The Ballet & Dance Center
(formally known as Syracuse School of Dance)

After retiring from her position as Director of the Syracuse School of Dance and Artistic Director of the Syracuse Contemporary Dance, MaryPat is delighted and excited to now be a part of The Ballet & Dance Center’s faculty. She has performed in most of the Syracuse Contemporary Dance concerts and choreographed for all of them. MaryPat has performed in several musicals for Salt City Playhouse and Syracuse Musical Theater. She choreographed for the “Festival of Nations”, Jamesville-Dewitt Schools, was creator and director of the Dance Workshop Ensemble, and participated in the Baldwinsville’s “Arts in School” program. Mary Pat also has choreographed for figure skaters and has been part of the Litz Team Seminars in Lake Placid. She was a long-time student of Lorraine Hovercraft and Gus Giordano (Chicago), along with Le Ballet Jazz (Montreal) and Alvin Ailey (New York City). As a popular, talented, and energetic teacher, will continue to bring these attributes, and her love for teaching, to her students at The Ballet & Dance Center.

Laurie has taught, choreographed & performed with SSD since 1984. She was a member of the dance faculty for Syracuse University & has a Master's degree in Dance & Dance Education from NYU where she studied Limon, Graham, & Cunningham techniques. 

Barbara has studied ballet, musical theater, jazz, modern & tap locally and with Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, Rennie Harris & Garth Fagen. She received her degree in Exercise Science & Dance at Syracuse University & has a NYS teaching certificate in Dance Education.

Along with having her Master's degree in education from Syracuse University, Helen has studied dane on Long Island at the LeRoy School of Dance & with Muriel Daks. She has also studied at Ballet Arts, New York School of Dance & Steps in Manhattan. 

Brandon has been dancing & studying hip hop, musical theater & jazz for the past 13 years. He has choreographed & taught for the Ballet Dance Center, Dance Theater of Syracuse, Dominique's Dance Creations, Say Yes to Education, Peaceful Resolution, & LeMoyne Upper Bound Summer program, & also choreographed for several SCDS concerts & waspart of the SSD faculty for ten years.

Rachel Prikazsky started dancing at the age of three with the Town of Onondaga Dance Program. At 14, Rachel trained in ballet, pointe, musical theater, hip hop, modern & jazz at Syracuse School of Dance. She earned a BFA in dance at  SUNY Fredonia. At Fredonia, Rachel was in the SUNY Fredonia Dance Ensemble, the Jr. & Sr. Artistic Director of the Dance Ensemble, and performed & choreographed dances for the American College Dance Association. Rachel has choreographed world qualifying dances for dance competitions & choreographed for her high school’s musicals. She is also a national qualifying Irish dancer for the McDonald School of Irish dance, where she also assists with teaching.