S.T.A.T.E.!
Gina is currently teaching at Penn State University's Summer Theatre Camp, S.T.A.T.E.! More information here.
Gina Duci
“Oh hello! It’s nice to finally meet you. We signed contracts before we were born and were meant to be right here, right now.” At least, that’s what my favorite performance professor said to me the first day of class sophomore year at Penn State. These were words of inspiration; the thought of having a purpose and the universe leading you on a path to that purpose.
If you don’t know me, my name is Gina. Also known as “G”, “Gina D.”, “Duci”, “Dooch”, “Dizzydooch”, and for those who struggle to pronounce my name, “Duck-I”. I am a vibrant, boisterous, loving, passionate, strong, stubborn, funny, fearless and joyful dancing peanut! I assume since I was always called a peanut, this sparked my obsession of loving anything peanut butter flavored. I am a native New Yorker who likes to be best friends with tall people so I can always get things off the top shelf.
I started dancing when I was 2 years old, performed in my first musical at age 7, choreographed my first number for a benefit concert when I was 13 and choreographed my first musical at 14. In High School I realized that I was not going to grow out of my peanut physique and followed the advice of my Broadway gypsy mentor to exit ballet school. I realized my firecracker personality was better suited for theatre and performing but was unaware of how difficult commuting to the big apple everyday for training would be.
I was lucky to have parents who encouraged me, saw my talents and were artists in their own way. Between my mothers design eye and my fathers carpenter skills, together they gave me the best gift a teenager with a dream could ask for; my very own dance studio in our basement. I spent most of my HS years creating choreography and teaching routines to the neighborhood gals in that basement.
I've always had a strong desire to tell stories. It’s crazy to think that 15+ years later, I am still creating and sharing my ideas to friends and artists I’ve met along the way. The only difference is my neighborhood is now NYC; the city of dreams. I signed a contract with this city when I was born and I am right here, right now. This was the dream and I can happily say that I am living it! (Minus my penguin. I really want a penguin.)
Gina is currently teaching at Penn State University's Summer Theatre Camp, S.T.A.T.E.! More information here.
Gina joins the creative team for Norwegian Cruise Line’s show ¡Havana! conceived and created by Warren Carlyle as an assistant choreographer. She will be working on this show on both the Norwegian BLISS (Sept/Oct) and the Norwegian JADE (Oct/Nov)
Last Summer Gina choreographed the NYMF musical The Cadaver Synod: A Pope Musical. For more information visit NYMF.
Stay tuned for the newest installment of STRIVING, a video series Gina co-produced with UnReel Films and Jeff Nunez exploring the stories of NYC artists through movement and dance.
