Cantarella School of Dance Official School of The Albany Berkshire Ballet

08/02/2026

✨ Faculty Spotlight: Miss Kaitlynn Houghtaling ✨

We are so grateful to have Miss Kaitlynn as part of the Cantarella School of Dance family! 💜

For the past few years, Miss Kaitlynn has shared her passion for dance with our students, bringing creativity, positivity, and encouragement to every class. With extensive training in hip-hop, modern, jazz, and classical ballet, she continues to inspire dancers of all ages while furthering her own education through programs at Jacob’s Pillow and other local studios.

Miss Kaitlynn earned her Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Berkshire Community College and her Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), with a concentration in Education, Psychology, and Sociology. She is also a certified yoga instructor and teaches aerial silks and movement classes throughout Berkshire County.

This season, Miss Kaitlynn will be teaching our Pre-Ballet/Tap Combo, Musical Theatre, Modern, and leading our newest Petite Dance Team! Her dedication, enthusiasm, and love for teaching make her an incredible mentor for our dancers.

💜 We are so fortunate to have Miss Kaitlynn as part of the Cantarella family. Thank you for all you do—we can’t wait for another amazing season! 🩰✨

08/02/2026

📣 Exciting News from Cantarella School of Dance! 🩰✨

The countdown is on! Online registration for our 2026–2027 season opens August 15th! 🎉

📧 Our official class schedule will be emailed out this Monday, so keep an eye on your inbox! We can’t wait to share all the exciting classes, faculty, and opportunities we have planned for the new season.

Whether you’re returning to the studio or joining us for the very first time, we can’t wait to dance with you!

💜 Mark your calendars:
🗓️ Class Schedule Released: Monday
🗓️ Online Registration Opens: August 15th

Stay tuned… the new season is almost here! 💜

07/27/2026

🌟 Teacher Spotlight: Hannah Perrault 🌟

We’re excited to celebrate Miss Hannah and all she brings to the Cantarella family! 💜

This season, Hannah will be leading our Mini, Junior, and Senior Dance Teams while sharing her passion, creativity, and expertise with our dancers. Her award-winning choreography and dedication to helping each student grow make her an incredible asset to our faculty.

We can’t wait to see all that she and our dancers accomplish this season. Help us show Miss Hannah some love! 💐✨

07/26/2026

There’s something incredibly special about discovering the history that shaped the arts in our own backyard.

This wonderful article explores the connection between Jacob’s Pillow and Lee, highlighting how the Cantarella family helped bring dance to the community and contributed to a legacy that has inspired generations of dancers. It’s a beautiful reminder that the Berkshires have long been home to a rich and vibrant dance tradition.

As we carry Cantarella School of Dance into its next chapter, I’m proud to honor the legacy built by those who came before us while continuing to create new opportunities for the next generation of artists.

A heartfelt thank you to Joshua Bloom for the incredible time, dedication, and research that went into uncovering and preserving this important history. Your work helps ensure these stories will continue to be shared and appreciated for years to come.

Thank you as well to The Berkshire Edge for publishing this piece and helping celebrate the rich history of dance in our community.

💜 Here’s to preserving our past while inspiring our future.

"Madeline and my mom were best friends. ... My mom taught all Madeline’s kids and grandkids piano! She also played live piano at ballet classes and recitals for many years!” — Maryellen Abbott Walsh from Lee

07/21/2026

🩰 Summer Pre-Ballet with Miss Destiny! ☀️

Our Pre-Ballet Summer Series has been full of movement, music, creativity, and FUN! These young dancers are working on the foundations of ballet while building coordination, confidence, balance, musicality, and classroom skills along the way.

We love seeing each dancer’s personality shine as they learn, grow, and discover the joy of dance! 💜

Great work, dancers! Miss Destiny is so proud of this class!

07/19/2026

💜 TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: RUSLAN SPRAGUE 💜

Today, we’re shining the spotlight on someone whose history with dance—and with the Albany Berkshire Ballet and Cantarella family—goes back nearly his entire life: Ruslan Sprague!

Ruslan began dancing with the Albany Berkshire Ballet at just three years old, growing from the young Changeling in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1993 to performing as the Snow Prince in ABB’s beloved annual production of The Nutcracker.

Throughout his journey, Ruslan studied with Darrell Pucciarello of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, attended programs with Boston Ballet, and participated in Boston Ballet’s choreographic workshop under the teachings of Helen Pickett and Jorma Elo. His professional career eventually took him to Ballet West in Salt Lake City, Utah, before his journey brought him back home to the Berkshires.

Today, we are incredibly fortunate to have Ruslan sharing that lifetime of experience, artistry, and passion with the next generation of dancers at Cantarella School of Dance. From growing up surrounded by dance to building a professional career and ultimately returning to the community where it all began, his journey has truly come full circle. 💜

Thank you, Ruslan, for everything you bring to our dancers and our school. We are so grateful to have you as part of our CSOD family!

✨ Teacher. Choreographer. Mentor. Inspiration. ✨

07/16/2026

💜✨ SAVE THE DATE! ✨💜

The Cantarella School of Dance is excited to announce auditions for our NEW Petite Dance Team!

📅 Sunday, September 27, 2026
🕓 4:00–4:45 PM
👧 Ages 5–7 Years Old

Does your little dancer love to perform, make new friends, and shine on stage? Our Petite Dance Team is the perfect introduction to the exciting world of dance team!

✨ Team members will:
💜 Compete at a dance competition during the 2026–2027 season
💜 Perform at community events throughout the year
💜 Build confidence, teamwork, and lasting friendships while having fun!

07/07/2026

💜 Teacher Appreciation Spotlight: Miss Dede Swindlehurst 💜

This week we’d like to recognize someone who has been an incredible part of the Cantarella School of Dance family for many years—Miss Dede Swindlehurst.

Miss Dede’s journey began right here at Cantarella, where she trained under our founder and Artistic Director, Miss Madeline Cantarella Culpo. From those early years, her talent and dedication led her to become a principal dancer with the Albany Berkshire Ballet before continuing her professional career with the Pennsylvania Ballet, where she rose to the rank of soloist. Along the way, she also appeared as a guest artist at Jacob’s Pillow and toured nationally with distinguished artists. (Cantarella School of Dance⁠)

Today, she has come full circle, sharing that same passion, artistry, and love of ballet with the next generation of dancers. Her classes are filled with patience, encouragement, discipline, and genuine care for every student who walks through our doors. She inspires our dancers not only to become stronger technicians, but to grow into confident, respectful, and passionate young artists.

For so many students, Miss Dede has been more than a teacher—she has been a mentor, a role model, and a source of inspiration. We are incredibly grateful for the knowledge, experience, and heart she brings to Cantarella every single day.

Thank you, Miss Dede, for your unwavering dedication to our students and to preserving the tradition and excellence that make Cantarella so special. We are truly lucky to have you as part of our dance family. ❤️

If Miss Dede has touched your dancer’s life, we’d love to hear your favorite memory in the comments below! 💐

07/04/2026

Congratulations to Miss Destiny and Jimmy Fiske, along with their helpers, on creating an amazing float for the Pittsfield 4th of July Parade! We also thank the dancers from our Cantarella Dance Teams, Cantarella students and Albany Berkshire Ballet dancer Kerry Piaggione for showing up extra early this morning! Another great job, another great day! Happy 4th to all!

07/01/2026

The moment you've been waiting for is here... Our big announcement is officially out! ✨

Student audition registration for this year's tour of The Nutcracker is now OPEN! 🎄🩰

If you have a student dancer surrounding the following cities, join us for our annual tradition:
🎄 Pittsfield, MA
🩰 Albany, NY
❄ Burlington, VT
✨ Springfield, MA

We can't wait to see both familiar faces and first-time performers as we kick off another magical Nutcracker season. Let the countdown begin!

🔗 Register today: https://tinyurl.com/3hh6rruf