At the age of 2-years-old, Darcy Baia embarked on her lifetime career path in the world of dance by studying ballet with Madam Nina Sokolova in Larchmont, NY. After merely 3 years of study, her talent caught the attention of local producers, and by age 5 she was already under contract to perform in the Sound of Music in the role of "Little Gretel" at the Elmsford Dinner Theater.

By the time she was 6, Darcy was also studying at Firestone Studios in Bronxville, NY and touring the U.S. with the dance company at Mimi Kellerman’s Academy of Dance. A year later, she was receiving additional instruction under the direction of Rita Curry.

Continuing her studies through her adolescence, Darcy’s quest for excellence took her to France, where at age 15 she studied and performed in dance companies there and in Switzerland. Returning to the U.S., she received additional instruction under Robert Rayow.

As a featured dancer with Mr. Rayow’s Step In Time Dance Company, Darcy was tapped at age 19 to begin teaching other students. This was a turning point in her career, as Darcy realized that although she loved to perform, her true calling was to share her love of dance by instructing others.

After only two years as an instructor for Mr. Rayow, Darcy stepped out on her own and founded Darcy's Academy of Dance in 1993, where she continues to regularly teach classes in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, theatrical and more. As the organization's main choreographer, she is the creative driving force behind the Academy and Darcy's Dance Company, and has won countless awards for excellence in choreography.

To assist her in imparting the love of dance to the students in her Academy, Darcy has assembled a stellar team of instructors, including...

  Bria Connolly

  Combination Classes | Competition Teams | Leaps, Jumps & Turns | Acro

Bria Connolly has been dancing competitively at an elite dance studio in New York since she was 5 years old and has won awards in the genres of tap, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, and musical theater. Her solos, duos, trios and group numbers have won at regional and national competitions, and she is a past title winner for her character solo, "Helen Keller". In addition, she has choreographed award-winning routines in several genres.

She has trained professionally at Complexions and Broadway Dance Center, and has worked with choreographers such as Wildabeast, Deshawn Da Prince, Hannah Fredrick, Michael Susten, Tom Richardson, David Norsworthy, Miles Keeney and Desmond Richardson. She has performed at Barclay's Center, Madison Square Garden, Walt Disney World and on Channel 11's Wonderama. She is head concierge for The Royal Dance Competition where she also choreographs for the National peformance team. She continues to perfect her own talents while she shares her passion with dancers of all ages through her teaching, choreography and coaching.

  Breanne O'Toole

  Combination Classes

  Abigail Kelvas

  Ballet | Pointe | Jazz | Tap | Theatrical

From a very young age, Abigail has always had a love for moving and expressing herself with her body, which led her to explore and train in many dance styles such as ballet, jazz, lyrcial, contemporary, and hip-hop. While training and competing with a New York-based elite dance company for 12 years, Abigail won several regional and national titles and explored summer training at Complexions Contemporary Ballet.

In 2013, she moved to Philadelphia to pursue her B.F.A at the University of the Arts under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. During her time at UArts, Abigail has had the opportunity to tour in Paris, Brussels and Roubaix performing some of her own work as well as excerpts from faculty and guest artists. She had also spent summers away from college at Early Mosley's Institute of the Arts and there performed works by Heidi Cruz, Greg Sinacori, Roderick Jackson, and Early Mosley. If there is one thing that she learned from her time in Philadelphia, it is that dance can speak to everybody. After making her senior thesis work, presenting it, and completing her degree, Abigail moved home to New York where she continues to dance, choreograph, teach, and explore new ways to move the body.

  Taylor Forcelli

  Hip-Hop | Competition Teams

Taylor is returning to our dance family after receiving her bachelors degree in Psychology from the University at Albany. She joined our dance family at the very young age of 3, and danced with us straight through her high school years, training in all genres: ballet, tap, hip-hop, contemporary, lyrical and jazz. During her younger years, she was also invited to join Darcy's Elite Company, where she won many awards for her solo and team dances, and gained tremendous experience in the dance competition arena. In college, as she studied Psych, she also continued in her dance passion/journey, joining the Univ of Albany dance team, choreographing hip-hop and lyrical numbers for her peers in the troupe with her. More recently, Taylor has been a head teacher at a private preschool in the local area, and she is ecstatic to return to our academy and share her dance knowledge and passion for dance with our kids, encouraging them to dance their hearts out as she has always done.

  Gianna Cusato

  Tap

Gianna Cusato has been training in all styles of dance since she was 7 years old. As she grew older however, her constant love and hunger for the arts pushed her to expand her dance knowledge beyond the world of commercial dance.

She spent more of her summers in high school training at various modern dance programs such as NYSSSA, and the Ailey School where she worked with prestigious faculty. She now is studying modern dance even more in depth as a Dance Major at Purchase College's Conservatory of Dance. She still trains and teachers in hip-hop, jazz, tap and lyrical and is also currently signed with MSA talent agency in NYC.

  Amber McCrink

  Contemporary

Amber McCrink is trained in various styles such as jazz, ballet, tap, contemporary, lyrical and hip hop. In additon to success in the competition world, she was a featured dancer in J. Grace's music video. Amber became a Noble Prodigy All-Star for Artistic Dance Exchange under Juan Borona, where she assisted the ADE faculty and performed internationally. Amber studied at LaGuardia High School and was inducted for the Lee Theodore Award. She studied modern dance with Blakeley White-McGuire and Greg Sinacori, whom she assisted in the Horton technique at conventions. Amber made Top 100 for season 16 of So You Think You Can Dance, Fox TV. She has been a part of the LaG Ensemble and Earl Mosley's Winter Repertory Showcase, recently performed at LA's World of Dance, and is currently a company member in two NYC-based companies: Unique Soulz (created by Megz Alfonzo from So You Think You Can Dance season 12) and Royal Thieves (under DeShawn Da Prince).

  Larissa Crecco

  Hip-Hop

Originally from Westchester County, NY, Larissa began her dancing career at the young age of 18 in Los Angeles, California. Previous to  her move, she competed locally and nationally across the United States winning multiple awards and scholarships, even traveling as a company member and assistant with the well known Treamine Dance Conventions. Upon moving to Los Angeles, Larissa started working in the dance industry with top artists such as Missy Elliott, Beyonce, 50 Cent, Lloyd, J. Lo & more. She has been featured in countless music videos, award shows, commercials, industrials, and has worked with the industry’s top choreographers! She has also taught at multiple studios in the LA area including Millennium Dance Complex and Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio. Larissa has also performed within the musical theatre world in shows such as, “Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular” at the beautiful Hyperion Theatre, as well as shows and events with The Walt Disney Company. 

  Bella Camuto

  Competition Teams

Isabella (Bella) Camuto began dancing at the age of 3 and has danced competitively for over 10 years at local studios in NY. She has won awards in genres such as hip hop, contemporary, ballet & lyrical. She has won several title awards and won the highest scoring number for the entire competition weekend with her contemporary solo, “Elegy.” 

Bella has trained professionally and performed with Ajkun Ballet Theatre in NYC as a junior associate. She has worked with choreographers such as Angel Armas, Victor Smalley, Nick Daniels, Teddy Forance and Wildabeast. 

She continues her training at Manhattanville College as a double major of Psychology & Dance. She attended several summer intensives at the American Academy of Ballet. 

Bella had started choreographing at age 15 for her local dance studio’s competitive team. She had continued to teach and choreograph for her high school’s dance team when she was named the team’s Captain for her senior year. 

She continues to share her passion for dance with others through performances, choreographing and teaching.

Deshawn was enrolled into Devor Dance Center in Jamaica Queens NY at age five and his first classes ever were Jazz, Ballet and African, but five years later he was introduced to Hip Hop. with a group from the same center named Da F.I.R.M. He was the youngest dancer in the group but kept up with the other young adults in the group. Deshawn later on joined a crew of boys who named themselves G.I.B (Go In Brother) who labeled him as a choreographer for the group.

As Deshawn went on experiencing the choreography world he then started submitting to shows such as Carnival NY, Sybarite Love is Love & WOD N.J. were he has presented his latest works.

He also started artist developing and creative directing through the experience of doing such shows.

Deshawn since has worked with artist such as Chris Brown, Lil Mama Nyemiah Supreme and more…. Weather choreographing or back up dancing he booked as much as possible.

Right now Deshawn is a choreographer,dancer,dance coach & artist developer for the New York burlesque show The Dollhouse and there male version The Ken Project who is represented by Bloc Agency NYC.

Deshawn is just getting started, his vision and goals are now more clear than ever this bright new star is sure to please and so refreshing to the dance industry .

  Michael Susten

Michael has been a dance educator for the past 14 years. He has had the privilege of teaching at dance studios around the country, Performing Arts High Schools and most recently was a guest at Point Park University. Michael has trained and mentored students who have performed on Broadway (Billy Elliot & Matilida) Vegas (Jubilee) Theme Parks (Disney Orlando & Tokyo) Major Dance Companies (Giordano Dance Company) and been accepted into the top dance colleges(Point Park, NYU, University of the Arts, Towson, Pace, Fordham, Marymount Manhattan, Walnut Hill)

While a sophomore in college, Michael created the Xhale Dance Company, a contemporary company based in the heart of Philadelphia. He produced and directed eleven shows while he was still a student. In addition to their seasonal productions, the company also performed in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, The Koresh Artist Showcase and The Choreographer’s Canvas in NYC. 
After graduation Michael continued producing his company, while teaching at studios in the Tri-State Area. In 2010 Michael was selected to showcase his work in the Dance Underneath the Stars Choreography Festival in Palm Springs, California. The Xhale Dance Company also had the opportunity to perform as a guest with Tracie Stanfield’s Synthesis Dance Project, before celebrating its 5th Anniversary concert at the Salvatore Capezio Theatre at Peridance in NYC. 

Michael was honored to be a finalist in the International Choreography Competition at Jazz Dance World Congress. He was featured in Dance Teacher Magazine (November 2012 issue) and also won the video of the month.  Last March Michael had the debut of his new company Michael Susten & Company which was a two night sold out even held in NYC, which was followed by another sold out weekend in November.  This February Michael will showcase his work in the Pushing Progress Showcase for the third time, alongside some of NYC's top choreographers.