Founders:  Gary Geis, Mark Cummings, Lori Common
Gary Geis Dance Company

Founded in 1999 by Gary Geis, Mark Cummings and Lori Weaver-Common, the Gary Geis Dance Company, or GGDC,

is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) performing company.

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Our company consists of a first and second company with apprentices and trainees.  Auditions are held each season for both companies.  First company is for dancers ages 12 and up, second company is for ages 9 to 12.  Performance opportunities include in-studio concerts, concerts at the Clark State Performing Arts Center and John Legend Theater, Summer Arts Festival, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Dance for Four concerts and annual school recitals.

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Our School and GGDC are separate entities.  The school does not financially support the operating costs and expenses of the Gary Geis Dance Company.

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GGDC Mission

The Gary Geis Dance Company's mission is to advance the appreciation of the art of dance and to bring focus on excellent dance education and training in the Springfield, Ohio, community. With the wide range of experience that our artistic staff have to offer, our goal is to provide the members of this pre-professional dance company with a highly diverse curriculum, with master classes and performance experiences. By design, this preparation and training will act as a "springboard" into a professional career in a major dance or musical theatre company.

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Professional Experiences for our Dancers

Over the past few years, the dancers of the Gary Geis Dance Company have had the privilege of working with professional dance companies including not only master classes, but premiere choreography set on our dancers.  

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Premiere Choreography and Guest Performances

Leighann Kowalsky - Dance Artist and Director, The D'Amby Project

Thodos Dance Chicago - Melissa Thodos, Artistic Director

Dance Kaleidoscope - David Hochoy, Artistic Director

Springfield Symphony Orchestra - "Rodeo" and "Nutcracker Variations 2018"

Master Classes

Alvin Ailey II

Russian National Ballet

Doug Varone and Dancers

Dance Kaleidoscope

Thodos Dance Chicago

Rhythmic Circus (Tap)

Billy Blanken, Professional Ballet Dancer

J. Ryan Carroll, Fosse Jazz and Broadway

Kristin O'Neal, Modern

Emily Larger, Broadway, Jazz, Musical Theater

Danny Gardner, Tap

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