The Michigan Classic Ballet Company (MCBC) is associated with Regional Dance
America (RDA), a national organization. Each year, the 5 regions that make up RDA hold
festivals in the spring throughout the United States. MCBC is part of the Mid-States region
which includes eleven states in the Mid-West. The Festivals consists of 3 action packed
days of performances, master classes, lectures, seminars and social events
culminating with a Gala Performance. The Festivals provide each company's dancers
with the opportunity to perform for a broader regional audience, take classes from world
renown teachers, be seen by artistic directors associated with professional companies,
present emerging choreography and audition for national scholarships to universities
and summer dance programs.Over the years MCBC has seen many of its' members be rewarded with numerous
summer school scholarships and has produced several professional dancers. The
Michigan Classic Ballet Company has also been proud to consistently be rewarded the
privilege of performing at the prestigious Gala Performance and is therefore an elite
Honor Member.Each year The Nutcracker Ballet is performed in December and in the spring our
Seasons of Spring concert. As part of our commitment to education we also include
lecture demonstrations for area schools introducing them to ballet through stories such
as Alice in Wonderland.
Artistic Director - Mary C. Geiger
Mary Celeste Geiger has danced professionally for over ten years. She performed
with three major European Companies, touring three continents and culminating as
Principal Dancer with The Royal Ballet of Flanders (Antwerpen, Belgium). As Principal
Dancer, she performed in Balanchine roles, many of the classics and contemporary
roles such as Carmina Burana and La Peri, the latter that was created especially for
her by John Butler.Under the tutelage of Sandra Severo, she danced extensively with the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra (DSO) in annual productions of The Nutcracker and the
Kresge Concert Series. Mrs. Geiger received the American Ballet Ford Foundation
Scholarship at the young age of twelve. At nineteen, she was awarded scholarships
to the American Ballet Theatre School, New York, the Vaganova School, Russia and
the John Cranko School, Germany, the latter of which she attended.Mary Celeste Geiger has been the director of her own school, the Geiger Classic Ballet Academy for twenty years and is the
Artistic Director of the Michigan Classic Ballet Company since its' inception in 1989. She is currently Vice President on the
national board of Regional Dance America and President of its' Midwest Division. Mrs. Geiger has given master classes at
Western Michigan University, Interlochen Dance Academy, Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre, Nyon and Vesoul, France. She has been a
guest choreographer and master teacher for regional ballet companies in Louisiana and Georgia.
