Company Development

Grounding Point Dance Company was founded by Carrie A. Smaczny and incorporated in October of 1998. GPDC received non-profit status in December of 1998.

Season 2006-2007
GPDC has been in production on a new video dance entitled "Washed". This six month project was a part of the Dance Camera Istanbul Festival in April 2007. Carrie was a special guest at the festival working with Loretta Livingston assisting her in the dance for camera workshops held in Istanbul, Turkey. Carrie will continue working on a new project with Loretta Livingston which will take them to Singapore in the fall of 2007.

Season 2005-2006
Carrie Smaczny has added a production division of GPDC in order to focus on creating dance for the camera work as well as serving local dance communities in documenting performances including Orange County High School of the Arts and Loretta Livingston and Dancers. GPDC also performed at a festival at Ryan Dance Center in Tempe, Arizona.

Season 2004-2005
Carrie Smaczny performed in special collaboration with Lisa Naugle, John Crawford, and the NYU Composers Ensemble in a New Music and Video Dance production in Berlin, Germany and Porto, Portugal in March of 2005. She graduated with her MFA in Dance from University of California, Irvine in June of 2005. She presented some of her dance for the camera work in GPDC's production of OUTLINE in July 2005 at Rayn Dance Center for the Arts.

Season 2003-2004
Carrie Smaczny is furthering her artistic skills by continuing her education. She is currently studying at the University of California, Irvine to pursue a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Dance with a concentration in Dance and Technology. GPDC's outreach residency was conducted with Fountain Hills High School in January & May of 2004.

Season 2002-2003
GPDC developed an apprentice program with Fountain Hills High School to encourage young dancers to further develop their technical and artistic skills by dancing with professional dancers. Three Fountain Hills High School Students were a part of this program.

GPDC also performed in Celebration of Dance at the Herberger Theater Center in April 2003 and Fountain Hills High School Spring Gala Concert at the Herberger Theater Center, Center Stage in April 2003. Closing the season was A Little Off Center presented at the Herberger Theater Center, Black Box in May 2003.

Season 2001-2002
GPDC community residencies included the City of Yuma where Carrie Smaczny choreography a piece on their high school dance company, and GPDC performed at the Yuma Dance Festival. GPDC also conducted a residency at Copper Canyon Elementary School in Paradise Valley. GPDC participated in the Arizona Contemporary Dance Festival at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts in March 2003.

Closing the season was Urban Constructions with guests the Phoenix Metro Orchestra at the Herberger Theater Center, Stage West in June 2002. A grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts brought a collaboration between Jay Busch, Metro Phoenix Jazz Orchestra and Carrie Smaczny, GPDC.

Season 2000-2001
GPDC presented Contemporary Voices I at the Kerr Cultural Center in November 2000. A grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts sponsored guest choreography from Candice Ammerman (A Small Geography of Falling) and Katrina Steinberg (Imprints).

GPDC participated in the Arizona Jazz Dance Festival at the University of Arizona in October 2000, the Arizona Contemporary Dance Festival in January 2001, the Scottsdale Arts Festival at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts in March 2001, and the Celebration of Dance at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts in April 2001.

Community residencies included Pima Elementary School in Scottsdale and Copper Canyon Elementary in Paradise Valley. GPDC’s second fundraising event, That’s Entertainment, was presented at the Scottsdale Princess Resort. Closing the season was Contemporary Voices II, at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts in May 2001.

Season 1999-2000
The first season’s performance was The Spirit of Dance presented at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts in May 1999. In September of 1999, GPDC applied to the Arizona Commission on the Arts to be a part of the Arizona Artist Roster for 2000-2002. This program markets artists of all disciplines to schools and organizations throughout the state. GPDC was accepted to the Artist Roster and immediately directed a community education workshop at Copper Canyon Elementary School in Paradise Valley, AZ.

In addition to the commitment to dance education, Ms. Smaczny a workshop taught at the Boys & Girls Club in Scottsdale. GPDC presented their second production, Dimensions, at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts in September of 1999. GPDC also performed at many festivals including: the Arizona Jazz Dance Showcase at the University of Arizona in October of 1999, the Arizona Dance Arts Alliance Festival at Arizona State University in January of 2000, and the Arizona Commission on the Arts/ Artist Roster performance at the Scottsdale Arts Festival at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts.

GPDC’s first black tie fundraising event, A Night at the Cabaret, was at the Phoenician Resort in March 2000. Closing GPDC’s season was Defining Dance, with guest artists the San Diego Ballet and Joan Pangilinan-Taylor presented at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts in April 2000. Smaczny received a grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts to attend Bates Dance Festival in August 2000.