Marie-Christine GiordaNo, Founder, Director, Dancer

Marie-Christine Giordano is known for her hypnotic and magnetic performances. Critics have hailed her for her “admirable intensity” (Jack Anderson, New York Times), “unique aura and communicative power,” and “shining artistry” (Philip Gardner, Oberon’s Grove). Gio Kourlas wrote in the New York Times that she “is clearly a choreographer committed to constructing a personal dance vocabulary.”

Her riveting work has earned her commissions from, for example,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. Ms. Giordano has been the recipient of Swiss scholarships, and the Martha Graham Contemporary Dance School Merit Scholarship, as well as grants from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Brooklyn Arts Council, and was awarded Second Prize from the Concours de la Scène Française.

Giordano grew up in French-speaking Fribourg, Switzerland. In her late teens, she studied ballet with Beatrix Consuelo in Geneva and Marika Besobrasova in Monte Carlo. She came to New York to study at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. After three years, she moved on to the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, where she earned its Professional Trainee Certificate. With the Graham Dance Company, she performed in New York and internationally.

In 2002, she founded Marie-Christine Giordano Dance (MCGD), which operates on a project-by-project basis. To date, it has presented ten full-evening creations. Giordano has created a singular modern dance method and Giordano Alignment, which she developed and taught at Broadway Dance Center, New Dance Group and Abizaid Arts Studio in Manhattan. Established in Brooklyn for 21 years, she teaches year-round company classes, as well as offers classes and lecture demonstrations to public school children.

In 2011, the Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensives invited her to join its faculty. Lately, she has expanded her teaching activities to giving master classes for international dance institutions. She is also the curator of the MCGD Artists’ Salon series

Anna McGary is a dancer, choreographer, and performer based in Brooklyn. She was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky where she studied dance and musical theater until moving to New York to attend Marymount Manhattan College. In her time at Marymount she had the opportunity to perform works by Jessica Lang, May O’Donnell (both as a featured dancer), Robert Battle, and Jon Ole Olstad, among others. She choreographed three pieces for the school's Dancers at Work program and performed with the school’s improv comedy team. She recently performed a new work by Emily Bufferd with BEings dance and premiered a new piece of her own through WAXworks. This is her second season with Marie-Christine Giordano Dance.

Manatsu Aminaga was born and raised in Japan. She started her Classical Ballet training at Yoshimura Dance Center. She has participated in international dance competitions including Japan International Ballet Festival Contemporary (1st Place) and Seoul International Dance Carnival Solo Grand Prix. She received a scholarship for the Peridance Center Certificate Program Contemporary and Ballet Track in 2021. She has trained with Igal Perry, Nikki Holck, Richard Chen See and has worked with Nathan Trice, Jesse Obremski, Cesar Brodermann, Gregory Dolbashian and more. She is currently working with Preston Mui and Stephanie Jae Park for a new sexy version of “I Enjoy Being a Girl” (Playbill), in addition to a Pre-Production Work for White Rose, The Musical Off-Broadway with Jordan Ryder. This is her first season with Marie-Christine Giordano Dance.

JD Charles, Public Schools Outreach Teacher

JD Charles has achieved many things in his journey of being a choreographer. He would move from putting together dance pieces for his mother’s Church programs to expanding on it in Clarence Fitzroy Bryant college.Then would leave his sunny country of St.Kitts to make a true name for himself in the windy cold city that never sleeps, New York. Expanding his repertoire of choreography by achieving his Performing arts education at Bronx Community college and then completing his BFA tenure at America’s Musical Dramatic Academy. He would align with Creative Sole Dance Company, Bloodline Dance Theatre and Royal Thieves Dance company. JD Charles specializes in contemporary ,hip hop, African and other urban styles.