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Company History
Gem City Ballet began its life in 1991 as a performing outlet for Pontecorvo
Ballet Studios. It gained its non-profit status in 1995 and joined the
prestigious Regional Dance America organization that same year. Highlights
of Gem City Ballet’s history include performances as guest artists for the
Sorg and Whitewater Opera Companies and artistic collaborations with
Dayton Philharmonic, Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra and Ohio Dance
Gala and in Innsbruck Austria as part of the Tanzsommer Dance Festival.
In May 2002, Gem City Ballet hosted Regional Dance America Northeast’s
Festival 2002. The festival brought to Dayton between 400 and 600 pre-
professional dancers, their directors and choreographers for three days of
classes and performances. The festival was praised by the Dayton Daily
News and the Oakwood register for exceptional quality and for bringing
regional dance back to Dayton. As member of Regional Dance America,
GCB has performed in Allentown PA , Boston MA, Canton OH, Columbus
OH, Houston TX, Pittsburgh PA.
Each year GCB presents three full length concerts, usually combining
standard classical repertoire with new works by both established and
developing choreographers.
November 2003 was a landmark date for GCB marking the first performance
of a work by master choreographer George Balanchine, Concerto Barocco.
The following season saw GCB's premier of Mr. Balanchine's Valse-
Fantaisie and the 2005-2006 season featured Mr. Balanchine's Who
Cares? The 2006-2007 season will find GCB dancing one of Mr.
Balanchine's masterpieces, Serenade, which is found in the repertoire of
nearly every professional ballet company. GCB plans a full evening of Mr.
Balanchine's work in the 2006-2007 season.
One of GCB’s most exciting ventures is the opportunity for the Dayton
community to watch world class guest artists perform with the company. In
November 2003 Jennie Somogyi and Charles Askegard of New York City
Ballet performed Concerto Barocco with the Gem City Ballet dancers. In
January of 2005 Xiomara Reyes and Jose Carreno from American Ballet
Theatre performed the 2nd act of Giselle with GCB dancers. For the ballet
Who Cares?, GCB brought in three guest artists, Bonnie Pickard, formerly
from Wilmington, OH and now dancing with Suzanne Farrell Ballet and her
partner from Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Momchil Mladenov, also featured,
Adam Hundt, formerly from Kettering, OH and currently dancing with
BalletMet Ohio. The 2006-2007 season will find more guest artists
performing with GCB in Act Three of Coppelia as part of the Victoria
Theatre Gala in January.
Gem City Ballet is currently in artistic partnership with Michigan Classic
Ballet under the direction of Mary Geiger to produce yearly performances in
both Dayton and Detroit, home of MCB. This program introduces the
companies to the rigors of touring and exposes them to new audiences,
stages and performing colleagues.
Gem City Ballet began its life in 1991 as a performing outlet for Pontecorvo
Ballet Studios. It gained its non-profit status in 1995 and joined the
prestigious Regional Dance America organization that same year. Highlights
of Gem City Ballet’s history include performances as guest artists for the
Sorg and Whitewater Opera Companies and artistic collaborations with
Dayton Philharmonic, Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra and Ohio Dance
Gala and in Innsbruck Austria as part of the Tanzsommer Dance Festival.
In May 2002, Gem City Ballet hosted Regional Dance America Northeast’s
Festival 2002. The festival brought to Dayton between 400 and 600 pre-
professional dancers, their directors and choreographers for three days of
classes and performances. The festival was praised by the Dayton Daily
News and the Oakwood register for exceptional quality and for bringing
regional dance back to Dayton. As member of Regional Dance America,
GCB has performed in Allentown PA , Boston MA, Canton OH, Columbus
OH, Houston TX, Pittsburgh PA.
Each year GCB presents three full length concerts, usually combining
standard classical repertoire with new works by both established and
developing choreographers.
November 2003 was a landmark date for GCB marking the first performance
of a work by master choreographer George Balanchine, Concerto Barocco.
The following season saw GCB's premier of Mr. Balanchine's Valse-
Fantaisie and the 2005-2006 season featured Mr. Balanchine's Who
Cares? The 2006-2007 season will find GCB dancing one of Mr.
Balanchine's masterpieces, Serenade, which is found in the repertoire of
nearly every professional ballet company. GCB plans a full evening of Mr.
Balanchine's work in the 2006-2007 season.
One of GCB’s most exciting ventures is the opportunity for the Dayton
community to watch world class guest artists perform with the company. In
November 2003 Jennie Somogyi and Charles Askegard of New York City
Ballet performed Concerto Barocco with the Gem City Ballet dancers. In
January of 2005 Xiomara Reyes and Jose Carreno from American Ballet
Theatre performed the 2nd act of Giselle with GCB dancers. For the ballet
Who Cares?, GCB brought in three guest artists, Bonnie Pickard, formerly
from Wilmington, OH and now dancing with Suzanne Farrell Ballet and her
partner from Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Momchil Mladenov, also featured,
Adam Hundt, formerly from Kettering, OH and currently dancing with
BalletMet Ohio. The 2006-2007 season will find more guest artists
performing with GCB in Act Three of Coppelia as part of the Victoria
Theatre Gala in January.
Gem City Ballet is currently in artistic partnership with Michigan Classic
Ballet under the direction of Mary Geiger to produce yearly performances in
both Dayton and Detroit, home of MCB. This program introduces the
companies to the rigors of touring and exposes them to new audiences,
stages and performing colleagues.