Marie-Christine GiordaNo, Founder, Director, Dancer

Marie-Christine Giordano is known for her hypnotic and magnetic presence on stage. Her work has been praised for its “admirable intensity” (Jack Anderson, The New York Times), “unique aura and communicative power,” and “shining artistry” (Philip Gardner, Oberon’s Grove). Gia Kourlas wrote in The New York Times that she “is clearly a choreographer committed to constructing a personal dance vocabulary.”

Giordano’s distinctive work has earned her commissions from major institutions, including Vienna’s International Dance Festival, the City of Fribourg (Switzerland), the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, the Swiss Institute, the Human Company, the Joffrey Summer Intensive, and the Museum of the Swiss Abroad Foundation. She is the recipient of Swiss scholarships, a Merit Scholarship from the Martha Graham School, and grants from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Brooklyn Arts Council. She also received Second Prize at the Concours de la Scène Française.

Originally from French-speaking Fribourg, Switzerland, Giordano trained in ballet with Beatrix Consuelo in Geneva and Marika Besobrasova in Monte Carlo. She moved to New York to study at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and later earned her Professional Trainee Certificate from the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. As a performer with the Graham Dance Company, she appeared on major stages both in New York and internationally.

In 2002, she founded Marie-Christine Giordano Dance (MCGD), a project-based company that has produced twelve full-length works to date. She has developed a signature modern dance method and alignment technique, which she has taught at Broadway Dance Center, the Joffrey Ballet School, and in public schools. She continues to teach regular company classes in Brooklyn, where she has lived and worked for the past 25 years.

From 2011 to 2018, Giordano served on the faculty of the Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensives. In recent years, she has also expanded her international teaching, offering master classes and workshops for dance institutions abroad.

Anna McGary was raised in Lexington, Kentucky, where she trained in dance and musical theater before moving to New York to attend Marymount Manhattan College. During her time there, she performed works by Jessica Lang, May O’Donnell (as a featured dancer), Robert Battle, and Jon Ole Olstad, among others. She also choreographed three original pieces for the college’s Dancers at Work program and performed with the improv comedy team America's Least Wanted.

Her choreography has been presented through WAXworks, Fertile Ground, and the Spark Theatre Festival. This season marks her third year dancing with Marie-Christine Giordano Dance.

Manatsu Aminaga was born and raised in Japan and moved to New York in 2021 on a scholarship to the Peridance Center Certificate Program. She has trained under Igal Perry, Nikki Holck, and Richard Chen See, and has performed in works by Nathan Trice, Jesse Obremski, Cesar Brodermann, Gregory Dolbashian, and others.

In 2023, Manatsu joined FJK Dance and has since performed regularly with the company. She made her musical theater debut in Ice Queen at the 92nd Street Y under the direction of Megan Doyle. She also appears in I Enjoy Being a Girl, a video directed and choreographed by Preston Mui for Playbill, celebrating the 65th anniversary of Flower Drum Song and honoring Pat Suzuki.

This is her second season performing with Marie-Christine Giordano Dance.

Heather Kroe is a New York City–based dancer, choreographer, and teacher originally from Detroit, Michigan. She trained under Valentina Barsukova at Valentina’s School of Ballet in Clawson, Michigan, and went on to earn a BFA in Dance and a BA in Psychology, along with a minor in Art Therapy, from Marymount Manhattan College.

During her time at Marymount, she performed works by David Parsons, Martha Graham, and Christian Von Howard, among others. As a member of the college’s select performance company, she had the opportunity to perform repertory by Twyla Tharp, Jenn Freeman, Darshan Singh-Bhueller, Katie Langan, Jenn Archibald, and more. She also choreographed two original works for the student choreography series.

In 2024, Kroe founded KROEMovement Dance Collective, which has since presented work at WAXworks, DanceWave’s Weekday Disco, and Centenary University.
This is her first season with Marie-Christine Giordano Dance.

JD Charles, Public Schools Outreach Teacher

Originally from the sunny island of St. Kitts, JD Charles began his choreographic journey by creating dance pieces for his mother’s church programs. His passion for dance deepened during his time at Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, and eventually led him to New York City to further pursue his artistic ambitions.

JD earned his Performing Arts education at Bronx Community College and later completed his BFA at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). He has worked with several prominent companies, including Creative Sole Dance Company, Bloodline Dance Theatre, and Royal Thieves Dance Company.

His choreographic style draws from a diverse range of influences, specializing in contemporary, hip hop, African, and other urban dance forms. As MCGD’s Public Schools Outreach Teacher, JD brings energy, versatility, and a deep commitment to community engagement.