City Center Dance
It’s close to the start of the school year and City Center Dance Artistic Director Gina Giordano is racing against time to get her brand new state-of-the-art dance school ready for its grand opening, Sept. 8. Not to worry, this experienced dance instructor and long-time White Plains business owner is primed for another year of technique-oriented dance instruction that has been turning out professionally-trained dancers for 10 years.
The school, which was previously located on East Post Road, offers classes to children ages 3 to 18. It specializes in ballet, hip hop, jazz and tap, as well as creative movement for the youngest students and break dancing for boys.
The new 5,000-square-foot facility on Lake Street includes three full-size professional studios complete with sprung floors, viewing windows, wall-mounted barres and floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Not far from the large lobby area is a dance boutique that sells an array of dance-related supplies, including leotards, tights, shoes and more.
At the heart of this non-competitive school’s philosophy is its focus on technique. A graduate of SUNY’s Young People’s Program, Giordano learned early on that implementing a specific system of teaching is perhaps the most important aspect of training students.
“What I believe in is performing, but also performing well and with technique,” said Giordano, who comes from West Harrison.
While other schools gear their entire programs to end-of-year recitals, Giordano, who likes to keep on the cutting edge by attending teacher dance workshops at least twice a year, gives students the opportunity to perform throughout the year. Those who want to try out for the school’s Children’s Performing Company, a group that performs regularly at various venues throughout the tri-state area, have the option to do so, said Giordano.
Past performances include a recital at a half-time New York Knicks game in Madison Square Garden, a gig at the Lincoln Center, performances in the White Plains Columbus Day Festival and the chance to participate in Dancers Responding to Aids (DRA), a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Giordano, who is certified through the Dance Teacher Summit and the Broadway Dance Center, said it’s important for children to perform before an audience. “If they lack the training, they lack the stage presence,” she said. “By performing in public, it becomes second nature to them, and they actually want to show everyone that they’re good.”
Whether it’s jazz, hip hop or tap, Giordano is also a firm believer in the integration of classical ballet. “There is really no substitute for ballet,” added Giordano, who was part of a professional dance company in New York City before opening her own business. “It teaches you everything,” she said, “and that includes mechanics, technique and discipline, and students carry the skills they learn in ballet with them to other type of dance too,” she added.
In addition to learning the basics, Giordano and her staff of eight instructors emphasize the importance of learning choreography. That’s especially important for those who perform on a regular basis, but it’s also essential that every student understand the steps and can retain them. “Anyone and everyone can benefit from taking a dance class, but if you can’t follow a set of instructions, then you’ll have a hard time,” she noted.
There’s no doubt that students at City Center Dance will be motivated to learn more. “I tend not to repeat routines, but rather create new and interesting ones,” said Giordano, who also teaches lunch-hour programs at the George Washington Elementary School in White Plains. Programs for 3- and 4-year-olds at Giordano’s school are much shorter, and are offered several times throughout the year.
Beginning dance students at City Center Dance attend classes once a week, while those in the more advanced classes come almost every day, said Giordano. Many of Giordano’s graduates have continued to dance while in college, and others have made a career of it, finding themselves in companies like Disney and beyond.
“We can certainly meet the needs of the recreational dancer as well as the aspiring professional,” said Giordano. “In fact, a lot of our students don’t give it up; they take it with them.”
City Center Dance is located at 98 Lake Street in White Plains. Classes for fall 2012 begin Sept. 10. The Sept. 8 grand opening, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will include refreshments, giveaways and other prizes.
For more information on the school, visit www.citycenterdance.com or call 914-328-1881.
Colette Connolly is a copywriter and p.r. expert. She owns Connolly Communications, which is based in Bronxville, New York. Colette specializes in providing content-rich, SEO-optimized press releases, articles, newsletters, brochures, and customer success stories.
