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


MaryPat Speno
Jazz & Ballet Teacher
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.
Brandon Jones
Hip Hop Teacher
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
Contemporary Teacher
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.