Elizabeth is currently a graduate student of theater and film at San Diego State University in California. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh as well as being a graduate of the Carnegie Performing Arts Center. For CPAC she has costumed and designed multiple shows ranging from the edgy Ballet Forte productions to children's shows such as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Madeline, The LIttle Mermaid and Snow White. Elizabeth has received the Playhouse Plus Award from the University of Pittsburgh as well as the Carnegie Centennial Award. While in Pittsburgh Elizabeth designed sets and costumes for Prime Stage Theater, Pittsburgh Repertory Theater and was scenic charge for the Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theater.
Ashley Hopkins - Teacher
Ashley is a graduate of Point Park University in Musical Theater. At Point Park she was a senior company dancer and studio teaching assistant. Her early dance training was at the Jo Ann Warren Studio in Worcester, MA. Ashley has performed in equity productions of Aida and in regional performances of Ragtime, Hair, Babes in Toyland and Footloose where she was Dance Captain. She has trained in voice with Lisa Brovey Kovatch, Fred Frabotta and at the NE Dance and Musical Theater Center.
Jennifer Johnson - Teacher
Jennifer attended Point Park University as a Dance Pedagogy major and currently attends the University of Pittsburgh.She has performed for the Norwegian Cruise Lines and with the Performing Arts Alliance in King of Prussia, PA. In Wilkes-Barre, PA she competed in the John Long Talent Competition and in the Wildwood Talent Showcase located in New Jersey. Jennifer studied dance and taught with Miss Cindy's School of Dance in Quakertown, PA and has studied in New York with the Broadway Dance Center.
Monica Ryan, Artistic Director
Began her early ballet studies with Olga Ziceva and later graduated from San Francisco Conservatory of Ballet. Ms. Ryan has traveled to Europe and studied with Maurice Bejart of Le Ballet du Vingtieme Siecle in Brussels, Belgium, and the Stuttgart Ballet in Stuttgart, Germany. At the age of 16 Ms. Ryan was a finalist for the Vestris Choreographic Prize in Boston, Massachusetts. She was commissioned to mount ballet on the San Diego Ballet, Marin Civic Ballet and the San Francisco Dance Theater.
Jessica Smith - Teacher
Ms. Smith received her degree from the University of Vermont. She was awarded a dance scholarship from the Dance Alloy, and has performed with many dance groups. Her experience includes contemporary modern dance, jazz, yoga, hip hop, and ballet.
Carnegie Performing Arts Center
Phone :
412-279-8887
Monica Ryan's choreography has been hailed as "exactly right" and "pictorially perfect" by the San Francisco Chronicle. Ms. Ryan choreographed and danced for the San Francisco Opera Company under the Direction of Kurt Herbert Adler. She also choreographed for the Spring Opera Theater and Western Opera. A graduate of San Francisco State University, Ms. Ryan also did graduate work at Golden Gate University. Ms. Ryan has taught dance for over 25 years, some of her students have gone on to dance with New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Metropolitan Opera Ballet and American Ballet Theater.
In Pittsburgh Ms. Ryan adjudicated the Choreographer's Continuum and was Executive Director of the Extension, a company of dancers wtith modern, jazz and ballet roots. Currently, Monica Ryan is the director of the Carnegie Performing Arts Center .
Erin Skvarca - Teacher
Erin is a graduate of the Carnegie Performing Arts Center where she performed many leading roles including the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker as well as leads in Ballet Forte's productions of Funky Fun and Rebooting Retro. Erin is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and currently is a company member of Bodiography.
Mary Beth Calorie - Teacher
Mary Beth recieved her early training from Point Park University and later graduated from Slippery Rock University with a major in Educastion and a minor in Dance Therapy. Mary Beth is an experienced tap teacher, has taught formthe past fourteen year at numerous dance schools in the Pittsburgh Artea.
