Amanda Hickey-Newcom, main company member from Hanover Park, Illinois is in her seventh year with GDC. Amanda began her dance training at Faubourg School of Ballet and graduated with honors from Butler University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance. While at Butler, she had the opportunity to spend a month studying abroad in Europe where she trained and performed in Warsaw and Krakow, Poland, and St. Petersburg, Russia. As a senior, she was asked to choreograph for the study abroad program, exposing her choreography to venues across Eastern Europe. Upon returning to Chicago after graduation, Amanda joined Nomi Dance Company, where she danced for four years. Amanda has also had the pleasure of performing as a guest artist for Élan Artists, The Schaumburg Dance Ensemble, and more. Her professional choreography credits include works on Nomi Dance Company, The Ballet Theatre of Indiana, The Ballet INitiative, and Giordano II. Besides performing and choreographing, Amanda is passionate about teaching and is certified in all five levels of the Nan Giordano Certification Program®.