Our Faculty
Lizabeth Skalski (Director) served as Associate Director at Main Street Ballet before taking over the directorship in 2019. Her guest teaching credits include: The Hartford Conservatory; School for Creative and Performing Arts - Cincinnati, OH; Covenant Dance Studio - Brooklyn, NY; as well as schools in Canada, Taiwan and China. Ms. Skalski s teaching style uses the best aspects of the Ceccetti, School of American Ballet, French and Russian schools which is reflected by her training at the Joffrey School and from New York’s most innovative ballet teachers: Lawrence Rhodes, Finis Jhung, Nadine Revene, Igal Perry, Melissa Hayden and modern dance teachers Lar Lubovich, David Gordon and Lynn Simonson. Heralded by critics of the New York Times, Dance Magazine and New York Newsday, Ms. Skalski created over twenty-five original contemporary ballets for New York’s New American Ballet Ensemble, Ballet Santa Barbara and in showcases throughout New York, Connecticut and in Canada. She also created original choreography for Oklahoma , Phantom of the Opera , Three Penny Opera and Oliver and for productions produced by Newbury Musical Theater in Southbury. As a dancer, Ms. Skalski performed throughout the United States and Asia with New York based Chen & Dancers, Baba Dancers as well as with Downtown Ballet, New American Ballet Ensemble, Santa Barbara Ballet Theatre and Carlton Smith Ballet Chicago. Ms Skalski holds a MFA in dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Sylvia Kinal-Davidowitz (Ballet, Pointe/Variations, Principal Coach) began her studies at L Ecole Superieure des Grands Ballets Canadiens at age five, and has studied under some of the world's most outstanding teachers. She was awarded a Canadian grant to study with Rosella Hightower in Cannes, France, at American Ballet Theatre, and with the noted teachers, David Howard, Larry Rhodes, Haynes Owens and Maggie Black. At age 16, she was awarded the silver medal at the 8th International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria. In 1978, she was recognized as an Outstanding Artist of Canada, bestowed to her by HRH Queen Elizabeth of England. She toured the world as a principal dancer with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and the Cleveland Ballet as well as with Martine Van Hamel's American Ballet Stars, and with principal dancers from American Ballet Theatre and the Joffrey Ballet. Invited by Alicia Alonzo, Sylvia performed in Cuba at the Cuban International Dance Festival. Canadian choreographer Fernand Nault created the solo Incoherence for Sylvia which she performed at the Varna Ballet Competition, and the role of Anna, in the Seven Deadly Sins. Sylvia worked with the noted choreographers, Sir Anton Dolin, Lar Lubovitch, John Butler, Lynn Taylor Corbett, Milko Sparamblek, Dennis Nahat, Ian Horvath, Fernand Nault, and Brian Macdonald and performed principal roles in: Romeo and Juliet, Le Corsaire, The Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, Coppelia, Raymonda, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Balanchine's Serenade, Concerto Barocco, Theme and Variations, and The Four Temperaments. Other works include John Butler's Catulli Carmina; Maurice Bejart's Firebird; Lar Lubovitch's Exultate Jubilate and Les Noces; Anthony Tudor's Jardin aux Lilas and Sunflowers; Milko Sparemblek's The Miraculous Mandarin, and works by Dennis Nahat, Ian Horvath, and Canadian choreographers, Brian Macdonald and Fernand Nault
Cristin V. Gordon (Contemporary) began her dance education at Main Street Ballet at the age of three. She has trained at the Boston Ballet School and Broadway Dance Center in NYC in ballet, jazz, musical theatre, and modern. Cristin holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Gordon College where she produced four original full-length ballets and contributed choreography to countless productions around the North Shore, including performances of Sweeney Todd, HMS Pinafore, Hairspray, and She Loves Me. Following graduation, Cristin began her career as a Production Stage Manager, landing gigs in Boston and New York City. She has managed productions Off-Broadway for HERE Arts Center, The People’s Improv Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, and Theater for the New City, to name a few. Cristin has had the pleasure of working with incredible NYC artists including Jennifer Jancuska (resident choreographer for Hamilton) and Daniel Goldstein (director of Broadway’s revival of Godspell). Cristin’s teaching credits include the YMCA of the North Shore in Salem, MA and Westover School in Middlebury, CT where she served as the Assistant Director of Dance. She also volunteers as the Dance Ministry Leader for Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel, CT. Cristin is an award-winner choreographer whose pieces have earned regional awards at Starbound National Talent Competition, The Royal Dance Competition, and StarQuest Dance Competition. Her choreography has also appeared in music videos for LA-based recording artist, Chelsko. Cristin is a member of the Kiva Dance Collective, a modern dance company based in Middlebury, CT.
Alexandra Koulouris (Pre-Ballet) began dancing at Brass City Ballet in 2006 at six years old. She graduated from Brass City Ballet’s Company as a principal dancer in 2018 after years of training in classical ballet and modern dance. Since graduating, she has returned to Brass City Ballet a few times as a guest choreographer, jazz teacher, and guest performer. Alexandra began studying at Stonehill College in Easton, MA and joined Stonehill’s Stoneworks Dance Company her first semester freshmen year. For the next four years, she choreographed countless pieces and performed with the company. During college, Alexandra continued to study ballet and modern and she expanded her dance education to include jazz, tap, and contemporary dance. Alexandra graduated Summa Cum Laude from Stonehill in 2022 with an English and Communications double major and Dance minor. Alexandra is currently pursuing a Juris Doctor degree at Quinnipiac University School of Law where she is a Manuscript Editor for Quinnipiac Law Review. She is set to graduate from law school in 2025. Alexandra has been a ballet teacher at Main Street Ballet since 2022.
"Maybe it's luck or coincidence, but I've found that the greatest people walk through the MSB doors. We share a rich community of support, laughter and progress. I concider my time well spent here".
Brynn O., Graduate
I grew up with this studio; becoming the confident dance/actress I am today. Thank you for all the fun times and memories I will keep forever.
Jenny L., Graduate
MSB is, first and foremost, a school that teaches children the lessons they need to grow up to be responsible, self-confident adults. MSB teaches our children, every day, how to be flexible in a crisis and how to pull ourselves up from our bootstraps, face the issue head on, and plow confidently forward.
This life-lesson is due in no small part by you and your staff. We, as parents, often role model this behavior for ourchildren and I firmly believe that the MSB staff also models this can-do attitude.
I assume you had no part in the oh-so-timely arrival of the ice storm :-), but you certainly modeled admirable behavior in teaching our kids how to quickly change a role, adapt a dance, switch a costume, and rise to the occasion. For this, you have taught the kids (and us, adults) a great lesson.
Karen K., Parent
Beyond Main Street Ballet
Premier summer programs our students have been accepted to:
School of American Ballet
Boston Ballet School
Suzanne Farrell Summer Dance Internsive
Miami City Ballet School
Walnut Hill School for the Arts
CPYB
North Carolina Dance Theatre
Bolshoi Ballet Academy
Kirov Academy of Ballet
Joffrey Ballet School
Ellison Ballet
Kaatsbahn Extreme Ballet