Michelle Mathesius, Dance Department Chairperson
Michelle Mathesius is nationally known as a choreographer, producer, teacher and inter-nationally known for her work in preserving our nation’s dance heritage through revivals of the dances of the “Mother and Father of American Modern Dance,” Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn. With her partner Jane Sherman she founded the Denishawn Repertory Dancers currently featured in two video documentaries, DENISHAWN: THE BIRTH OF MODERN DANCE and DENISHAWN DANCES ON. In addition, while serving on the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the Governor’s Arts Literacy Task Force, she authored and implemented the original model for Performing Arts “shops” within New Jersey’s Vocational High Schools and co-founded the New Jersey Center for the Performing Arts.
Greg Sinacori, Dance Department Co-Chairperson
Greg Sinacori, a natve New Yorker, is an alumnus of LaGuardia High School and Fordham University where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance through the Alvin Ailey / Fordham University BFA program. Mr. Sinacori is a YoungArts Finalist and has danced professionally with Alvin Ailey's second company, Ailey II, The Parsons Dance Company, Fred Benjamin Dance Company, Heidi Latsky Dance and Battleworks. He has also worked commercially as a motion capture performer on numerous animated series for Nickelodeon including the Backyardigans and the Bubbleguppies. As an educator Mr. Sinacori was on faculty at LaGuardia High School since 2011. In 2015 he created the LaGuardia Dance Ensemble (LDE) where students are given the opportunity to perform repertory at venues in and around NYC. Mr. Sinacori holds his Masters degree in Educational Leadership and looks forward to the future of Dance at LaGuardia High School.