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CK Dance Company

Let Your Spirit Soar

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About Us

Our Philosophy

At CK Dance Company, it is our mission to provide a safe, encouraging, and professional atmosphere that promotes individual expression and development through the benefits of dance. 

Not only does our staff of highly qualified professionals provide exceptional dance instruction, but they also work to foster physical, mental, and spiritual development; encouraging students to handle themselves in any situation with confidence and grace. All costumes, music, and choreography are age-appropriate and family-friendly. 

Chrystie Kenny Greco

Artistic Director

Check out Chrystie’s interview with FOX23 news as she discusses life as a Rockette and how it led her to open CK Dance Company.

Chrystie just recently returned from New York City, where she has been performing as a Radio City Rockette Chrystie began dancing at age five and continued through high school and college, competing in many regional and national dance competitions. Chrystie graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in Dance and went on to realize her childhood dream of becoming a Radio City Rockette.

As a Rockette, Chrystie had an amazing journey working under the direction of Broadway performer and original Bob Fosse dancer, Linda Haberman.  She had many appearances on national television, performing on such programs as Dancing With The Stars, The Ellen Degeneres Show, NBC’s annual Rockefeller Tree Lighting, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and NBC’s Today Show.  In 2011, Chrystie appeared in the Macy’s Backstage commercial starring Donald Trump, Martha Stewart, P. Diddy Combs, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Simpson. She has had the pleasure of being part of countless print campaigns for Radio City and even found herself on the side of the NYC Greyline buses and a billboard in Times Square. 

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Over the past twelve years, Chrystie has enjoyed working with some of the world’s most renowned directors and choreographers.  She has traveled abroad with Royal Caribbean International, first as Dance Captain and performer, then as Assistant Choreographer and Rehearsal Director. There she had the opportunity to work with some of the industry’s leading choreographers from companies such as Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and River North Chicago. She has been a guest artist, choreographer, and competition adjudicator across the United States, and has observed, firsthand, what the habits and developmental needs of dancers at every stage. 

Chrystie has developed a passion for encouraging and inspiring the growth that young dancers are experiencing today.  As a dance teacher, her objective is to challenge the young dancers of today to push the boundaries of personal achievement in a positive way, not only influencing the best performers of tomorrow but also encouraging and inspiring a love for the art of dance and entertainment.

Watch Chrystie, and The Rockettes, performing on Dancing With The Stars!

    Meet our amazing instructors!

    We’re a talented group of creative individuals interested in art, cinematography, design, music, and all niches in between.

    Anna Acker

    Ballet

    Anna Acker was born and raised in Albany, NY, where she began her ballet training at The School of the Albany Berkshire Ballet.  She spent summers studying at the Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and on scholarship to the Milwaukee Ballet.

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    After graduating from ABB, Anna was offered academic and dance scholarships to study at the University of Missouri at Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance. There, under the tutelage of Professor Paula Weber, she performed principal roles in Raymonda, Les Sylphides, and Swan Lake, and danced in George Balanchine’s Serenade. She also trained extensively in the Horton modern technique. In 2006, Anna graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. The same year, she became a trainee for the Milwaukee Ballet, where she joined the company in performances of Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Nutcracker, and La Bayadere. In 2008, Anna joined the Minnesota Ballet, where she enjoyed 3 seasons performing Antony Tudor’s Little Improvisations, Twyla Tharp’s Sinatra Suite, George Balanchine’s “The Man I Love” pas de deux, excerpted from Who Cares?, and leading roles in Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, among others. Anna is also a certified pilates instructor and has enjoyed teaching at various ballet and pilates studios throughout her performing career. She has been thrilled to join the faculty of the Albany Berkshire Ballet after returning to Albany in 2011 to take on her newest role as Mom to Ethan, who was in 2012.

      Julia Hayes

      Ballet

      Ms. Julia began her training in rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 6 and entered the prestigious Hungarian State Opera Ballet School at the age of 9. After training, she was invited to join the Hungarian National Ballet Company.

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      While there, she performed throughout Europe and Russia, the works of Seregi, Bejart, Balanchine, Kylian, and the Great Russian classics Swan Lake, Nutcracker, and Giselle. After leaving Hungary, Ms. Julia performed the role of Meg Giry in the Vienna Company of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera. There, she had the opportunity to work with Harold Prince and Gillian Lynn. She also toured Holland with the New Years Gala Production and guest performed with the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland and the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth, Germany. She later joined the Hamburg production of CATS, covering the roles of Victoria, Sillabub, Cassandra, Rumpleteazer, Tantomile, and Bombalurina. Ms. Julia has taught students of all levels and ages in Germany, Australia, Arizona and New York. Ms. Julia also studied at the Fitness Institute of Australia and currently works as a fitness instructor and personal trainer.

        Alicia Hornicek

        Ballet and Modern

        Ms. Alicia started dancing with Albany Berkshire Ballet in High School and College. She started teaching dance in 1997 while pursuing her Master’s in Physical Therapy from Russel Sage College in Troy, New York. Alicia is also a mom of 3.

          Sarah Knightes

          Welcome To Dance, Ballet, and Tap

          Sarah is so excited to be joining the faculty at CK Dance Company!  She began dancing at three and continued to do so through college.  

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          Sarah graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo with a B.A. in Dance.  She then went on to receive her Masters degree in Childhood Education and Special Education at The College of Saint Rose.  She currently works as a New York State certified Special Education teacher.  Having taught for eighteen dance seasons at another local studio, Sarah brings a wealth of experience and a passion for educating young students about the art of dance.

            Kendall Morrissey

            Welcome To Dance, Ballet, Tap, and Jazz

             Kendal Price lived in Seattle, Washington until she was 16 before moving to Albany, New York. At age three, her parents put her into her first ballet class, where she fell in love with dancing.

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            As Kendal got older, she added more and more dance classes to her schedule and joined her school’s Performance Dance Company. In the company, she performed at community events all over the Seattle area for six years. During Kendal’s sophomore year of high school, she danced at PacWest Performing Aerts Center. The summer before her junior year in high school, she moved to Albany, New York. Kendal begin dancing at CK Dance Company when it opened in January of 2012. Here she dances and assists. She taught her first pre-school classes in February of 2013. Kendal has been trained in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Liturgical, Modern, and Irish dance. Kendal pursued her dream of becoming an early childhood teacher at The College of Saint Rose and has a dual degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education.

              Laura Racht

              Tap and Jazz

              Ms. Laura joins the CK dance family as a well-established teacher, actress, singer, and choreographer. She graduated from Westminster Choir College magna cum laude, majoring in musical theater with a minor in dance.

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              She is trained in Ballet, Pointe Contemporary, Modern, Jazz, Lyrical, Musical Theater, Tap, Hip-Hop, Acting, and Voice. She has taught in competitive and recreational schools She is excited to be teaching advanced tap and jazz, adult tap, and meeting our students through subbing opportunities.

                Lisa Russell

                Ballet, Tap, and Jazz

                Lisa is excited to join an amazing group of talented dance instructors at CK Dance Company. Lisa began her dancing journey at age five and has kept the joy of it alive ever since. Her mom said, “When she put those first pair of tap shoes on, she never looked back.”

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                Lisa grew up dancing through her childhood and onto high school. She enjoyed Tap and Jazz but found her love for Ballet. Lisa discovered her future while competing in local dance competitions, working in the dance office, and becoming a teacher’s assistant. She helped at local dance camps during the summer while venturing into choreography. Lisa choreographed her High School musicals at Scotia Glenville; “South Pacific” and “Damn Yankees.” She then auditioned for and held a lead role in “Don’t Drink the Water.” Lisa went on to achieve an Associate in Arts degree. While at Dean College, Lisa learned and performed with legends from our dance world; in a showcase with Maurice Hines, AC Ciulla, Derek Grant, and Jay T. Jenkins. She also learned and worked with the founder of The Dean Dance School, Joan Palladino. She focused on her love of Ballet and believes it is a foundation of all dance forms. After graduating, Lisa came home and immediately started teaching classes at a local dance school, and she was able to choreograph for the competition team. At a local competition, Lisa won a choreographer’s award titled “Perfect Lines,” and her girls took first place for her piece, “All that Jazz.” Lisa auditioned and joined the “Ice Mice Dance Team” where she danced for the River Rats, a hockey team, for two years while teaching. She taught dance for eight years up until having her second child. Lisa took a step away from teaching while raising her two children, Dylan and Olivia. When she’s not at the studio, you can find her designing flowers and spreading joy with them. She is excited to accept the opportunity to be back on the dance floor.

                  Carla Wasbes

                  Hip Hop

                  Carla Wasbes is excited to join CK Dance Company’s teaching staff. She has taught Hip Hop and Jazz in various studios throughout the Capitol District since 2000. She was the dance team coach for the Albany Conquest Treasures and the Albany Patroon Emeralds for many years before becoming the Hip Hop teacher in the dance department at Union College in 2007, where she continues to teach.

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                  Carla is a physical therapist who brings her understanding of proper warm-up, technique, and injury prevention to all her classes. She is a 200-hour certified yoga teacher primarily for vinyasa-flow. She and her husband have three young children eager to create and learn. Their encouragement and excitement to dance has brought Carla back to teaching recreational Hip Hop to kids!

                    Whitney Wilson

                    Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Modern

                    Ms. Whitney is a dance graduate of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. She has also studied at the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, China, a former Company Member with Harvard Ballet, and is a guest artist with Albany Berkshire Ballet. She attended graduate school at the prestigious Trinity Laban Conservatoire in England. 

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                    Over the years, Whitney has performed with New York City Ballet, Moscow Ballet, other ballet companies, and the National Tour of the Wizard of Oz. Whitney’s training and performing experiences include ballet, jazz, tap, modern, acro, and other dance genres. She is a certified yoga instructor and recently completed her dance certification with the Royal Academy of Dance.

                      Jerry Wilson

                      Communications and Operations Manager

                      A dance enthusiast, Jerry has been with the CK Dance Company family from the beginning. As the mother of a dancer,

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                       she has had many experiences in the dance industry. She is a certified kid yoga and pilates teacher and has taught adult physical fitness classes for over 20 years. Her passion for dance and her knowledge of child development and K-16 education make her a wonderful asset.

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