Diana Nicastro

Diana Nicastro has been teaching ballet in the San Diego area for over 21 years. She was born in Greece and has been dancing since the age of Four. Diana received her early training in Ballet with Suzanne Gutterson and Modern Dance instruction with June Lewis in New York. In high school she continued formal ballet studies in New York City with her mentor David Howard. Diana went on to attend the prestigious Boston Conservatory of Music under the direction of Yasuko & Emiko Tokunaga, concentrating on Classical Ballet, Pointe, Modern Dance and Choreography. In addition she also studied with Ruth Sandholm Ambrose of Boston Ballet. After college Diana returned to Manhattan to continue her dance education at the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance and with David Howard.

Diana was a former faculty member and Branch Manager of the California Ballet School for over 5 years. She also taught for over 17 years at the Scripps Performing Arts Academy and developed their ballet syllabus, as well as teaching at the Point Loma School of Classical Ballet. She currently teaches at the Academy of Performing Arts where she has worked with Adults and Children for the last 11 years, and the Malashock Dance School where she works with very young students teaching Creative Movement classes and Emotion in Motion Outreach program at Balboa Park.

Diana has completed the RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) Teacher’s Course and continued studies include annual RAD Teacher’s workshops as well as attending master classes with David Howard, Gelsey Kirkland, Susan Jaffee & Sandra Jennings. She has extensive training with KIT – a National Organization (Kids Included Together) that promotes inclusion creating respectful accommodations for students both with and without Disabilities. In 2010 Diana was the recipient of the coveted “National Rising Star Award”. Diana is thrilled to celebrate her 3rd year of teaching at NCDA instructing Adults & Teens in the joys, nuances and technique of Ballet.