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We are happy to announce our distinguished ballet faculty for this year's program...
Mary C. Geiger - Director
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 two years and has been the Artistic Director of the Michigan Classic
Ballet Company since its' inception in 1989. She is currently President on the national board
of Regional Dance America and Parliamentarian of it's MidStates Division. Mrs. Geiger has
given master classes at Western Michigan University, Interlochen Dance Academy, Santa
Cruz Ballet Theatre, Nyon Ballet School and Ballet Vesoul. She has been a guest
choreographer and master teacher for regional ballet companies in Louisiana and Georgia.
Mrs. Geiger is married, no children, speaks fluent French and resides in West Bloomfield,
Michigan.
Melissa Scheck
Melissa Scheck began her studies at the Geiger Classic Ballet Academy at the age of
twelve. 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. Her
choreographic achievements include the Montecello Award for her ballet Natural Elements.
In 1999 Mrs. Scheck received her Masters Degree in Physical Therapy from Oakland
University. She and her husband Richard live in Troy. They have a daughter Sarah.
Jenni Pankau
Eliska Mayer
television, radio and film and directed and designed for theatre. She was a full-time
professor and chair for the Department of Movement and Object Theater the Academy of
Musical Arts in Prague (AMU), Czech Republic.
She has taught professional dancers, actors and directors at theatre and mime festivals in
France, Germany and the Netherlands.In the U.S. she’s been on faculties of Wayne State
University, where she was the recipient of 2003 Copper Foot Award for creativity of WSU,
American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, and is currently on faculty at Marygrove College.
Mary C. Geiger - Director
- 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
of which 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
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 two years and has been the Artistic Director of the Michigan Classic
Ballet Company since its' inception in 1989. She is currently President on the national board
of Regional Dance America and Parliamentarian of it's MidStates Division. Mrs. Geiger has
given master classes at Western Michigan University, Interlochen Dance Academy, Santa
Cruz Ballet Theatre, Nyon Ballet School and Ballet Vesoul. She has been a guest
choreographer and master teacher for regional ballet companies in Louisiana and Georgia.
Mrs. Geiger is married, no children, speaks fluent French and resides in West Bloomfield,
Michigan.
Melissa Scheck
Melissa Scheck began her studies at the Geiger Classic Ballet Academy at the age of
twelve. 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. Her
choreographic achievements include the Montecello Award for her ballet Natural Elements.
In 1999 Mrs. Scheck received her Masters Degree in Physical Therapy from Oakland
University. She and her husband Richard live in Troy. They have a daughter Sarah.
Jenni Pankau
- Jenni Pankau began her ballet studies at Geiger
Classic Ballet Academy in 1993 and attended until
2001, during that time she was a member of the
Michigan Classic Ballet Company. In addition to her
ballet training, Jenni has studied ballroom dance for
several years and was trained by Paul Holmes, Chuck
Danza, Glennis Dee, Billy Howell, and Diana
McDonald. She has competed all over the nation and
won numerous gold medals in International Latin and
American Smooth, along with the title of US
International Latin Pro/Am Gold Medalist in 2004.
- Mrs. Pankau is a graduate from Oakland University
with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, and was
an active member of Gamma Phi Beta, Gamma Sigma
Alpha, and co-founder of the OU Swing and Salsa
Club. Mrs. Pankau is currently a certified personal
trainer through the American College of Sports
Medicine and a certified Zumba Fitness Instructor.
Eliska Mayer
- Eliska Mayer has been an international dancer,
teacher, actor, designer, director and choreographer for
over 40 years. Her dance training started in Prague,
Czech Republic, at the Prague Conservatory of Music
and Dance, where she obtained certification in
pedagogue for ballet, modern, and character dance as
well as ballet theory and history of dance. Ms. Mayer’s
professional dance career began at the National
Theatre in Prague, where she danced as a soloist and
studied with Natalia Dudinska, Alicia Alonso, Boris
Bregvadze, Ctibor Turba, and Marcel Marceau. Later
she became a principal dancer with the prestigious
Fialka Mime Company, in Prague, CZ, where she was
also appointed as modern dance mistress.
television, radio and film and directed and designed for theatre. She was a full-time
professor and chair for the Department of Movement and Object Theater the Academy of
Musical Arts in Prague (AMU), Czech Republic.
She has taught professional dancers, actors and directors at theatre and mime festivals in
France, Germany and the Netherlands.In the U.S. she’s been on faculties of Wayne State
University, where she was the recipient of 2003 Copper Foot Award for creativity of WSU,
American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, and is currently on faculty at Marygrove College.
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