Family legacy, complementary strengths and a genuine love for dance – for Corey and Jenna Snide, these are the core of their artistry and success. In their upstate New York school, Capital District Arts Initiative (CDAI), the emphasis is on sweat equity and treating one another like family. The owners and faculty push students toward excellence while insisting that the process be grounded in respect, humility and care. The warmth and energy come directly from its founders, brother and sister Corey Snide and Jenna Snide-Papielion. Their shared history and bond are woven into the DNA of the studio itself. “Our school is a place where choreography isn’t just movement,” Jenna says. “It’s a way of belonging.”
For Corey and Jenna, dance was never a choice, it was part of the family fabric. Their mother was a talented clogger; their father modeled a tenacious work ethic. “Our mom was always backstage with the costumes, the glue gun, the sequins,” Jenna recalls. “Dad was the one pushing us to be our best.” Their mother first enrolled them in classes at a local studio called Eleanor’s. Corey admits his start was a slow burn. “For the first few months, I just watched,” he laughs. “I was really engaged, but didn’t participate until about three months in. Then I jumped in and never stopped.”
The siblings trained with excellent local teachers, including Anthony Morigerato, who set them on a trajectory toward tap excellence. “We were lucky,” Corey says. “We had the best in the area.” Corey’s talent carried him far – literally. He was cast as the title character in Billy Elliot the Musical, performing in both the Australian and West End companies. He went on to appear in the original Broadway cast of 13 the Musical, earned his degree from The Juilliard School, and returned to Broadway as dance captain in the revivals of Carousel and Cats. Most recently, he performed in the 2019 movie Cats and the 2020 revival of West Side Story.
Jenna, four years younger, stayed closer to home. She pursued a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a marketing concentration at the University at Albany. Even while studying, she taught young dancers and performed with regional companies. “I’ve always known I was meant to teach,” she says. “Helping others find their voice in movement is my passion.” Their paths may have diverged, but their purpose was the same – to keep dance, and family, at the center of everything.
“My earliest and strongest memories are of sharing creative space together,” Jenna says. She recalls Corey choreographing her first solo, to “Betty Boop,” complete with a sequined pantsuit. “She was the cutest thing ever,” Corey laughs. “Mom and Dad encouraged me to help her.” When Jenna won an award for that performance, she was too shy to go on stage. “Corey helped me up there,” she says softly. “That’s always been us, he gives me confidence.”
In 2020, when the pandemic shuttered theaters, Corey returned home to Albany. With Broadway dark and uncertainty hanging heavy, he and Jenna began brainstorming what might come next. “Let’s see what we can make,” Corey said one afternoon. And from that, CDAI was born. Jenna, newly out of college, brought a clear business vision. Corey brought artistic direction and experience. They started humbly with just four students in a rented black box theatre in Troy, NY. Soon after, Corey insisted, “We need our own space. No one will take us seriously until we do.” Jenna describes Corey as being the dreamer and herself as the realist. She felt they couldn’t afford it; her brother insisted that they had to. Together, they found their permanent home in Colonie, a suburb of Albany. “We built this from scratch,” Jenna says. “We were painting walls, laying floors, teaching classes – all of it. But we did it, together.”…