• Gary Geis - Artistic Director
• Mark Cummings -
  Associate Artistic Director
• Lori Weaver Common - Associate Artistic Director
• Monica Miller
• Michelle Wachowicz
• Lynn Palermo

Gary Geis - Artistic Director

With a career as a dancer/choreographer and teacher that spans nearly four decades, Gary is one of Ohio’s most sought after and respected dance educators. He began dancing with Miss Kathryn Hass of Springfield at the age of six. After high school he began extensive training in New York City on scholarship with the legendary June Taylor. When June Taylor left the city, he began his training with the Harkness Ballet, again on scholarship. At Harkness, his teachers included the most respected ballet teachers of the era, including Igor Swetzoff, David Howard and Madame Maria Swoboda from Russia. In addition to his ballet training, he studied modern dance with Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham, jazz with Matt Mattox and Jaeme Rodgers, and tap with Bill Gary and June Taylor. Although he enjoyed performing, it was his remarkable energy and talent as a teacher that caught the eye of his teachers. After only two years in New York City, he began his professional teaching career in Harlem. In the early 1970’s he was invited to St. Thomas to co-direct the Ballet Theatre of the Virgin Islands, where he trained dancers, performed, and choreographed for the Company. Since returning to the U.S., he has operated his own school and served on the faculty of Wittenberg University, Clark State Community College,Wright State University and University of Dayton.

Mark Cummings - Associate Artistic Director

Mark began his training as a musical theatre major at Bowling Green State University in 1975. After his first year of dance training, he moved to Bloomington, Indiana to major in modern dance at Indiana University. Although an injury cut his college education short, his love of dance lead him to Dayton in 1978 to study with artists such as Josephine Swartz, Jon Rodriguez, and Bess Saylor, and to perform with DBII. After seeing a performance by Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, he was drawn by their powerful contemporary repertory and joined the training company where he studied with Jeraldyn Blunden and James Truitt. In the early 1980’s he was invited to choreograph for the University of Dayton Dance Ensemble, where he began his teaching career. Mark is currently the Artistic Director of the Company and head of the Dance Department at U.D. Mark is thrilled to be working with long-time friend Gary Geis and his Company.

Lori Weaver-Common - Associate Artistic Director

Lori returns this season as Associate Artistic Director and choreographer with the Gary Geis Dance Company and a ballet instructor at the Gary Geis School. Lori began her professional training at the age of 14 and at the age of 16 became a member of Dayton Ballet's pre-professional company, Dayton Ballet II. Lori attended Wright State University as a dance major where she received a scholarship through the affiliation of Dayton Ballet II. Then, at the age of 19, Lori became the youngest company member of Dayton Ballet's professional company. Versatile in ballet, modern, and jazz, she performed principal roles throughout her career and worked with choreographers and teachers including Jon Rodriguez, Stuart Sebastian, James Clouser, Suzanne Walker, Marjorie Mussman, and Doug Varone, to name a few. Her training also includes the Dayton Ballet School and summer intensives with Hubbard Street Dance Company and Cleveland Ballet.

Monica Miller

Monica began her instruction under the tutelage of Jacqueline Heman, then proceeded to major in dance at the University of Akron. She has been a guest instructor at Sinclair Community College and at Cedarville University. Monica has been privileged to participate in master classes with legendary companies such as Mark Morris, the Royal Canadian Ballet, the Australian Ballet, David Parsons, and Garth Fagan. She frequently choreographs musical theatre productions throughout the area. Monica is an active board member of the Springfield Arts Council and Ohio Lyric Theatre.

Michelle Wachowicz

Michelle is originally from Buffalo, NY where she trained extensively in ballet, jazz, tap and modern. She is a recent graduate of Wright State University with a B.F.A. in Dance where she performed in many musicals and dance concerts. She has also performed on the Disney Wonder Cruise Ship and is the newest member of the Gary Geis Dance Company. Her teaching credits include the Dayton Ballet School's summer session and the Webby Dance Company.

Lynn Palermo

Lynn began dance at the age of 13 with Lisa Bredahl in Michigan. Before that, she was a gymnast for seven years. She has also studied at Center Stage and for two years danced with Dayton Ballet II. She has attended the Jazz Dance World Congress and the Giordano Workshop. She is a popular choreographer for U.D. with three dynamic modern pieced to her credit. She has been dancing with the Gary Geis Studio for two years and teaches the advanced funky jazz class.