Elevate Dance Academy Faculty

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A native of upstate New York, Cynthia has been teaching for over thirty-five years, from the youngest of dancers to college-bound and beyond. Cynthia graduated with honors from Purdue with a Master's in Higher Education Administration & Leadership. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with honors from Rowan University with degrees in Education and Psychology. She has studied with numerous artists, including Sulamith Messerer, former Prima Ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet, at the Briansky Saratoga Ballet Center, under George Balanchine, and with Oleg and Mireille Briansky at the School of Berkshire Ballet and the Hallenbeck School of Dance. She was also on scholarship at the Princeton Ballet School and the Joffrey Ballet. Cynthia also had the privilege of training with Hines & Hatchett, the original dance teachers of the now-renowned Broadway Dance Center. She is certified by Dance Educators of America, a graduate of Empire State Theater and Mercer High School of Performing Arts, a certified aerobics instructor by the American Aerobic Association International, an RBT, PBT trained, and works for Princeton Theological Seminary on a 4-million dollar grant project for The Polaris Young Adult Leadership Network.

Versed in every style of dance and performing arts, Cynthia began a professional career as a child and has performed on Broadway, in television and movies, and modeled for the World Modeling Association. Cynthia has numerous professional credits; her most memorable ones include performing at Radio City Music Hall, high wire flying with Peter Foy, and walking in Mercedes Fashion Week in NYC. Cynthia is a nationally awarded choreographer, was named by Dance Spirit Magazine as one of the top 50 “Dance Teachers on the Move”, her students have placed in the top 12 at YAGP, and have been accepted into prestigious ballet companies such as Joffrey, Philadelphia Ballet, and ABT.  Cynthia has extensive experience working with children of all abilities and ages in multiple educational settings with a successful record of meeting student benchmarks, life goals, college acceptances, and professional careers. She also has extensive experience in special education, curriculum development, early education, and applied behavioral analysis. Cynthia is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and passion for the arts to inspire her students to achieve their goals and dreams.

CiCi Crosby, a New Jersey native, is a dancer, choreographer, and gymnastics coach. She began her professional dance career with the New York Riptide Dance Crew and is now a second year company dancer at Nimbus Dance in Jersey City. CiCi has performed works by various renowned choreographers, including Jonathan Godfrey, Chelsea Godfrey, David Lim, Jona Biddle, Fik-Shun, Phillip Solomon, Bill T. Jones, Fredrick Earl Mosley, Tevin Johnson, Dawn Marie Bazemore, and Samuel Pott. Her training includes Somerset County Votech Dance, The Joffrey Ballet School, The Pulse Dance Intensive, Complexity Dance Center, and Montclair State University Dance Department. CiCi choreographed and premiered her first dance film titled “The Killer Series” in 2021. She followed with her second “La Lucertola” in 2023 and her third “Salema” in August of 2025. She also hosted her first gallery for her dance photography titled “The Shapes of Girlhood” in 2024. With a wide range of knowledge in the fields of dance & gymnastics, as well as equal passion for performing, teaching, and choreographing, she has enjoyed the honor of sharing her versatility with the youth of the dance world. CiCi has now been teaching young dancers across New Jersey and New York since 2019. Her classes and choreography are known for their innovation, musical variety, challenging technical work, and uplifting energy. CiCi challenges her students artistically and athletically, encouraging them to push creative boundaries and balance flexibility and strength. She has been awarded for her choreography in the styles of Contemporary, Jazz, Acro, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Pom, and Modern.

Allison Westrick was born and raised in Long Valley, New Jersey. She began her training at the age of 3 in a multitude of dance styles. At age 15, she began her pre-professional career through Z Artists Group, where she was given many opportunities to travel and perform. Her international experiences include a cultural exchange with Malpaso Dance Company through the Joyce Theater Foundation in Havana, Cuba, Assisting her mentor Joelle Cosentino at the DanzArt Festival in Sicily, Italy, and a residency in Mumbai, India. Allison has notably performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Broadway’s BC/EFA Easter Bonnet Competition, Dancers Demand Action Benefit at the Joyce Theater, as well as United Nations Reception for Adolescent Health. She received her BFA in Dance Performance at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance in May 2024. During her studies, she had the opportunity to perform works by Martin Løfsnes, Nattie Trogdon and Hollis Bartlett, and Doung Varone and Dancers among others. Allison has done additional training  with Joy Apluerto Ritter through B12 international festival,  Juliano Nunes and Flockworks at Orsolina28, the EXPLORE Program at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, New Jersey Dance Theater Ensemble’s Ballet Intensive, and more. Allison was also chosen to represent Purchase at London Contemporary Dance School as a study abroad student, where she performed works that culminated from investigative processes. Allison has taught and choreographed for many dance studios in the NJ and Northeast area.  She continues to deepen in her creativity, and her work reflects her vast collection of technical styles and worldly experiences.

Alyssa Donetz brings a dynamic blend of athleticism, artistry, and heart to every class she teaches. With a strong foundation in gymnastics and experience working with preschool-aged and elementary school children, Alyssa has a natural ability to connect with young dancers and help them thrive both physically and creatively.

She trained and performed with a world and national champion dance company, where she gained high-level performance and competition experience in styles ranging from jazz and lyrical to hip hop. Her passion for movement, combined with her early childhood teaching background, makes her classes the perfect balance of structure, fun, and skill-building.

Alyssa is committed to creating a positive, encouraging environment where every dancer—no matter how young—feels seen, supported, and inspired to grow.