Staff Bios
Dance Department
Catherine Good is one of few Associate members of the Royal Academy of Dance working in the United States. She was awarded her status at age 18, after winning the Betty Hassal Award, gaining the highest dancing qualification awarded by the Academy. After demonstrating the new teacher training examinations for the Academy, she came to Florida, and became head of ballet at the University center for Performing Arts. This afforded her the opportunity to work with Moscow City Ballet and students from Harid Conservatory, as well as coaching dancers from England, here working on the cruise lines and Broadway tours. Catherine has studied most forms of classical training, from Cecchetti to the Bournonville style, but most importantly she mentored under Paula Hinton-Gore, England’s most famous dramatic ballerina, giving her a direct heritage of Ballet Russe Diaghilev. Most recently, she was asked to re-stage one of Walter Gore’s ballets in London.
Ms. Good is currently teaching all levels of Ballet at MUSE.
Roberto Cosentino began his dance training in Naples, Italy where he studied at the prestigeous Danza Lyceum Academy and Ballettificio Napoletano. He continued his studies in the United States at the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance in New York as well as John Tremain & Sleight Center in Los Angeles. After dancing for several years with professional dance companies in Europe, he began his teaching career. His experience includes teaching and choreographing for the Scottish Ballet in Glosgow and Pianeta Danza in Naples.
Mr. Cosentino is currently teaching Contemporary, Broadway Jazz and Adult Jazz Funk at MUSE.
Melanie Anastacia Van Allen (B.F.A., M.F.A.) began her dance training at the age of
ten under the guidance and training of her mentor Susan Panek. Melanie is a graduate of
The Ohio State University with a BFA degree in dance performance/choreography. Melanie
is also a graduate of The University of Michigan with a MFA degree in dance performance/
choreography. Melanie has taught at Eastern Michigan University, Oakland University, The
University of Michigan, The Detroit-Windsor Dance Academy and Capezio Estudio De Ballet in
La Paz, Bolivia. Melanie’s choreography has been showcased at Wayne State University, Michigan
State University, Eastern Michigan University, The University of Michigan, The Ohio State University, The Charles Wright African American Museum, The Michigan Youth Arts Festival, Wayne State University’s Annual Children’s concert, The National Dance Education Organization Conference and Capezio Estudio De Ballet and most recently in various venues in Berlin, Germany.
Ms Van Allen is currently teaching Modern Ballet and Lyrical at MUSE.
Leah Parkinson began dancing at the age of four in Manchester, England. Her training includes Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz, Pointe, Lyrical and Greek. She has been awarded numerous trophies and medals through dance competitions all over England. She was awarded two Bursaries from the United Teachers of Dance and was placed 1st in England with her exam results.Ms. Leah began her professional dance career at the age of seven, performing each Christmas season with both British and American celebrities at the Manchester Palace Theater. She won the leading role of Annie at the age of eleven at Wigan Theatre. She went on to study dance teaching at Preston College, England, where she graduated with teaching associates in both ISTD Tap and Modern/Jazz dance.
Ms Parkinson is currently teaching all levels of Tap and Jazz at MUSE.
Lara Luzim received her B.F.A from N.Y.U Tisch School of the Arts and has since been teaching and choreographing for stage,screen and film. She has had the priviiage of working with such artists as Jamale Graves, Mia Michaels, Sean Curran and Doug Varone . She currently is Artistic Director of Lara Luzim Dance , serves as judge for competitions and produces showcases for her work and other emerging artists.
Ms Luzim is currently teaching Master Classes and workshops for MUSE.
Theresa Gonzalez has been involved in dance and cheerleading since the age of 12. She was a JV cheerleading coach for two years following high school as she pursued professional dance in
Jacksonville, Florida, including the Jacksonville Tomcats and Jacksonville Barracudas dance teams.
She is currently studying for her Psy.D. degree at Nova Southeastern University. She has received
formal training in hip hop, jazz, gymnastics, and ballroom. Theresa is preparing to receive her
Zumba certification.
Ms Gonzalez is currently teaching Hip Hop at MUSE.
Creative Writing Department
Alan Taffel has spent the last twenty-five years as a writer/producer/director/actor in TV, video, and film. He is the winner of numerous national and regional awards including an Emmy, multiple CableAce awards, a Crystal Award, Telly awards and many more. As an actor, Alan has appeared in and hosted numerous TV shows and pilots, stage shows, and feature films. As a writer, he has worked professionally for thirty years writing screenplays, TV shows, pilots, commercials, infomercials, and print materials. Alan has completed his first novel and is currently working on a second.
Mr Taffel is currently teaching Screenwriting and Acting for Film at MUSE.
Deborah DeNicola received her M.F.A. from the Vermont College Writing Program. She is a Bread Loaf Scholar (1993), a recipient of fellowships from The MacDowell Colony (1994), The Centrum Foundation (1995), The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (1997), and The Vermont Studios (1999). She has taught writing and literature at Boston University and Mass College of Art and in the Graduate Creative Arts and Learning Program for Lesley University. Ms. DeNicola was awarded a Poetry Fellowship in 1997 from the National Endowment for the Arts, received The William T. Foley Award in 2000 , The Barbara Bradley Award in 1996 from The New England Poetry Club, and a
Special Mention from The Pushcart Prizes 1992. She is the author of Where Divinity Begins (Alice James Press 1994) and three previous chapbooks, Rainmakers (Coyote Love Press 1984) , The Harmony of the Next, the
2005 winner of the Riverstone Chapbook Award, and Psyche Revisited, which won the 1992 Embers
Magazine Chapbook Contest. She is also a book reviewer with The Sun-Sentinel Newspaper and she
currrently mentors writing and dream work from her web site www.intuitivegateways.com/books
Ms DeNicola is currently teaching Poetry and Creative Writing at MUSE.
Theater/ Music Department
Christina N. Alexander is a South Florida native. She is the Director/ Founder of the South Florida Kids Choir and is the current Director of the City of Miami City Kids Choir. She holds a BM in Musical Theater and an MM in Musicology. She has spent numerous years teaching and performing Music (Voice/Piano) and Theater, most recently in the Miami- Dade Public School System, but as far reaching as Dubai and Singapore.
Ms Alexander is currently teaching Voice and Theater at MUSE.
Kristen Long is a graduate of the Berkley College of Music. Her professional career has placed her in numerous theater pieces, television and film. She has been a teaching Theater, Vocals and Piano for the last 8 years while continuing to perform professionaly on a regular basis.
Ms. Long is currently teaching Musical Theater, Voice and Piano at MUSE.
Toti Viola has been a professional guitar player since the age of 12. Born and raised in Palermo, Italy, by the age of 18 he was already touring the world. His career has included performances with George Benson, Manhattan Transfer, David Brubeck and Diana Shurr just to name a few. He continues to perform all over the world and is featured anually at the Detroit Montreaux Jazz Festival.
Mr. Viola is currently teaching private guitar lessons at MUSE.