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Todd Hall - Choreographer, Guest Artist Todd has been dancing since he
was ten years old. His first experience performing was as Fritz in the Nutcracker with the Boston Ballet. His love of dance
continued and he studied at some of the most prestigious ballet schools in the country, including the Boston Ballet School,
Joffrey Ballet School, and the School of American Ballet. After finishing high school in New York City, at the Professional
Childrens' School, Todd moved to Italy where he performed in a live television show, did commercials for television and
studied ballet at the Teatro a la Scala in Milano. He returned to the United States to dance with the Washington Ballet, and
after a year in Washington he was asked to join the Boston Ballet. While in Boston, Todd earned a degree at Emerson College.
Because of some serious eye problems, he had to curtail his performing career, as a result he developed a love of teaching
dance. He has taught ballet and Pas de Deux across the country- as far away as Alaska and up and down the east coast.
Olenna Truskett, Choreographer Olenna is a freelance dancer and choreographer,
who has worked with Prelude Ballet Ensemble the past two seasons and currently serves on its Board of Directors. In addition
to teaching and producing her own projects, she has danced and choreographed for Lee Harper & Dancers in Georgia and the
Fairfax Ballet in Virginia. She also has appeared with Atlanta’s Symphony Orchestra, Opera, and Young Audiences. At
the College of William and Mary, she studied modern dance under Shirley Roby and Carol Sherman and performed with the ensemble
Orchesis. Summer jobs included stints at Busch Gardens, clogging and being cut in half 5 times daily during a magic show.
As a child, she enjoyed dance classes in the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and Iran. Her teenage training was with
Mary Marshall at the Peninsula Ballet in Newport News, Virginia, and in New York City. She holds degrees from the College
of William and Mary and Carnegie Mellon University.
Shannon Cranston, Choreographer Shannon began dancing at Fanton
Dance Studio at the age of 3 along with her family. Her passion for dance followed her to Raleigh, NC where she trained at
William G. Enloe Magnet High School studying Vagonava Ballet and Graham-Modern technique. In college, Shannon danced with
the Meredith Dance Ensemble under Dr. Sherry Shapiro. After moving to San Diego, CA, she graduated with a BS in Business Administration.
Shannon joined the Taps n Toes Dance School Faculty in 2003 and teaches and stages pieces in ballet, lyrical, jazz, and modern.
She has choreographed and staged pieces for the Prelude Ballet ensemble since 2005.
Cory Ethridge, Choreographer Cory began her ballet training at the
age of five and studied the Cecchetti ballet technique in Marietta, Georgia, at the Marietta School of Ballet as well as in
New York City with master teacher Alfredo Corvino. She attended the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music
as a dance major and has performed professionally with the Cincinnati Ballet and the Cobb-Marietta Ballet, precursor to the
Georgia Ballet. She has also studied ballet in New York City with Robert Blankshine, Michael Vernon, Francis Petrelli and
Nadine Revere. Cory has taught ballet and the Horton modern technique to all ages in Georgia and New York.
Cheryl Ciano Havens, Director Westchester/Putnam Youth Symphony
Cheryl received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from The Crane School of Music at the State University of
New York, Potsdam and her Master’s Degree in Music Education from Western Connecticut State University. Mrs. Havens
co-founded the Westchester/Putnam Youth Symphony in 1996 and has seen it grow from the original 19 members to the outstanding
organization that it is today. She has been the musical director and conductor for 10 years and has enjoyed working with the
hundreds of students who have participated in WPYS over the years. In addition, Mrs. Havens was the Elementary String Director
for the Mahopac Central School District for 15 years. During her tenure in Mahopac, she had the honor of conducting the Mahopac
Elementary Schools Combined Orchestra (MESCO) at Carnegie Hall, the NY State School Board Convention, and various other festivals
and competitions. She has performed with the Sound Shore Symphony and the Manhattanville College Community Orchestra. She
is a former member of the Maestro String Quartet and has also performed in the pit orchestra for several local school musicals.
Mrs. Havens was the guest conductor for the 2000 Nassau County Elementary All-County Orchestra and the 2007 Long Island String
Festival Middle School Orchestras. She also maintains a private violin studio. Mrs. Havens is the director of the Junior and
Senior WPYS Orchestras and has conducted the Senior Orchestra during their European Concert Tours in 2002 and 2007.
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