About Us

Owners: Ian & Sarah Antal

…In pursuit of a dream to create an arts center, Mr. & Mrs. Antal began aspiring to this dream from almost the first day they met. Driven, focused, and filled with this joyous passion for performance, their dreams become more of a reality each day.
Sarah Antal grew up in Baltimore, MD where her passion for dancing began when she took her first ballet class at 2 years of age. She began her formal training at the Peabody Preparatory Dance Program, located in the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. She continued her pre-professional training at the Baltimore School for Arts and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where she performed works by Alvin Ailey, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, Ethan Stiefel, and Mark Morris. Sarah graduated magna cum laude from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in Dance and a concentration in Ballet. While training at Marymount, she gained experience as a choreographer, and several of her works have been presented at MMC Honors Day, Dancewave Kids Cafe Festival, and In-Sight Dance Company’s Suite Summer Festival. Sarah has been the ballet instructor at City Center Dance for the past 5 years while also teaching at several studios throughout New York City. Her passion for teaching grows with every year that she is able to share the joy of dance and the arts with so many wonderful students.
Ian Antal was born and raised in Berlin, Germany, and began his theatrical career at a young age, starring in various productions at the German State Opera and the Marlene Dietrich Theater, including Elliot Carter's What Next? and Erich Kaestner's Emil und die Detektive - Das Musical. Upon receiving his BFA in Drama from University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2010, he became a teaching artist and toured with the educational theater troupe, Open Dream Ensemble. After moving to New York City, Ian gained experience teaching at an after school enrichment program, Kids Creative. Since 2011, Ian has been an Associate Artist with New York Classical Theatre, starred in several off-Broadway productions, including Henry V, Playing Moliere, Twelfth Night, The Seagull, As You Like It, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet. In addition to performing with the company Ian has also coordinated and led many of their children’s Shakespeare workshops. Since 2014, Ian has been touring the country with puppets, performing Jim West's Aesop's Fables, Dinosaurs!, and Anansi the Spider.

Rebecca Cokeley

… is a White Plains, New York native who began dancing when she was three. When City Center Dance opened in 2002, Rebecca and her older sister were the first two students to enroll. Through CCD, Rebecca performed at Dancefest, Dancers Responding to AIDS, Will Dance for Food, as well as dancing at NY Liberty and NY Knicks games. Upon her graduation from White Plains High School in 2008, Rebecca enrolled in Modern and Ballet classes at SUNY Albany. In 2010, she transferred to Stony Brook University to study Art History and Dance, studying under talented professors such as Amy Sullivan and Joya Powell. In January 2012, Rebecca received a full scholarship to study at Florence University of Arts in Florence, Italy where she continued her artistic endeavors. Finally in 2014, she found herself back home: City Center Dance. Rebecca is currently teaching hip hop, jazz, and contemporary and is so thrilled that her passion for dance has truly come full circle!

Dina Giordano

… received her dance training at SUNY Purchase and graduated magna cum laude with her BBA from Pace University. She has performed for many renowned NYC choreographers including Michele Assaf, Danny Catanach, Lisa Dawn Cave, Lisa Hopkins, and Val Suarez. Company credits include principal dancer for Dawn's Light, Extended Dance, Off Center Dance Theatre, and Oil & Water Dance. Past performances include DRA's "The Remember Project", Broadway Dance Center's "The Gypsy Project", Broadway Cares, Dance Cares I, II & III, performances at Webster Hall and dancer for the Arena Football League. Dina choreographed the winning routine for Miss Fitness 2005, was assistant coach for the USBL Westchester Wildfire Dance Team, adjunct faculty for the prestigious dance department at Purchase College, and most recently coach for the Westchester Knicks Dance Team. Her students have gone on to dance for Disney, movies and TV, as well as for the NY Knicks, Titans, Dragons, and countless elite college dance teams. Dina currently has dancers on several NBA and NFL teams including the NETS, Knicks, Patriots, Jets, and Dolphins. Last but not least, Dina is incredibly excited to be a part of CCD's next chapter as she passes the torch to new CCD owners Sarah and Ian!

Kennedy Hill

…A native of North Carolina, received her BFA in Dance Education from East Carolina University. Kennedy has had the privilege of participating in various professional workshops with companies including Abraham.In.Motion and The Ailey School. She enjoys both performing as well as teaching and connecting with students through the art of dance. With five years of teaching experience, Kennedy is excited to join the City Center Dance family!

Debra King

…Co-President/Founder of Hudson Ballet Theatre, Inc. and Artistic Director of Hudson Youth Ballet. Debra was born in New Jersey and trained at Princeton Dance and Theater Studio under ABT's Susan Jaffe and Dayton Ballet's Risa Gary Kaplowitz. She attended summer intensives including Julliard, American Ballet Theater and Kaatsbann. She continued her dance training and education at SUNY Purchase’s Conservatory of Dance, graduating magna cum laude with a BFA in Dance in 2012. While at Purchase, she performed works by prominent choreographers including George Balanchine, Stephen Petronio and Susan Jaffe. She is currently dancing professionally with XAOC Contemporary Ballet, mishiDance, Mook Dance Company, and Exit 12 Dance Company. Debra is joining the City Center Dance Faculty as an instructor for the Pre-Professional Ballet program in collaboration with Hudson Ballet Theatre.

Erika Moulton

… has been a member of the City Center Dance family for over 10 years. After training at CCD, Erika joined the first ever NLL NY Titans Dance Team and was featured in Dance Spirit Magazine. Erika then spent 3 years dancing on the high seas with Disney Cruise Line aboard the Disney Wonder and the Disney Dream. Most recently, she performed in the Macy's Holiday Parade at Universal Studios Orlando. In addition to her work as a dancer, Erika has trained in improv at Upright Citizens Brigade, acting at Stella Adler, on camera work at The Barrow Group, and is a fully certified STOTT Pilates instructor.

Brianna Paci

… started dancing at the age of 3 and has not stopped since. She is a 2014 graduate of Hofstra University where she earned her degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. While at Hofstra, Brianna continued performing in a company called Danceworks. She went on to receive a Masters degree in Early Childhood Special Education at Hunter College. City Center Dance is a second home to Brianna. She became a dancer here in 2004 and starting teaching in 2014. As a part of the company, she had the opportunity to perform at various charity events such as Light the Night, March of Dimes walk, nursing homes, and children’s hospitals. Brianna has performed at venues such as Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, and performed “Single Ladies” on the Rachael Ray Show! Brianna continues to dance in a New York based company, Danceworks NYC, which hold performances twice a year.

Sarah Danelle Roberts

…born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, began her dance training at Sharon Davis School of Dance at age 3. She continued her pre-professional training at The Tallahassee Ballet, performing in productions of The Nutcracker, Peter Pan, Snow White, Cinderella and many more. This is also where Roberts was introduced to her love of teaching while assisting toddler classes over summers. Roberts graduated from Alvin Ailey in NYC with a certificate of dance in 2015. During her years in New York, she has performed many works from various choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, Matthew Rushing, Ray Mercer, Amy Hall, Katy Cashin, Rick McCullough, Winnie Berger and more. Roberts is currently dancing for Hudson Ballet Theatre. Roberts has been teaching dance classes since 2015 and joined City Center Dance in 2021. Sarah's love for dance has created her passion to teach. Her goal is to create a safe space for students to grow and learn while enjoying art of dance!

Ho-Shia Aaron Thao

…Co-President/Founder of Hudson Ballet Theatre, Inc. and Artistic Director of Hudson Ballet, was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received his bachelors in Human Biology with a focus on Medical Anthropology from Brown University, and began his dance training at Minnesota Dance Theatre while pursuing a degree in medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Aaron continued his dance training throughout New York City, and has danced professionally with Ballet For Young Audiences, Continental Ballet Company, Spark Movement Collective, Ballet Theatre Company and Exit 12 Dance Company. In 2016, he curated Voices Transposed: The Refugee Crisis, a two evening benefit performance showcasing local artists in New York City in collaboration with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. He was featured in the July 2014 issue of Minnesota Medicine and is a recipient of the Fisch Arts Award. Aaron is joining the City Center Dance Faculty as an instructor for the Pre-Professional Ballet program in collaboration with Hudson Ballet Theatre.

About Us

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