Mariana Sanchez - Co-Founder and Director

"dance is a gift and an art form available to all of us, that can inspire every single life”

Mariana is the Co-Founder and Director of A.F.A. Born in Mexico City, Mariana started her classical ballet training at the age of 4, with the british curriculum of the Royal Academy of Dance, achieving a pre-professional level in her early teenage years. Throughout her classical Training she had the opportunity to appear in ballets such as La Bayadere, Swan Lake, Giselle and the Nutcracker. In 1991 she studied under Alan Danielson, School Director of the José Limón Institute of New York City at the José Limón Dance Summer Intensive in Mexico. Mariana traveled to New York to further her dance training, and then to Colorado to become a company member of the Kim Robards Dance Company.  In 2005 she returned to New York City to study at Steps on Broadway with renowned teachers such as David Howard, Milton Myers, Peff Modelsky, Nancy Bielski.  In 2006 she completed the Independent Studies Program at the Ailey School, official school of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Studying various modern dance techniques such as Horton and Graham, as well as other dance styles like African dance and Jazz. As a performer Mariana has had the opportunity to appear internationally in many of Mexico's major theaters, she has performed in England, Costa Rica, and Cuba. Choreographing has always been one of her greatest passions. At age 13 she won the National Competition of Contemporary Dance Choreography in Mexico City.  Mariana is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. In addition Mariana went on to graduate Cum Laude from New York University and holds a BA in Social Sciences with a concentration in International Studies.

Artemis Gregoriou- Founder and Director

“dance is an incredible way of expressing yourself and also the best therapy”

Artemis is the Founder and Director of the AFA Dance. Though the primary focus of her training has been classical ballet, she sought to understand and master a variety of dance genres, including modern, tap, jazz, and Greek dance. A native of New York, Artemis earned the opportunity to study at many renowned dance institutions. At the age of 9, she was accepted into the New Ballet School, an affiliate of Feld's Ballet Tech in New York City.  Following her studies at New Ballet School, Artemis trained at the Eglevsky Ballet School for 8 years and completed additional training at Alvin Alley. Artemis was a featured dancer in the New Ballet School and a principal dancer of The Odyssey Dance Company, which was a scholarship-based ensemble of the most talented students enrolled in the school at which she completed her early training. In addition to her dance-related accomplishments, Artemis has a natural talent for teaching and nurturing young dancers. She developed a dance program at St. Francis elementary school in 2005, which was lauded by parents and faculty. Encouraged by the high demand for the continuation of the dance program and the praise of her teaching, Artemis founded the AFA Dance in 2006. Since then, Artemis completed ABT® Teacher Training Intensive and developed a ballet curriculum for dancers that bolsters the health and technique of her ballet students. In addition to this program, Artemis has organized a variety of open workshops and classes for adolescent and adult dancers who wish to continue their dance studies in a rigorous environment.  These efforts are reinforced by the skills of the well-trained and highly regarded staff of instructors that support AFA’s mission. Working in collaboration with the staff and AFA’s Co-Founder, Mariana Sanchez, Artemis is proud to be providing quality dance education to the Queens community.