initiative to Long Island and to her organization, Integral Ballet. Project Plié is an initiative founded by American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in 2013 to increase diversity in the art form of classical ballet. In commitment to the mission of Project Plié, Ms. Drennan teaches classes at The Freeport Recreation aimed at introducing children to classical ballet. Throughout the semester at the community center, she identifies students with exceptional interest and commitment who otherwise would not be able to afford classes and provides them with scholarships for further study at Integral Ballet. Integral Ballet is working with Project Plié's efforts towards the crucial goal of increasing racial and ethnic diversity in America's ballet companies.
Erin received training primarily in the Balanchine aesthetic and also studied Cecchetti and Vaganova. Erin has studied tap, jazz and modern dance at local and regional schools including Steps, Broadway Dance Center, Alvin Ailey, the Dance Forum in addition to her degree program at Hofstra University. Erin received a B.A., cum laude with high honors, in Communications at Hofstra University with an emphasis in Dance, and continued her studies at St. John’s University Post Graduate School of Education.
Erin became a certified yoga instructor and registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance through Into This World Teacher Training, under the guidance of Suzanne Cardinal. Erin is certified in Acrobatique® Acro for Dancers for Pre-Junior 3 level. Erin is also certified in Progressing Ballet Technique® program, bringing the best in dance education to her students.
Erin is the Artistic Director and resident choreographer of the FAITH Dance Project, a professional/student collaboration that donates performance proceeds to various charities including Dreas Dream, the American Lung Association and Autism Speaks, through annual performances and educational program.
Erin is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. As a Project Plié Partner Teacher, Erin is bringing the initiative to Long Island and to her organization, Integral Ballet. Project Plié is an initiative founded by American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in 2013 to increase diversity in the art form of classical ballet. In commitment to the mission of Project Plié, Ms. Drennan teaches classes at The Freeport Recreation aimed at introducing children to classical ballet. Throughout the semester at the community center, she identifies students with exceptional interest and commitment who otherwise would not be able to afford classes and provides them with scholarships for further study at Integral Ballet. Integral Ballet is working with Project Plié's efforts towards the crucial goal of increasing racial and ethnic diversity in America's ballet companies.
Erin received training primarily in the Balanchine aesthetic and also studied Cecchetti and Vaganova. Erin has studied tap, jazz and modern dance at local and regional schools including Steps, Broadway Dance Center, Alvin Ailey, the Dance Forum in addition to her degree program at Hofstra University. Erin received a B.A., cum laude with high honors, in Communications at Hofstra University with an emphasis in Dance, and continued her studies at St. John’s University Post Graduate School of Education.
Erin became a certified yoga instructor and registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance through Into This World Teacher Training, under the guidance of Suzanne Cardinal. Erin is certified in Acrobatique® Acro for Dancers for Pre-Junior 3 level. Erin is also certified in Progressing Ballet Technique® program, bringing the best in dance education to her students.
Erin is the Artistic Director and resident choreographer of the FAITH Dance Project, a professional/student collaboration that donates performance proceeds to various charities including Dreas Dream, the American Lung Association and Autism Speaks, through annual performances and educational program.
Allison Venturi, Tap Instructor/Dance Movement Therapist
Allison received her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy from Drexel University. She is currently working as a dance/movement therapist at a psychiatric facility. Her greatest joy includes sharing dance with others by teaching and by using it as a therapeutic means of expression.
Allison is certified and teaching ballet barre inspired work out classes through Barre Above TM. Allison received her B.A. in Dance from Hofstra University where she performed the choreography of Anna Sokolow, Robin Becker, Lance Westergard, Amy Marshall, Maxine Steinmen, Rachel List, Stormy Brandenberger, Anita Feldman and Gloria McLean. After graduating from Hofstra, she went on to perform in various dance companies including: Notes in Motion, FAITH Dance Project, and Dance Visions. Allison began dancing at a very young age and has trained in modern, ballet, tap and jazz. She has won numerous awards as a competitive dancer and soloist. |
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Falyn Katzman, Ballet Instruction and Early Childhood Assistant
Falyn Katzman assists with the pre-ballet and toddler level classes at Integral Ballet. She participates as a soloist in the FAITH Dance Project, Integral’s student ballet company. She has danced lead roles in several FAITH Project productions including Titania in A Midsummer's Eve, a maiden in The Firebird, Myrtha, the Queen of the Wilis, in Giselle and many other roles.
In addition to classes at Integral, Falyn also studies at the Ohman School of Ballet. She dances in the corps de ballet in New York Dance Theatre's yearly production of the Nutcracker. Falyn started dancing when she was 3 years old.
She studied ballet, tap, jazz & lyrical. At the age of 13, Falyn decided to focus on her love of ballet. She is currently a student at SUNY Old Westbury.
In addition to classes at Integral, Falyn also studies at the Ohman School of Ballet. She dances in the corps de ballet in New York Dance Theatre's yearly production of the Nutcracker. Falyn started dancing when she was 3 years old.
She studied ballet, tap, jazz & lyrical. At the age of 13, Falyn decided to focus on her love of ballet. She is currently a student at SUNY Old Westbury.
Sara Charles, Ballet Instructor
Gina Siciliano, Ballet and Early Childhood Instructor
Gina is in her 28th year of teaching dance to children and adults of all ages. Through this timeless art she shares her gifts of choreography and the fine-tuning of technique in the various disciplines of Dance, especially Ballet. Her daily purpose in her work with children is to instill confidence, healthy body awareness and a sense of joy. Gina has been so blessed to teach literally thousands of children since the age of 17, learning and growing with them, refining her teaching abilities and making it a priority to meet her students’ needs on many levels. There is no other job, besides being a mom, that Gina loves more than teaching Dance.
As a mother of two teenage boys, Gina feels it a special mission to help lead our youth in the right direction in life. She studies enriching philosophies and books on personal development for adults and teens and incorporates her increasing knowledge in all of her classes as much as possible. Even the Beginnings Class that she led for 2 years at The Green Vale School, where some of the children were as young as 15 months old, benefited from Gina’s commitment to the field of teaching. The Beginnings Class is many parents’ first experience at Green Vale and surely the young child’s first time in school. She loved the job of introducing school as a fun, safe and explorative environment with something for everyone and where every student is celebrated and encouraged to be their best.
Gina holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Adelphi University and is planning to begin a Master’s Program in 2018 in Early Childhood Education. As a substitute for Green Vale’s Early Childhood Program for 10 years, she has found a strong interest in being a classroom teacher at the Pre K or Kindergarten level. In summary, teaching and leading children is a large part of Gina's life purpose.
As a mother of two teenage boys, Gina feels it a special mission to help lead our youth in the right direction in life. She studies enriching philosophies and books on personal development for adults and teens and incorporates her increasing knowledge in all of her classes as much as possible. Even the Beginnings Class that she led for 2 years at The Green Vale School, where some of the children were as young as 15 months old, benefited from Gina’s commitment to the field of teaching. The Beginnings Class is many parents’ first experience at Green Vale and surely the young child’s first time in school. She loved the job of introducing school as a fun, safe and explorative environment with something for everyone and where every student is celebrated and encouraged to be their best.
Gina holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Adelphi University and is planning to begin a Master’s Program in 2018 in Early Childhood Education. As a substitute for Green Vale’s Early Childhood Program for 10 years, she has found a strong interest in being a classroom teacher at the Pre K or Kindergarten level. In summary, teaching and leading children is a large part of Gina's life purpose.
Kerri Pearsall, Tap and Jazz Instruction
2019-2020 Board of Directors
Erin Drennan
Randi Katzman
Jackie Drennan
Fred Brandenberger
2019-2020 Advisers to the Board of Directors
Irene Gallahou
Kathy Garcia
Nina Marten
Erin Drennan
Randi Katzman
Jackie Drennan
Fred Brandenberger
2019-2020 Advisers to the Board of Directors
Irene Gallahou
Kathy Garcia
Nina Marten
| june_13_2016_board_meeting_minutes.pdf |
| march_16_2016_board_meeting_minutes.pdf |
| dec_7_2015_board_meeting_minutes.pdf |
516-442-1590 · 1842 Merrick Road, Merrick · www.integralballet.org
