Faculty

Joy Delaney-Capponi

Artistic Director

Joy Delaney-Capponi received her early training under Olin D. Kearse.  She earned a B.A. from Virginia Intermont College in both Dance and Early Childhood Education.  As the artistic director of Philadelphia Dance Theatre, she has led the company to honor status in the national organization of Regional Dance America, and her choreography has been chosen to appear on the gala concert.

Ms. Delaney-Capponi has created a vigorous season for Philadelphia Dance Theatre. Each season the company presents, A Philadelphia Nutcracker, which is set in the Victorian time period of the Germantown neighborhood where Philadelphia Dance Theatre is located. The ballet features the choreography of Miss Capponi alongside local artists who created the sets and costumes. In early spring the company presents a children’s ballet and our mixed repertory concert, Breaking Ground, which features guest choreographers. Miss Capponi has choreographed several children’s ballets including, Mother Goose and Friends, The Firebird, The Emperor and the Kite, The Rough Face Girl, Peter and the Wolf, The Wizard of Oz, and A Tribute to Elvis, as well as, the re-staging of classics including Cinderella and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  Under her guidance, Philadelphia Dance Theatre has brought dance to wide community through outreach programs including, sensory friendly programs, a scholarship for boys, and tuition, assistance programs for families in need.  She has coached students to compete in the Youth America Grand Prix who have placed in the top three of regional finals.

Ms. Delaney-Capponi has trained students, who have been invited to study at some of the world’s most prestigious ballet schools and are dancing professionally internationally. Many graduating students have received merit scholarships in dance at universities. She was awarded the “Doris Herring Artistic Director Grant” in 2017. Ms. Delaney-Capponi currently serves as the President of the national organization, Regional Dance America. Joy is honored to be apart of young aspiring artists’ journey each day, and she is particularly grateful to her fellow artists and family for their support.