Michael Guzman, owner and teacher, a native of Puerto Rico, grew up in New York City. While attending Syracuse University, he began his ballroom dance instruction teaching for Walt Medicis. A former teacher at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, he gained further experiences as a choreographer for the school musicals as the instructor for the Ballroom Dance Club. His performance credits include Pepe in West Side Story and Pedro in Man of la Mancha. Mike is a regular guest instructor in many school districts throughout the area.
Marisa Guzman-Colegrove, owner and our artistic director, is a lifetime member of the CNY dance community. She specializes in Flamenco and is one of the only teachers of this dance style in Upstate New York. She also teaches jazz, creative movement, ballet, modern and is trained in Stott Pilates. She is an award-winning choreographer whose credits include the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company, Syracuse Opera, Syracuse Symphony, Fayetteville-Manlius High School musicals, Town of Manlius summer shows and most recently a SALT award winner for her choreography in CNY Playhouses’ “Adams Family.” She has performed with Alegre Flamenco throughout the Upstate Region. She recently got her certification to teach Rhythm Works Integrative Dance classes for children with special needs.
Lauren Puente is a dancer, singer and actress who graduated with a B.A. in Musical Theater from SUNY Cortland. She has performed for almost every theater company in Upstate NY and has added choreography credits to her list of accomplishments including CNY Playhouse, Fabius Pompey musicals,FM high school musical and Manlius summer shows. You can also find her as one of her many characters at the interactive Museum of Intrigue, Destiny USA.
Janna Kozloski holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Nazareth University (previously Nazareth College). She has studied ballet, pointe, musical theater, and jazz since age 4. Janna performed with The Rev on Tour (formerly Merry-Go-Round Youth Tour) from 2018-2020. She then received her MS in School Librarianship from SUNY Buffalo and is now the Library Media Specialist at Solvay Elementary School. Janna remains heavily involved in the theater and dance community of Syracuse. She has performed with The Redhouse and Baldwinsville Theater Guild, serves on the board of directors for BTG, co-directs and choreographs the Wellwood Middle School spring musical, and is involved with the New York State Theater Education Association (NYSTEA).
Sasha Baneshkevich started her dance career at the age of 6 in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. She took part in many competitions in different European countries. In 2012 Sasha became the winner of the Finnish championship. She also was a finalist of many championships in Europe and Saint-Petersburg, Russia. In 2016 she was a candidate master of sport. Sasha also trained many dancers, individual and group, varying in all ages. She is ready to help anyone whether new or experienced. Sasha teaches different styles of dancing such as: Ballroom Dancing, Bachata, Salsa, High-Heels, Reggaeton. Sasha can also assist with choreography, stretching. Sasha’s main goal is to ensure you leave your session happy and a better dancer.
Hannah Komar graduated from Nazareth College where she earned her B.M. in music education and she is now an elementary music teacher in the Fayetteville-Manlius School District. Hannah has been dancing from the age of 3 and spent her high school years dancing at Guzman’s Dance Studio. For the past four summers she has taught classes at the studio for students ages 3-18. She also has been in charge of the summer Storybook Camp for the past two years. During the school year she participated in a dance ensemble at her college and helped to choreograph their recitals each semester.
Andreia Krantz has been dancing since she was 5 years old. She began her studies with Deborah Boughton before her retirement. From ages 7-18 Andreia danced at the Ballet and Dance Center, studying every style they offered. She also studied ballet at Nazareth University before her graduation in May 2024. Before COVID, Andreia organized a Creative Movement group for homeschoolers that ran for two sessions before lockdown. She is so excited to be back teaching and incredibly proud to be a part of the faculty at Guzmán’s.
Akilah “LadyStylzs” Cage was born in Memphis, TN and lives in Syracuse, NY. She is a graduate of Henninger High school, OCC, and Kaplan University. Akilah has danced since she was a little girl and trained in California for many years. At the age of 25 she received her Master Certification in Popping and Locking funk dance styles at the IUDMA (International Urban Dance Masters Association). She opened YAT Hip Hop dance and culture in 2004 at the age of 23 in Syracuse, NY which eventually became a non-profit organization. Throughout her many years of teaching dance she also worked in juvenile justice and probation. She then joined the Syracuse City School district where she is now in her 19th year as a teacher. “I am YAT” (Young and Talented) is a known phrase infused into young artist and dancers. Akilah led YAT PAK to be the #1 Hip Hop dance company in Upstate NY. Competing was a major part of her company and building students to be the best they could be in education and art. Akilah currently dances with Master Drummer David, a phenomenal West African dancer and drummer who leads the African dance ensemble Adanfo. She has danced this style for the past 14 years. Akilah has trained in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Funk, Acrobatics, Street Dance and much more. She and many of her dancers competed nationally and danced with major artists. She choreographed 1000’s of routines, performed on tours or with artist such as Justin Beiber, Rosie Perez, Missy Elliott, Michael J one of Michael Jackson’s choreographers and many others. She also interviewed with Oprah Winfrey a few years ago. She has written and directed her own musicals during her summer dance and acting intensive, Camp BAM (Building Art Masters) for ages 5-adult. These many productions were performed at the Paul Robinson Performing arts Company in Syracuse, NY as well as the Great New York State Fair. Akilah’s new venture after she retired YAT PAK is ASCUAD Arts 315 (Akilah’s School of Cultural Urban Arts and Dance). Offering many class varieties such as Afro beats, Hip Hop, Funk, Contemporary, Acrobatics , Step/ Drill, and Reggae. Students can also learn many other things such as graffiti, rap, poetry, music history, etc. Akilah says, “Our students are the future.” She is happy to meet like minds and is excited to bring her style of dance and art back to the community.
Jonathan Benn is a dancer born and raised in Cazenovia. He has a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a Minor in Piano from Nazareth University in Rochester. He has relocated back to Cazenovia, where he will live while teaching General Music at Solvay Elementary School. Jonathan was a latecomer to dance, starting at the age of 13, but when he began to dance, he dug his teeth right into the art form and now continues to show his love for it through teaching dance and choreographing for different production companies. His work has been performed in Poland in Rzeszów and Kraków and locally in CNY in Syracuse and Rochester. Choreography credits: Heathers the Musical (2023 BroadwayWorld Central New York Best Choreographer Nominee), Catch Me If You Can, Disenchanted!, Thank You For The Music: ABBA’s Greatest Hits, an ABBA tribute concert, 35MM: A Musical Exhibition, and Judith Ranaletta’s ROC City Singers: Rochester’s Premier High School Performing Group. Music direction credits: Frozen Jr., Moana Jr., and Lion King Jr. One of his dance philosophies is that dance is for anyone and everyone. He believes that in the dance world, fostering supportive, inclusive, and accepting communities in each class and rehearsal through mutual respect, empathy, and understanding is important.
Aldo Kattón is a Mexican artistic director, rehearsal director, choreographer, and former dancer with extensive professional experience. He has participated in the creation and production of numerous ballets and shows with companies and projects around Mexico, USA, and Guatemala. His expertise is not limited to the technical and artistic aspects of dance, but extends to collaboration and coordination of logistics, sound, set design, costume design and publicity aspects of small and large-scale theatrical productions. He is committed to excellence and the development of individual artists and artistic institutions. As a ballet teacher, he has taught all levels in dance education, from absolute beginners to seasoned professionals. Kattón is member of the International Dance Council CID (The United Nations of Dance). Kattón’s choreography and pedagogical approach promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion as means to preserve the art of classical ballet by allowing it to evolve. Currently Aldo Kattón is Artistic the Arstistic Director and founder member of Central New York Ballet, and professor of dance for Syracuse University in the Drama .
Felipe Panamá is an educator, choreographer, performer and visual artist from Guadalajara, Mexico. He teaches various levels of Ballet, Jazz, and Contemporary dance techniques in the Department of Drama of Syracuse University, as a full-time faculty member and as Assistant Program Coordinator for the Musical Theater BFA. As a choreographer, he creates work for Syracuse University’s productions such as Shaina Taub’s musical adaptation of “As You Like It,” directed by Rodney Hudson and Clare Barron’s “Dance Nation” directed by Katherine McGerr. Panamá was in “West Side Story” in Cagliari, Italy as Nibbles and served as Dance Captain for Francesca Zambello’s production under the direction of Eric Sean Fogel, featuring original Jerome Robbins choreography, reconstructed by Joshua Bergasse. As a dancer, Panamá has danced as a soloist and ensemble member for CNY Ballet, Syracuse City Ballet, Ballet San Antonio, Brooklyn Ballet, El Paso Ballet Theater, and Ballet de Jalisco.