Faculty: Academy of Performing & Creative Arts: Clinton, New York

Music/Theater

Jovita Bernard-Copeland, Piano and Managing Director of the Academy of Music and Academy of Performing & Creative Arts. Jovita Bernard-Copeland has been active in the private music education field locally for over fifteen years. Originally from Malaysia, she started her piano education at age 5 and completed the internationally recognized curriculum through the Associated Board of the Royals Schools of Music, United Kingdom. She has been the sole owner and managing director of the Academy of Music located in Clinton. The school has expanded its services from offering private piano lessons to music lessons in voice, guitar, violin and viola. Jovita also holds degrees in FInance and Management Science and has worked locally in the economic developement field. She is also an active member in the Clinton Chamber of Commerce and performs frequently in the community together with her students and staff at local venues for charity and events. Jovita has also created a successful complimentary business in custom designing and arranging of music to be performed live at special social functions such as corporate events, weddings and specialty social functions.

Charito Byrne, Soprano. Charito has a B.A. in vocal performance from the Mannes College of Music, studying with both Marion Thompson and Neil Goren. She also holds a Masters of Music Ed. from the University at Albany, where she studied under Frances Wittmann. Charito has performed in many venues including Glimmerglass Opera, where she spent a summer in their Young Artist Program, and along with the Albany Chamber Singers, under David Griggs-Janower, where she was showcased as a soloist during their choral tour of Costa Rica. She can be heard in the 1999 recording of Medea, performed through Opera Quintonius and recorded by Newport Records. Recently she was chosen as the lead actress to play the role of Dolly in the Stage Two production of "Hello Dolly" to be performed Summer of 2007 here in the valley. Charito has been a faculty member at the Academy for over a year now and is excited to continue with her students in the new facility!

Corey Colmey, Percussonist. Cory is a drummer/percussionist/educator from upstate NY who spends his time teaching and performing. He has a rather unique background in performance, having performed everything from rock to hip hop to drum n bass to traditional West African styles. He has opened for popular acts OURS, G. Love and Special Sauce, Scratch Lee Perry and George Clinton. He has performed and recorded with Edan, D.J. Craze, Don Grusin, Marc Seales, The Fading Collection, Open Eliot, Swamiko, The Yarbles, The Modeles, GKoop, Heatwarmer, Marc Seales and the New Stories Quintet, Victoria Vox, and Cooter Stew. He also writes, records, and produces his own music in his home studio, which consists of a laptop, vintage drumsets and cymbals, fender rhodes, electric and acoustic guitars, an upright piano, a mixed bag of african percussion, and various old snythesizers and drum machines from the 70s.
Corey's diverse musical education includes studies at the Dagbe Cultural Institute in Kopeyia, Ghana, as well in performances in Costa Rica and Panama. He has also earned a M.M. in Jazz and Commercial Music Performance from Five Towns College, a B.A./B.M. in Jazz Studies and Performance from the University of Washington, and a Professional Performance Diploma in Drumset and World Percussion Performance from Berklee College of Music.

Corey was also the recipient of multiple music scholarships including the J.R. Monterose Jazz Musician's Scholarship, Gertrude Nourse Music Scholarship, Matthew Tyler Memorial Scholarship, and the Berklee Achievement Scholarship.

He teaches private and group lessons in drumset, snare, vibraphone, Afro-Cuban and West African percussion, rhythm section workshops, and percussion ensembles. In addition to joining the faculty at the Academy of Performing & Creative Arts, Corey also runs a private teaching studio at Gary's Music in Rome, NY. In the past, Corey has served as a drumset clinician and instructor for Donn Bennett Drum Studios in Seattle, as well as private drumset instructor for Moore Brothers Music (Seattle) Mills Music Incorporated (Seattle) New World Music School (Long Island), Music School Incorporated (Long Island) and Munro Music (Long Island). He was also the head of percussion studies at North Shore Academy in Great Neck, NY.

Jonathan Lessels, Guitar, Electronic Keyboard and Brass. After a brief sabbatical, we are glad to announce the return of Jonathan Lessels. His musical journey began in grade school where Jonathan was introduced to various instruments while participating in several ensembles including; wind ensemble, concert choir, marching band, jazz ensemble, percussion ensemble, and guitar club. Upon graduation from Camden High School in 2000, Jonathan went on to continue his musical education at Oswego State University. While at Oswego he studied music with a focus in Audio Engineering and Recording Technology. Major courses of study included; music theory, music history, jazz, opera, and music appreciation, as well as continuing lessons for guitar, baritone horn, voice and piano. He participated in concert band and orchestra as well as running the sound for the Solid State Jazz Band and Singers. Jonathan graduated from Oswego State University in 2004 with a Bachelor's degree in music. Outside of school Jonathan has been playing lead guitar in a local band at establishments around Central New York since he graduated high school.

Olga Megedyn, Violinist. Olga is a professional violinist holding aMaster's in violin from Lviv State Conservatory in Ukraine. Originally from Ukraine, Olga was not only an educator, as an associate professor of Ivano-Frankivsk College of Music but also performed with the Ivano-Frankivsk Philharmonic Chamber as first violinist and the Ivano-Frankivsk Symphony Orchestra as Concertmaster of the second violin section. In 1994 she also successfully competed and won the International Competition of Chamber Music held in Chmelnitsk, Ukraine. Olga is proud to share her knowledge of the instrument with her students and encourages them to always play and perform with their local school programs. In addition to being on faculty with the Academy, Olga also performs with Utica, Catskill and Colgate University Symphonies and is an active member of the Academy's String Quartet ensemble.

Yevgen (Eugene) Matskiv, Violist. Eugene is a professional violist with a Master's Degree from Lviv State Conservatory in Ukraine. Eugene spent thirteen years in education; as aprincipal of Nadvirna School of Music and as associate professor of viola and chamber ensemble at Ivano-Frankivsk College of Music. Locally, he is on faculty for the string department at the Academy. As a performer, he performed in Ukraine with the Lviv Symphony Orchestra performing with them in their European Tour of "Leopolis" as concertmaster of the viola section. He also performed as a member of the Ivano-Frankivsk Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra as concertmaster of the viola section. Eugene continues to perform here locally as an active member of the Utica, Catskill and Colgate University Symphonies as well as the Academy's String Quartet ensemble.

Sarah Wissel, Flute. Sarah has been studying flute since age 10 .She grew up in Vermont, where she studied with Berta Frank of Jericho, Vermont. There she performed with her high school's top classical ensemble, Symphonic Winds, a winner at the 2001 North American Musical Festival in New York City, and with the Vermont Youth Orchestra, which has been called one of the best small youth orchestras in the country and has performed with Soovin Kim and Jamie Laredo. After arriving at Hamilton College, she began her work with Linda Greene. Sarah's versatility as a musician has enabled her to perform in a wide variety of venues. She currently performs with the Hamilton Orchestra and chamber ensembles, and as a soloist. In addition to performance, her musical career has included teaching at the Vermont Youth Orchestra Organization's Summer Day Camp and coaching a beginning flute quartet. In 2005, she founded a volunteer organization at Hamilton aimed at offering supplemental music instruction to students of the Utica school system. Sarah is excited at the opportunity to share her love of music and experience as a flutist.

Kristy Mandour, Acting and Writing. Kristy is an alumna from the Roy H. Park School of Communications Television/Radio department at Ithaca College. Kristy’s passion for acting and writing was discovered while working on various television shows at the college’s student run televisionstation, ICTV. This lead to future theater and acting classes along with the completion of her first full length play, “Me, Myself, and I” that was well extremely well received by both her peers and theater instructor. Upon graduation, Kristy moved to New York City and worked at the fine arts non-profit organization, Young Audiences/NY and furthered her acting skills at the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting. Kristy continued her studies at Sanford Meisner’s Neighborhood Playhouse in an intensive two-year acting program with Richard Pinter. This lead to work on the soap opera “All My Children” the feature films “Mona Lisa Smile” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, and numerous independent films.

Most recently she has written a feature length screenplay that is in development and is currently writing an independent film that will be shot in Italy in the winter of 2008. Having grown up in New Hartford, NY, Kristy is thrilled to work with the young artists in this community.

Dance and Fitness

Delia Foley, Ballet. Delia is the current and Founding Artistic Director of the Mohawk Valley Ballet (MVB) she started in 1973 as a place for local ballet dancers to obtain performing experience, a purpose that the MVB still serves to this day.

Ms. Foley is a member of the Royal Academy of Dance, London, England, and holds the A.R.A.D. (Advanced) certificate for performance and teaching. She is also the Royal Academy's first American-born examiner, in which capacity she travels throughout the world testing students in the Royal Academy syllabus and giving master classes to R.A.D. students and teachers.

Ms. Foley studied at the American Ballet Theatre with Robert Joffrey, with Harkness Ballet in Denmark, at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute in Canada and the Royal Academy of Dance in London. She is one of Central New York's most renowned teachers, founding and operating her own school, Ballet Arts by Delia Foley, for more than 35 years. She has trained hundreds of dancers, many of whom have gone on to professional dance careers.
Besides acting as MVB's Artistic Director, Ms. Foley has choreographed many pieces for the MVB, and has worked with Glimmerglass Opera Theater, the Utica Opera, Syracuse University, Manhattan Theatrical Club, Hamilton College and Utica College. She was on the faculty of Hamilton College from 1981-87, and has served several summers as Director of MVB's SummerDance Experience. She is also on the faculty of the Arts in Education Program through Lincoln Center.

Juliana Renard Payen, ballet. Ms. Renard-Payen grew up in Central New York and completed studies in ballet under the Royal Academy of Performing arts syllabus. She also studied with Stephen and Canan Jackson at the John Hayes O'Neill Studio of Dance, in Rome, New York. In addition, Juliana also studied for 7 years at the Boston Ballet School and with Columbia City Ballet director, William Starrett. Ms. Renard-Payen has a BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory where she graduated with honors and as a recipient of the Ruth S. Ambrose award for Excellence as well as being listed in Who's Who Among College Students in 1994. Juliana was a principal dancer for Jose Mateo's Ballet Theatre in Boston. She also performed guest artist at West Coast Ballet in Santa Barbara, and Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. Ms. Renard-Payen has also been a guest teacher at the Portsmouth Ballet School in NH, Merrit School of Dance in Albany NY, the Cape Cod Conservatory in Orleans MA, and the Cazanovia School of Ballet.

Ambi Daniel, Latin American Ballroom. Ambi is an award winning competitive International Latin Ballroom dancer. Dancing on the collegiate and amateur circuits, her many accomplishments include a United States national silver medal with partner Stephen Howard. Beginning her ballroom career with the RPI Ballroom Dance Team in Troy, NY., she continues to train with world class coaches from New York City and Canada. She is currently the head coach and choreographer of the Syracuse University Ballroom Dance Team.

Rebecca Skinner, Jazz, Tap & Lyrical. Rebecca Skinner began dancing at the age of 4 under Wende Weeks in New York Mills. She competed at all levels of lyrical, jazz and tap. Having won the Dance Masters of America Title of "Mini Miss" at the age of 8, along with numerous technique awards, it was clear that dance was to be a major part of her life.

By the age of 10 Rebecca joined the Mohawk Valley Ballet Company under Artistic Director Delia Foley. She studied with Ms.Foley who prepared her to pass the Royal Academy of Dance exams with Distinction. Her first lead was that of Clara in The Nutcracker. That is where she first danced with Devon Carney ofCincinnati Ballet and previously of Boston Ballet. She danced major solo and corps roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Dracula, Beauty and the Beast, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Giselle, Coppelia, and Pocahontas.

Rebecca has studied Jazz under Arlene Erb, from STEPS on Broadway, and danced in her original work; Birdland. As a student at Dean College, she studied with
Missy Zimmer and Andrew Hubbard founders of Planet Dance; and performers in Broadwway's "Cats". In 2005, she studied with Lisa Pari, who has trained in Italy and Newport and teaches at the Boston Ballet Co. While at Dean College, Rebecca was chosen to perform in an original jazz piece; "A Tribute to Earth, Wind, and Fire" choreographed by the world famous Maurice Hines. It is from this experience Rebecca first appeared in Dance Magazine.

Having studied modern dance as well, Rebecca had the opportunity to work along side some of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center's most renowned performers including Troy Powell and Denise Jefferson, Director of the Ailey School.

While a Dance Major attending Dean College in Franklin, MA, on a Performing Arts scholarship, she was a member of the Dance Team and Ballet Company. She studied ballet, tap, jazz and modern, and in 2005 was admitted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Becky continues to study jazz at Munson Williams Proctor Institute with Kathy Ryan of Buffalo, NY.

Rebecca's summers have been spent studying dance at various locations including New York City, Boston, Saratoga, and Pennsylvania. She has worked under the direction of Oleg and Mireille Briansky, Wendy Whelan of New York City Ballet, Richard Cook of Julliard, and Marcia Dale Weary of the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.

Rebecca is excited to be joining the faculty of the Academy of Performing & Creative Arts as their jazz, tap and lyrical instructor.

Yan Kit Pang, Hip Hop. "Kit" originally comes from Boston, MA by way of Hong Kong. His passion for the Hip Hop culture stems from a strong belief that the dancing of it is an art form and a skill that anyone can learn to express their own creativity and to show who they are individually. His desire is to also share the true history behind the Hip Hop culture and to encourage the learning and appreciation of this dance form for its real elements. As a performer who has performed around the city of Boston, Kit's goal is to bring the true essence of street dance and its culture through sharing his talent, skill and experiences with his students.

Justin Caldwell, Hip Hop. Justin currently lives in Westchester, but is originally from New York City. He has always loved dance and from the time he was a child would watch the music videos of pop icons such as Michael Jackson, Usher and Justin Timberlake imitating their moves. As a freshman at Horace Mann School he took his first professional dance class learning styles such as Salsa, Ballet, Jazz, Swing and Hip-hop. By junior year he had greatly improved in both Hip-hop and salsa, but was still searching for his own specific Hip-hop style. Justin currently runs the Hip-Hop group at Hamilton, called Heat, and has taught and choreographed many dances. In addition, he occasionally teaches hip-hop and Salsa classes at Horace Mann School to both the students and faculty. Over the years Justin has managed to develop his hip-hop style and challenge himself by creating new and exciting dances. Dancing is a very important part of Justin's life that has helped give him confidence and encouraged him to challenge and push his limits. His goals in teaching dance are to challenge his students with intense and fun choreography, teach them to be comfortable and confident with dance, and help them to develop their own hip-hop style.

Civita Lape, Acrobatics. Civita has been active in cheerleading and acrobaticsfor most ofher life. She started studying gymnastics at various schools in New York and Florida from the age of 7 and continued her studies until the age of 16. During this time she was also very active in her local Pop Warner cheerleading club as well as her high school cheerleading team. Civita attended several camps for the NCA and was named a national All-Star several times, joining the All-Star team in national competition. Recently Civita has been accepted as an Instructor member of USA Gymnastics. She is certified in safety and general technique, awaiting final paperwork.

Clifford C. Crandall, Jr, Martial Arts. This American School of Martial Arts is under the direction of Clifford C. Crandall, Jr., a full-time professional martial artist. He was inducted into the Action Martial Arts Magazine International Hall of Fame 2001 and the only American to be promoted to the title of instructor and 2nd-dan in traditional Iaido by MasterTsuneyoshi Matsuno. He has produced nine instructional video tapes and authored three books in the field of the martial arts. His tonfa book and tonfa instructional video tapes have made him known as the Tonfa Master throughout the world since 1984. As the host of the Martial Arts Today show he has represented the spirit and good will of the martial arts and American Martial Arts Institute throughout the United States, South America, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, Russia and Europe. The T.V. show grew over its 12 year existence to over 5 million homes in the United States and Canada.

As a retired Superintendent of Schools in the State of New York with classroom teaching experience plus the unusual combination of once being a principal of an elementary school, Kindergarten through fourth grades, and principal of a high school, Grand Master Crandall brings to this martial arts program an educational professionalism seldom seen in a martial arts school.

There is little doubt that Clifford C. Crandall, Jr. has had a real and positive impact on the world of martial arts and continues through his instruction of American Martial Arts Institute Black Belts to maintain the tradition and true meaning of the martial arts. At present, Grand Master Crandall oversees 3 full-time martial arts school locations plus special programs in many community locations through-out the United States. His over 35 years of martial arts training includes professional instruction in traditional Japanese and Chinese styles with his primary heritage in Korean (Tae Kwon Do). The style founded by him and taught by the American Martial Arts Institute is the "American Eagle Style."

Julie Waldas, Yoga. Julie is a Kripalu-certified yoga instructor. She has taught yoga in the Utica area at Herkimer County Community College, Mohawk Valley Community College and at Hamilton College. She has also taught at YMCAs and YWCAs in Utica, Rome and Oneida.

A retired art teacher, Julie works with for the Arts in Education Institute as a teaching artist, preparing children to interact with works of art. She also enjoys storytelling at local libraries and schools. The main focus of her visual artwork is in fiber arts and in making art quilts. Julie has two granddaughters with whom she likes to practice yoga.