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 (She/Her) 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 a freelance performer with MishiDance as well as Hudson Ballet Theatre. She has taught at various studios in New York City, and has been an instructor at City Center Dance since 2013. 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 (He/Him) 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, Romeo and Juliet, and Henry IV. 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. Ian is a also guest theater artist with Hudson Ballet Theatre performing roles in Diaspora: A Mother’s Elegy, The Nutcracker and How The Grouch Stole The Nutcracker.
Dina Giordano
Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop Instructor
Founder of City Center Dance
Dina Giordano (She/Her) 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!
Debra King
Ballet and Contemporary Instructor in the Pre-Professional and Open Divisions
Debra King (She/Her) is the 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
Social Media Manager
Erika Moulton (She/Her) 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
Student Showcase Coordinator
Brianna Paci (She/Her) 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
Sarah Danelle Roberts (She/Her) 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 in addition to her role as Associate Artistic Director of Hudson Youth Ballet. 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!
Barbara Tosto
Ballet Instructor for the Pre-Professional and Open Program Divisions
Barbara Tosto (She/Her) is originally from Sicily, Italy. She graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance of London in 2012 and after that she moved to the United States. In New York she attended the Joffrey Ballet School where she graduated in 2018. In the meanwhile, she had the opportunity to
dance with the Bellini Junior Ballet Company in the prestigious Greek Amphitheatre of Taormina, Italy and with the JSLN Dance Company in Germany. She also danced with New York Dance Project. Throughout the years she had the opportunity to perform works by George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Robert Battle, Earl Mosley and many others. She has been part of Hudson Ballet Theatre since 2019 and became an Associate Artistic Director of Hudson Youth Ballet in 2022. Barbara is joining the City Center Dance Faculty as an instructor for the pre-professional program.