Michigan Classic Ballet Company- Company

THE COMPANY

The Company

Mary Celeste Geiger founded the Michigan Classic Ballet Company (MCBC) in 1989. In
1992, MCBC joined Regional Dance America/Mid States, a national association of ballet
companies founded to promote the artistic development of dance companies in five
regional organizations: Pacific, Southwest, Mid States, Northeast and Southeast. After only
three years as a member, MCBC was elevated to honor status, the highest achievement
given by this national organization. MCBC is in its 15th year as a Regional Dance America
Honor Company.

Michigan Classic Ballet Company has, in its history, collaborated with the Birmingham-
Bloomfield Symphony Orchestra for The Nutcracker performances along with MCBC’s
Season of Spring concerts that have included Peter and the Wolf and Carnival of the
Animals with WDIV’s newscaster Sherry Margolis as narrator. MCBC has also invited
critically acclaimed choreographers such as Maggie Bergeron, Robert Kelley, and Michael
Uthoff to set original works for the company. This year is the 5th year that MCBC participated
in the concert, known as “Three’s Company”, a collaborative performance with two other
seasoned dance companies. In 2002, Michigan Classic Ballet’s original piece, Degas
Impressions, choreographed by Mary C. Geiger, won the “Spirit of Degas Award for
Excellence” during an event sponsored by the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Michigan
Opera Theater.

Mary C. Geiger and the Board of Directors maintain the company’s role in metropolitan
Detroit as a provider of quality ballet productions, such as the full-length ballets: Coppelia,
Giselle, Les Sylphides and Cinderella. It utilizes these productions to educate the public in
the appreciation of the history and technique of classical ballet. MCBC continues to reach
out to the public through lecture demonstrations, such as: "A Day with Alice" performed in
1997 and 1998 in various schools and communities; the Dance History presentations
performed at Smith Theatre in collaboration with the Adult Learning Program; charity events
such as the “Festival of Lights” and the DSO’s “Cinderella Ball”; its traditional holiday
favorite The Nutcracker production and its "Season of Spring" concerts. As the trend in the
entertainment world of television and movies continues to increase violence and sexual
content, it is important to present to the youths a classical art form that strives for discipline,
excellence and dedication.

Artistic Director
Mary C. Geiger

Artistic Director of the Michigan Classic Ballet Company since its' inception in 1989.

Director of the Geiger Classic Ballet Academy for eighteen years.

Vice President on the National Board of Regional Dance America.

Guest choreographer and master teacher for regional ballet companies.

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, NY), 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 eighteen 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. Mrs. Geiger has given master classes at Western Michigan
University (Kalamazoo, MI), Interlochen Dance Academy (Interlochen, MI), Santa Cruz Ballet
Theatre (Soquel, CA), and Nyon and Vesoul (France). She has been a guest choreographer
and master teacher for regional ballet companies in Louisiana and Georgia. It was said
from the late Jurgen Schneider, formerly ballet master at American Ballet Theatre as
follows, "I have continued to admire her ability, dedication and energy, as reflected in her
own work as well as her students…which has distinguished her from her peers."

Ballet Mistress
Melissa Scheck

Melissa Scheck began her studies at the Geiger Classic Ballet Academy at the age of 12.
As part of the Michigan Classic Ballet Company, she danced lead roles in The Nutcracker
(Clara, Dew Drop Fairy, Sugar Plum Fairy) and Giselle (Queen of the Willis, Peasant Pas de
Deux)

Mrs. Scheck received a full scholarship to the Cleveland Ballet Summer Program. She was
engaged professionally with the Fort Wayne Ballet in their trainee program for one year.

Since 1993 she has been ballet mistress for the Michigan Classic Ballet Company, was
awarded the Montecello Award for her choreography Natural Elements at Regional Dance
America, and in 1999 she received her Masters Degree in Physical Therapy from Oakland
University. She and her husband Richard live in Troy. They have a daughter Sarah.