Welcome to the Conservatory of Music and Dance
Welcome to our studios and the exciting world of the performing arts. We provide high quality training while being able to offer a variety of classes and new programs. We constantly challenge ourselves to present the best opportunities to students of all ages to grow and develop in the areas of Dance, Music and Theatre Arts.
Our staff is professional, caring and highly trained in their field. What’s unique about our school is not only the impeccable professional training, but also the nurturing environment our staff provides with their leadership, mentoring and friendships.
We evaluate our program regularly and add new and exciting programs that will enhance the student’s education in the arts. Our goal is to build confidence, educate, motivate and develop skills that will make our students outstanding individuals in both the arts and in many other life skills.
Developing opportunities, nurturing a love for the arts, and
advancing the students technically, musically and creatively is our ambition and
lifelong commitment.
Letter from the Director
“If you can dream it, You can be it!”
This slogan sums up the passion that has made our students achieve.
I would like to welcome you to the family of the Conservatory of Music and Dance. We began in 1989 and grew from one studio to three studio’s plus teaming with The Pennsylvania Performing Arts Company 501(c)3 and our Online and in-house store, Cathy’s Capezio. We are most proud of our students. Students who have been successful in so many aspects of their careers both as professionals in the arts and many continuing with the arts in a less formal way. The arts have brought self confidence, work ethic, goal setting, task completion, strategies for success and the ultimate use of all their talents to make them well rounded in the many careers they have chosen. Whether professional performers, teachers, doctors and/or parents, many of their memories were made here at the Conservatory. We are so grateful to have touched the lives of so many students and extremely appreciative of the parents who have shared the vision that we have.
We continue to expand on that vision and we are excited about how our program will grow new young artists. The extensive growth we have had in each department through the development of our programs are our motivation to serve our students. We seek out and evaluate some of the most prestigious programs in the country.
We are so fortunate to have artistic directors, advisors, administrative staff and faculty with such a caring and passionate approach to your students education. We believe each student grows differently and our program is designed to review their goals and levels and help them achieve as young artists.
Search out the program that makes your child happy and let them follow their dreams!
Catherine Cianciulli -Executive Director
Catherine Cianciulli has a Bachelors of Art Degree in performance, minor in management and composition(Magna Cum Laude). She also received her State Certification in Music Education. She has a Masters from University of Pennsylvania for Non Profit Leadership(Summa Cum Laude). She has performed professionally internationally and within the United States, including back ups for Barry Mannilow and Bob Hope USO shows. She has won numerous awards for her performances. Mrs. Cianciulli was a winner in the Mario Lanza Competition. In 1985, she was crowned Miss Montgomery County (Miss America Pageant) and was also nominated "Woman of the Year" in Philadelphia. She was a judge for the Governor's school of excellence for over 15 years, attended numerous workshops in New York and Philadelphia to enhance her love for educating children in the arts. She has presented opportunities for students to perform in Nashville, Tennessee, Disney World, Florida, on cruises, at the Governor’s Mansion, at Sixers, Flyers, and Wings games, in parades, on cable television, and also to study and perform in Rome, Italy. Her most valued honors and motivators are her husband, a silent and supportive partner, and her four children. Her love for performance has encouraged her to reach out to educating and motivating students. She believes that, “There is always something new to be learned; we must seek, find, and shower our children with new and exciting curriculum in dance, music and theatre.”.
Joseph Cianciulli- (Artistic Director) Music(Voice and Piano) Dance and Theater Teacher
Joseph Cianciulli holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Temple University in Performance. He has studied with Miguel Companeria and Hilda Morales at the Hartt Conservatory as well as William Stone, David Arnold for Voice and Dr. Barbara Mathis for Vocal Pedagogy. He also studied with Savion Glover, Mike Minery for Tap and attended NYU summer Intensive for Musical Theatre and the school for film and television in New York. He has played and accompanied throughout the United State. He is presently an artist in residence on the faculty of Temple University as well as an accompanist for Pennsylvania Ballet. He has performed roles for the Louisville Ballet Company, The Kentucky Opera Company, The Delaware Opera Company, The Philadelphia Opera Collective, the New York Lyric Opera. Joseph was also a student at the Conservatory from age 3 to age 17 in voice, dance and theatre. He has also performed a number of Musical Theatre lead roles. Joseph is continuing his performing and studying of voice and is happy to be back working with the students of the Conservatory.
Erica Lee McGeehan-(Artistic Director) Music(Voice and Piano) Dance and Theater
Erica Cianciulli McGeehan is a singer, dancer, actress, yoga instructor, and meditation coach originally from Philadelphia, PA. She began her training in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, contemporary, modern, voice, and theatre at the Conservatory of Music and Dance before going off to study at Point Park University where she graduated with a Musical Theatre degree and studied as a dance minor. Throughout her career in the arts, she has studied voice under many vocal coaches such as Catherine Cianciulli, Ingrid Zeldin, Valerie Girard, Sandra Greciano, Judith Blazer, and Natalie Weiss. She attended many programs for dance, music, and theatre such as Luzerne Music Camp, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Joffrey Summer Dance (NY), and Manhattan School of Music Precollege. During her third year at Point Park, Erica was offered a contract with the National Tour of "Pippin" and decided to finish schooling on tour, playing the role of "Fastrada." After touring the USA, Erica signed with Hudson Artists Agency in New York City and headed back on the road, playing the role of "Marjorie" in "Dirty Dancing": the Classic Story on Stage. After closing the Dirty Dancing tour, Erica took a year to settle into New York and received her RYT 200 yoga certification through CorePower Yoga, where she taught heated power vinyasa for a year. Since then, Erica has performed on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas in "Cats" the Broadway Musical as "Bombalurina." Erica is now on the National Broadway Tour of "CATS" as "Bombalurina. Erica also teaches online yoga and meditation classes with a fusion of voice and speech exercises through her personal online brand, Reverb: Movement Vibration.
Olivia Hagan Cianciulli-Ballet Teacher(Artistic Director)
Olivia Hagen Cianciulli started ballet at the age of 3. She trained at numerous schools before her graduation from Interlochen Arts Academy including: Turning Point, Central Wisconsin School of Ballet and Academie de la Danse. Mrs. Cianciulli had the opportunity to train internationally in Krakow, Poland at the Krakow Zaradova Skola Baletova and in London, England at the Royal Academy of Dancing. Mrs. Cianciulli has attended numerous summer intensives including ABT Detroit, Mi, ABT Orange County,CA, ABT NYC,NY, Joffrey Chicago, Il and Joffrey NYC,NY. Olivia has worked with wonderful teachers along the way most notably Irina Kolplakova, Vladimir Seminov, Yumelia Garcia, Charthel Arther, Francis Corkle and so many others. Professionally, Olivia started her career with Ballet Theatre of Maryland and went on to dance with Charlottesville ballet. She currently just finished her two year contract with Louisville Ballet.
Jarred Cianciulli-Violin, Viola and Piano(Guest Artist)
Mr. Cianciulli started taking piano lesson’s from Mary Boyer at the age of 3. He has performed at many summer festivals including the Aspen Music Festival, Meadowmount School of Music, Sienna Music Festival, Trentino Music Festival in Italy and the North American Viola Institute. Jarred was enrolled in the Manhattan School of Music Pre-college program where he studied orchestral performance, chamber music, music theory and ear training. He hold a Bachelor’s Degree from Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University for Viola Performance and completing a Graduate Degree from Manhattan School of Music. Jarred has been teaching violin, piano and viola for 10 years. He teaches his students the fundamentals of music theory. He believes in the importance of scales and arpeggios and suggests his students use them daily in their warm up routines. Mr. Cianciulli teaches from the Suzuki method and Galamian scale system.
Jason Cianciulli- Dance(Guest Artist)
Jason Reese began his career as a founding member of VIM VIGOR in his last year of studies at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance. In the past three years he has had the opportunity to teach at institutions such as Princeton University, NYU Tisch, Ailey/Fordham, New Dialect, the University of Quebec at Montreal, B12, SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, Program Enlaces, North Carolina School of the Arts, the Movement Invention Project, New Jersey Dance Theater Ensemble, and the Conservatory of Music and Dance and Pennsylvania Performing Arts Academy. He is a choreographic collaborator with VIM VIGOR and has helped create work for LA Dance Project, the Juilliard School, the University of Michigan, Barnard College/Columbia University, Gibney Dance Company, Springboard Danse Montreal and Manhattanville College. He presently teaches as an adjunct teacher at SUNY PURCHASE and is currently a member of PunchDrunk NYC in the cast of, 'Sleep No More.' Jason continues to teach and create with VIM VIGOR Dance Theater Company and is now a fulltime lecturer at the University of Michigan for Dance.
Mary Boyer-Piano(Artistic Director)
Mary Boyer has been a teacher with the Conservatory of Music and Dance since 1996. She graduated from Immaculata University with a Bachelor of Music, cum laude, with certification in Music Therapy. She is a member of the Delta sigma Music Honor Society and a member of the American Music Therapy Association. Mary has worked at the Academy of Community Music as a music therapist and music teacher in the crescendo program. She was a staff music therapist at Temple Continuing Care and currently works as a therapist at St. Mary Manor in Lansdale, PA. Mary enjoys providing private and group instructions in piano here at the Conservatory and looks forward to many more years of service.
Karly Meehan-Dance and Musical Theater
Karly Meehan is a dance artist and educator based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She obtained her BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she had the privilege of working under Katherine Duke and Louis Kavouras, performing two lead roles in "New Moon" and "Early Floating" from the Erick Hawkins repertoire. Shortly after graduating, Karly was invited back as a guest artist to create three works for the UNLV Performing Arts Center. During her tenure in Las Vegas, she performed alongside Cirque du Soleil and Academy of Villains, and developed her own dance program for elite athletes. Now in Philadelphia, Karly recently received her MFA in Dance from Temple University and is currently a Lead Teaching Artist with BalletX's Dance eXchange program, facilitating creative movement classes in public schools around the city. Outside of the classroom, Karly creates multimedia contemporary dance works that investigate consciousness and the human condition. Inspired by metaphysics, neuroscience, philosophy, and the overall dramatics of life, she brings abstract theatrical dance performances to the proscenium. Through the powers of movement, technology, and fashion, Karly continually wonders what makes humans... human!
Yuki Ishiguro- Dance
Yuki Ishiguro, Japanese native, discovered Break dance on the street during college. Since then he has learned many forms of dance. After graduating from Ritsumeikan University in Japan with a BA in business. He started to work with Japanese ballet company for 2 years, then Yuki moved to New York as a student of DNA(Dance New Amsterdam). And studied with unique street performers such as Kenichi Ebina well known as a winner of America's Got Talent season 8. From these training and his own practice Yuki created his own dance style and signature movements, which has been praised by dance reviews. "a dancer of remarkable athleticism. It was a thrill to watch him execute his moves with skill and eclat, maintaining a smooth unbroken dramatic flow as he shifted through one style after another." - The Dance Journal ”What makes Yuki so intriguing - beyond his style of movement - is his enigmatic quality. There's no other dancer quite like him on the Gotham dance scene.” Oberon's Grove Yuki has worked and toured with several dance companies in the U.S. - Roxey ballet, Catapult entertainment, Emery LeCrone dance, etc. He has been invited by fusion flute musician Kenzie Slottow in Austin, Texas to choreograph and dance for her music videos, and toured in the U.S. Also Yuki uses LED prop called "Visual poi" as his dance prop and performed for entertainment shows such as Tommy Hilfiger party.Yuki started his own company Yu.S.Artistry in 2018. His work has been presented at Booking dance festival at Jazz at Lincoln Center, DUMBO dance festival, KoDaFe at Ailey citigroup theater, NYC10 at Dixon place, MAD festival at Nazareth college, Come together dance festival by Koresh dance at Suzanne Roberts theater, International dance festival.
April Eickhoff-Dance
April Eickhoff began dancing at the age of three at Dance One Studios where she trained in tap, jazz, ballet, modern, hiphop, and acro, as well as being a member of their three pre-professional companies. She graduated from James Madison University, receiving her B.A. in Dance, PK-12 Teaching Licensure, and a minor in entrepreneurship. Her choreography at JMU was performed in many student showcases and as well as the Forbes Center for Performing Arts Mainstage Theatre. Throughout her dance career, April has performed at places such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Disney World. She has also briefly worked with renowned dancers such as Jason Samuels Smith, Karen Callaway Williams, Jacob Brent, Shannon Hummel of CORA Dance, Vincent Thomas, and more. April hopes to open up her own studio one day and teach in the public schools.
Kiley Doloway-Dance(Guest Teacher)
Kiley Dolaway was born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. She studied ballet and modern dance at Philadelphia Dance Theatre then attended high school and studied dance at The University of North Carolina School of the Arts under the direction of Susan Jaffe. She recently graduated in May of 2018 from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College with a BFA in dance performance. During her time at Purchase, she performed repertory by Shannon Gillen, Kevin Wynn, Manuel Vignoulle, Sidra Bell, and Merce Cunningham. Additionally, she was invited to dance at Springboard Danse Montreal in the summers of 2017 and 2018 where she performed in the restaging of 'Paper Cuts in an Empty Bag' by Peter Chu and ‘Neither Here|There’ a new creation by Johannes Wieland. In 2018, Kiley also performed in Shannon Gillen's 'SUPERBLOOM' at the 92nd Street Before joining VIM VIGOR as a full time company member. Since then she has worked alongside Gillen assistant teaching classes at The Juilliard School, SUNY Purchase, NYU Tisch, and Fordham. She has supported Shannon Gillen's creations at L.A. Dance Project, b12 festival in Berlin, Princeton University, Boston Dance Theater, and Booker T. Washington School for the Arts. In 2019, she will debut in VIM’s latest creation FOREVER in NYC, before traveling with Gillen to teach and create at LINK 2019 in Salt Lake City, Perry Mansfield's Summer Program, Springboard Danse Montreal, Springboard X, and VIM VIGOR's Summer Program in NYC.
Chin-Wen Macias- Piano
Ms. Chin-Wen has been dedicated to teaching private piano lessons since 2000, sharing her lifelong passion for music that began at the age of five. She earned her Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and has extensive experience working with students of all ages and skill levels. Before joining the Conservatory of Music and Dance in September 2023, Ms. Chin-Wen taught both private lessons and group classes at the New Jersey Workshop for the Arts in Westfield, NJ, as well as in private home settings. She brings warmth, expertise, and a deep commitment to helping each student grow as a confident and expressive musician.
John Griffin Strings and Piano
John Griffin began playing viola at the age of eight, developing a strong passion for both strings and piano throughout his school years. He distinguished himself through numerous concert and festival performances, showcasing his musical talent from an early age. By the end of middle school and into his high school years, John expanded his artistry into conducting, leading string orchestra ensembles at two schools within the Norristown Area School District. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Music Education, magna cum laude, furthering his dedication to both performance and teaching. In addition to his work as an educator, John remains active as a violist, currently performing with Orchestra Concordia in Radnor, PA.
Alaysha Gladden-Dance, Musical Theater, Theater
Alaysha Gladdenis a choreographer and performer with a B.A. in Theater from Arcadia University and extensive training in acting, voice, stage combat, and aerial arts through Montgomery County Community College, Grounded Aerial, and John Casablanca Model & Talent Agency. She has choreographed for youth and teen dancers in a wide range of styles—including contemporary, hip hop, ballet, jazz, and musical theater—for productions such as Summer Jam, Winter Wonderland, Philadelphia Festival, and PVLA’s Empowering Artists Benefit Celebration. Her theater credits include The Wolves, Alice in Wonderland, and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, along with production roles as a choreographer and assistant stage manager for works like Mr. Burns and Dancing at Lughnasa. She is passionate about creating inspiring choreography for young performers and bringing energy and artistry to every stage.