ASFA DANCE STUDIO
grounded in the pursuit of excellent dance technique
Grounded in the pursuit of excellent dance technique the ASFA staff is a diverse group of professionally trained dancers who have been certified through institutions such as The Alvin Ailey School, The Royal Academy of Dance, Eglafskie Ballet, ABT, NYU and Hunter College.
Our instructors are instrumental in developing the skills that will allow our students to express themselves and will appropriately and safely pass on their knowledge.
We realize that no two students will progress at the same rate even when they experience the exact same training. Therefore, ASFA’s teaching philosophy is to encourage students to focus on their own growth, give it their all, and be satisfied with their own accomplishments.
Artemis Di Ciero
Artemis is the Founder and Director of the ASFA dance studio. Over the course of her twenty-year relationship with dance, Artemis Di Ciero continually seeks to share the joy of dancing with people of all ages. From the age of 5, she remembers the irresistible urge she felt to put steps to the music. She trained in ballet, modern, tap, jazz, and Greek dance. At age 9 she was accepted into the prestigious New Ballet School, an affiliate of Feld's Ballet Tech in New York City. Later on to further her dance studies Artemis joined the Eglevsky Ballet School, where she studied a variety of classical techniques. She was featured as a dancer in the New Ballet School (in affiliation with Feld Ballet) as well as a principal dancer of The Odyssey Dance Company. She was also part of the Independent Study Certification at Alvin Alley. Eager for the opportunity to teach children the merriment of dance, Artemis began a program at St. Francis elementary school. As a result of her accolades and the urging of parents, the demand for the dance program outgrew the limited space she had. Artemis fulfilled one of her dreams, and opened her own dance studio where she and a highly qualified staff of accomplished dancers teach both children and adults the enjoyment of dance.
Mariana Sanchez
Mariana is the Co-Founder and Director of the ASFA Dance Studio. She has a strong ballet technical background, which she started at the age of four. She studied under the curriculum of the Royal Academy of Dance while in Mexico City where she is originally from. She continued her training in New York City and was part of the Independent Studies Program at the Alvin Ailey School. Her modern dance studies began with the Jose Limon Modern Dance Technique under the tutelage of Alan Danielson, and later on techniques such as Horton, Graham. She has experience in folklore dances from Mexico, Cuba and African dance. She danced with The Kim Robards Dance Company, based in Denver Colorado.
Alejandra Iannone
Alejandra has been teaching at the ASFA Dance Studio since the beginning of 2009. Her dance training began at age seven, under the tutelage of Betty Seibert, FISTD. Alejandra continued her training at the New Haven Ballet, under Philip Otto, and went on to graduate cum laude from the Fordham University/Alvin Ailey BFA Program. She is a founding member of the Inclined Dance Project, and has worked with TAKE Dance Company, the Vessel Dance Collective, and other NYC-based dance projects. In addition to teaching and performing, Alejandra is involved in the study of aesthetics. She has been awarded the position of University Fellow at Temple University, where she is pursuing doctoral studies in Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art.
Katie Petite
Katharine teaches tap here at ASFA. She has been teaching dance for over ten years in St. Louis, MO, regionally, and right here in NYC. Her most recent experience is teaching at Belvoir Terrace in Lenox, MA, The Studio in Bedford Hills, Westchester, and on the UWS at Shuffles! Katharine is also a choreographer whose most recent work was Off-Off Broadway at the Gallery Players in Brooklyn with their productions of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "Top of the Heap". Proud member of Actors Equity!
Siomara Celeste Bridges “Cee Cee”
Better known as “Cee Cee” was born and raised in Ridgewood, New York by her single father who was very inspiring to her. Cee Cee found her passion when at Grover Cleveland High School she was positioned to be the choreographer of the Young Black Americans dance club. She realized she had the talent and passion to teach, perform, and choreograph. She began teaching at places like the Ridgewood Bushwick Youth Council, Mambo 101 studios, and currently at the ASFA dance studio. She has performed at various venues opening up for well known artists such as Sean Paul, Kelis, the Clipse, B5; and performed on television show BET 106 and park. She has worked with Camille Brown, Robin Dunn, and TORCH. She holds an A.S degree in Fine arts from Queens borough Community College and is currently studying at Hunter College, graduating May 2010 with a B.A in Dance-Education. Cee Cee believes her not being trained at a young age allowed her to create her own voice, and style. Cee Cee quotes “I will continue to stay humble and hungry for the art of motion”.
