ABOUT MSTDA
The Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance has offered music, theatre and dance training along with performance opportunities for all ages for over 40 years in the Roosevelt Island community.
Our Mission
MSTDA nourishes creativity by providing high quality music, theatrical and dance training as well as performing opportunities to everyone in our diverse community. We offer every person, child or adult, the opportunity to participate in the arts without discrimination due to race, color, national origin, sex including gender and orientation, cultural background, socio-economic status, age, ability, or disability. With a robust scholarship program no one is turned away for financial reasons.
Kristi Towey
Executive Director
Ashleigh Herndon
Producing Artistic Director
Gina Enock
Board President
Joanne Eichel
Board Vice-President
Tanya Starace
Board Secretary
“What we want to create for children are safety nets, places where children can build up their resilience, self esteem, feel loved, and feel wanted. It has been amazing for me to see some of my patients who I knew had experienced trauma or neglect in their biological home, really emerge on stage at MSTDA. I can’t tell you how important this is. MSTDA is like another family. It’s more than about performing, it’s about belonging. It’s about people telling you that you did a great job.”
— Dr. Katherine Grimm, Roosevelt Island Pediatrician
Teaching Staff
Barbara Parker
Pilates
Brittany Florenz
Private Piano
Jeanne Castagnaro
Operations Manager, Intro to Children's Theatre, Playmaker's Camp & Private Voice
Joan Marie
Junior Teen Theatre Director
Jonathan Fadner
Technical Director, Music Together, Music Director, Camp Director, Private piano, voice and guitar
Kay Clark
Private piano and violin
Kiat-Sing Teo
LAMDA Instructor
Kimbirdlee Fadner
Private voice
Mary di Mauro
Children's Theatre Director, Theatre Camp Instructor, Canta y Baila Conmigo, Music Together, Private Voice
Pena Verde
Capoeira
Ashleigh Herndon
Producing Artistic Director, Children's Theatre Choreographer, Dance Instructor, Private Voice
Asha Yates
Hip Hop
Haley Ostir
MSTDA Junior & Senior Dance Company, Pre-ballet, Pre-steps, Tap, Playmaker’s Camp
Debra Orenstein
Little Dancers, Pre-ballet, Creative Drama
Jacqueline Lucid
Associate Artistic Director of Theatre, Senior Teen Theatre Director
Holly Roberts
Ballet
Mark Waite
LAMDA Director, Adult Production Director, Children's Theatre Drama Director
Makiko Ishimori
Ballet
Yukari Ikegaya
Pre-ballet, Pre-steps and Tap
Taylor Lansey
Jazz
Michelle Arzac
Board Treasurer
NOT PICTURED:
Joselito Placio: Zumba
Beata Terrasi: Adult Ballroom
Supporting Staff: Susannah Akyuz, Debra Ochsenreiter, Jonathan Stein
Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance programs are made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Public Purpose Funds.
Special thanks to MSTDA official photographer Irina Hage of Irina Island Images