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Joanna Markowitz, Director
Joanna Markowitz, director (Towson State
University) performed professionally for eleven years in NYC with
numerous dance companies. She performed at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln
Center, on national TV and worked on a video project for PBS. Joanna
was a faculty member at Brooklyn College for six years and was a guest
teacher at NYU, Clark Center for the Performing Arts, Ruth Currier
Studio, Steps on Broadway and other professional studios. Her choreography
has been favorably reviewed in such publications as The New York Times,
Village Voice and Dance Magazine and was commissioned by Towson State
Dance Ensemble. She studied on scholarship with the Jose Limon Dance
Company, Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Alvin Ailey, American Ballet
Theatre, Tokunagas and various other schools. Joanna taught dance
for eighteen years at Orange County Community College, has also taught
at Westchester Community College and has been teaching for over thirty
years. Orange County School of Dance was started in 1992.
Joanna is Currently listed in 'Who's
Who of America'
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Eileen Slawinski,
ballet and jazz dance teacher
Eileen studied dance at the Mozartina
Musical Arts Conservatory in Tarrytown, NY as well as at OSCD.
She appeared in performances at the Tarrytown Music Hall and assisted
in direction/choreography. Eileen has been teaching dance
at OCSD for eight years and has choreographed several ballet pieces
for her Ballet I and II student performances. She has added
Jazz I and Ballet III to her teaching schedule and is looking forward
to working with her students to prepare for their June performance.
Eileen is the OCSD stage manager for their performances and also
assists with the art gallery exhibit installations and receptions.
In addition to her dance instruction, Eileen is an upline manager
for IBM Corporation currently responsible for an administrative
orgranization at three site locations. Throughout her IBM
career, she has also held positions in systems education and project
management for disaster recovery.
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Angelo Pagano, Woodwind,
Brass & Piano Instructor
Angelo earned his bachelor’s degree
as a scholarship student at Mannes School of Music and his master’s
degree at Long Island University. His debut as a clarinet soloist
was in Town Hall in NYC and was followed by performances with the
New York City Symphony and other orchestras. His many solo recitals
earned him acclaim from the New York City press. Mr. Pagano created
and directed the only professional symphony orchestra in Orange
County, The Highlands Symphony Orchestra. His championing of contemporary
music has resulted in many exciting premieres of new American works.
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Andrea
Gardella, tap instructor
Andrea studied with NYC dance teachers
Charles Kelly, Frank Hatchett, David Howard, Robin Christopher,
Germaine Salsberg and others. She owned her own dance studio in
Staten Island for ten years and was the director of an award winning
dance company "The Showstoppers". She is a certified dance
instructor in the areas of tap, jazz and ballet with Dance Educators
of America. She has been teaching for over 20 years.
Andrea herself was named Miss Royal Star and was a runner-up in
the Miss Staten Island Pageant. She has also been a choreographer
for the Pageant in addition to two of her students winning the coveted
title of Miss Staten Island and then proceeding to enter the Miss
New York State Pageant.
Andrea currently holds a BS in Nursing and is employed as a RN in
a recovery room.
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Nafisa
K. Manapat, dance, voice and piano teacher
Nafisa graduated from the College of
Music Education in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. She received a degree
in methodology of teaching music, conducting and piano, accordion
and voice. Nafisa also attended the prestigious Moiseyev Dance
School where she studied ballet and European folk dance. She also
trained at the Bishkek School of Ballet where she studied the classics--Swan
Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Giselle, etc.
Nafisa is the director of the voice ensemble at Orange County School
of Dance. She has been teaching over ten years including public
school system in the Soviet Union.
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Bill
Iannone , percussion
After participating in school bands
and studying with several working musicians in the New York City
area, Bill gained valuable practical experience working club dates
in the greater metropolitan area. As a working musician, experience
was gained in performing with rock, jazz and marching bands as well
as playing for shows, singers and dancers at resorts in the Catskills.
Additional experience in recording studios and performing in telethons
provided lessons to be shared with students. Teaching drums
has always been part of the musical experience and as a guidance
counselor on a middle and high school level provided a good foundation
for working with school age students.
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George
Whetstone, viola teacher
George studied Viola at the Hartt School
of Music and Western Connecticut State University in connection
with the Manhattan String Quartet. He has participated in numerous
summer programs including the Music Mountain Young Professional
String Quartet Seminar and the Aspen Music Festival.
Mr. Whetstone has performed in wide ranging orchestras including
The Mexcio City Opera, the American Chamber Orchestra, Albany Symphony,
Ridgefield Symphony, Sarasota Opera, Metro Lyric Opera, New York
Gilbert & Sullivan Players and the Garden State Philhemonic.
He balances his orchestral work with extensive involvement in chamber
music programs and solo work with summer festivals and in New York
Metropolitan area churches.
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Sara
Marie Simas, voice and piano teacher
Sara has a BA from SUNY Fredonia and
is a music major from SUNY Orange. She has taken voise with Madame
Ada Mae Curran, Ruth Sorrel Curtis, Ron DeFesi and Richard Dorr.
Sara has performed in numerous plays and operas. In 2005, she was
named "Best Actress" in Orange County by the Times Herald
record.
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