About
Faculty
Christine Titus | Artistic Director | Pre-Ballet, Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Adult Fitness
Ms.Titus began dancing at the age of three and continued her studies through college where she graduated magna cum laude from SUNY Buffalo (majoring in Dance and Psychology). Credits include numerous national and international theatrical productions, regional theaters, dinner theaters, cruise ships and membership in the Foot & Fiddle Tap Dance Company in New York. Ms. Titus is a member of the prestigious Dance Masters of America (“certified by test to teach”), Connecticut Dance Alliance, and the International Tap Association. She is also a judge for national dance competitions and has an extensive fitness background, including being a continuing education provider for several certifying organizations. Ms. Titus is thrilled to share her lifelong love of dance with Conservatory students and is immersed in developing an exciting new era of dance at the Conservatory!
Cynthia Dragoni | Ballet, Pointe Variations
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Cynthia Dragoni began training at the age of nine at the Wissahickon Dance Academy. She studied on scholarship at The Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet. Cynthia trained under renowned teachers Gloria Govrin, Barbara Sandonato, and Gelsey Kirkland. In 2003 she danced with International Ballet Theater, where her repertoire included Raymonda variations, Don Quixote, La Esmerelda, Sleeping Beauty variations, and The Nutcracker: Spanish and Arabian. In 2004 she was invited by internationally acclaimed dancer and director of The Donetsk Ballet of Ukraine, Vadim Pisarev, to join the Donetsk Ballet in Ukraine. She performed in Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Giselle, La Bayadere, Spartacus, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Le Corsaire. She has performed on tour throughout Europe and studied privately in St. Petersburg with prima ballerina Elena Marchenko. Cynthia was head of the dance department at Bravo Performing Arts and Language Center in Philadelphia, and on faculty at The Barbara Sandonato School of Ballet. She has taught for Ballet Arts at City Center and Elliot Feld’s Ballet Tech in New York City. As a dancer she “had wonderful classical training, singing arms, and the unteachable soul of a ballerina …” said Anastasiya Gaidukova, Ballerina, Donetsk Ballet, Ukraine.
“She puts her students ahead of her own success, always pushing them towards ever expanding ideals, as a teacher she is a force to be reckoned with.” ~ Kathy Mack, parent of former student
Cynthia Dragoni is that rare type of teacher with intuitive knowledge. Her ability to assess the individual student is uncanny and her ability to thus make the correction is spot on. Her knowledge of dance is very deep and her love for the ballet is endless. Passing along her insights to her many students allows for future “ballerinas” to be born.
“Gentle, nurturing and exacting, Cynthia brings to the dance floor a quality matched by only the best.” ~ Dale Sherman, parent
Barbara J. Daversa | Musical Theatre
Ms. Daversa earned a BFA from Adelphi University where she majored in theatre along with studies in ballet and modern dance. She furthered her studies in NYC, at the Herbert Burgdorff Acting Studios and Weist-Barron School for Commercial and TV Acting. Ms. Daversa is a member of The Screen Actors Guild and The American Federation of Radio and Television Artists. Some of Ms. Daversa’s theatre credits include: Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Princess Elena in Ways and Means, Heloise in Heloise and Abelard, Miss Jones in Blood Brother, Ayah in The Secret Garden, and Agent 99 in Get Smart for NYC Life Insurance Industrial Film. She has also appeared on All My Children. Ms. Daversa continues vocal training in the genres of opera, jazz and Broadway with renowned opera singer Betty Jones. Ms. Daversa and her husband Paul live in Wilton with their two daughters, who attend classes at the Conservatory.
Kenichi Ebina | Hip-Hop, Street Jazz, Contemporary Dance
Kenichi started dancing hip-hop in 1995 and has received an Award for Excellence and Leadership in the Performing Arts in Connecticut. He has directed several Japanese cultural performances, one of which was featured at the Manhattan Center Studio in NYC. He has opened concerts for artists such as Mos Def, Lost Boyz, etc. Kenichi has taught dance at the New York Dance Center in Manhattan and at the Connecticut Ballet in Stamford and is a former instructor at The Alvin Ailey Summer Camp. He is a member of entertainment and modern dance companies, including Double G, Chasala Dance Theater, and In Good Company. In 2001 Kenichi founded the performance company, BiTriP (Bi-Triangle Performance), which has performed as a guest for KRS-ONE and other hip-hop events presented by BET and Billboard. In addition to a performance career, Kenichi currently teaches in dance schools and universities in New York, Japan and Italy.
Maria Fitzgerald | Tap
Ms. Fitzgerald graduated summa cum laude from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She began dancing at the age of five with the Modern Academy of Fine Arts where she studied tap, ballet, modern and jazz. Ms. Fitzgerald recently returned to dance and continues her tap and jazz training. She is excited to be sharing her passion for tap with the Conservatory. Ms. Fitzgerald resides in Redding with her husband, son and daughter.
Jen Lancaster
Jen Lancaster began her dance training in Connecticut and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from Towson University. While in Maryland, she performed with the Towson University Dance Company in a wide variety of pieces ranging from swing to modern, jazz to full length ballets. She had the opportunity to work with Geoffrey Holder and perform in “Dougla” with the TU Dance Company along with being a featured tap dancer in Fosse’s “Sing, Sing, Sing” re-staged by Doug Graham. Jen has also danced with the Stephanie Powell Danse Ensemble and performed at venues such as the Baltimore Museum of Art and Artscape. Since moving to New York, she has performed with Synthesis Dance Project at the Alan Awards, among other events, and was a founding member of the Pushing Progress Dance Company, which has performed at numerous events including The Artists’ Showcase, SONO Arts Festival, Maryland Council for Dance and more. Jen has taught and choreographed all over the tri-state and Maryland/DC area. Her work was presented at numerous showcases in Maryland, at the American College Dance Festival Association in North Carolina and at the ISVP/Intern Showcase at Broadway Dance Center. In addition, Jen had the privileged opportunity to teach at Towson University during alumni week and has had her work performed at many regional competitions. She continues to teach throughout the tri-state area during the year, encouraging all of her students to have fun while learning strong technique, proper body alignment for a healthy dance body, and fueling their passion for dance.
Rachel Holly Hayworth Prewitt
Ms. Prewitt’s dance career began with the Northwest Florida Ballet as a student under Todd Allen and Dorothy Lister. She later became a company member, performing numerous classical and contemporary pieces, and eventually an instructor, helping with the development of the Northwest Florida Ballet Academie. She went on to earn a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Central Florida, with a Dance Minor as her focus. Upon returning to Pensacola after graduation, Rachel began performing with S.W.E.R.V.E. Dance and assisting with her old studio. She then studied under Michael Wardlaw, originally of Cincinatti Ballet, who was a great inspiration to her work both as a dancer and an instructor. Other influential instructors Rachel has studied under include Adrienne Hawkins, Lazlo Berdo, Derek Reid, Gary Flannery, and Mark Morris. She moved to New York in 2008 and has since been teaching at various studios. In addition to Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, and Modern, she enjoys teaching Pilates and Yoga to students of all ages, and she is most passionate about sharing an appreciation for the power of movement as the purest form of expression.
Fujiko Ueda | Jazz Funk
Fujiko started her dance career by passing the audition for the Broadway Musical “Annie” (all Japanese cast) at the age of 13. In 2002 she arrived in New York and attended Peridance Center and Broadway Dance Center studying all types of dance. She has performed in showcases with choreographer Rhapsody James, Brian “Footwork” Green, Ramon Baynes, Jermein Brown and Sheryl Murakami. She has also had the privilege of working with Dee Robert (oh music), KTUs Beatstock, BIG ALI, and Talib Kweli. She was a Cheer Dancer for the NJ Gladiators and worked for the Tommy Hilfiger Perfume “Athletics” Promotion. Since 2005 Fujiko has been working as a casting director and dancer of COPA Hip Hop Dancers at the COPACABANA in Manhattan.
Leslie Troost | Pre-Ballet / Tap Combo
Ms. Troost is a preschool teacher in Ridgefield. She is currently working toward a degree in Early Childhood Education. She is certified in children’s yoga for ages three to seven through Growing Lotus Kids. She resides in Wilton with her husband, two sons and daughter. Her daughter has been dancing with the Conservatory since the age of three. Ms. Troost has been studying privately with Christine Titus and is assisting in the development of the Preschool Dance Curriculum.
“Thank you so much for another wonderful year of dance. Shelby loves it so much. The show was absolutely adorable.”