Gail Rae Florio

Gail Florio was born and raised in Great Falls, Montana, and came to Alaska as a young woman with her family. She attended her senior year at West Anchorage High School and thereafter met her spouse of 55 years. Gail, who had no formal dance training, grew to love dance through her oldest daughter’s interest and participation. Gail was a brilliant business woman and collaboratively managed the Dance Den under the direction of Nona Baker and The Conservatory of Dance under the direction of Lynda Lorimer. Gail then become the founder of her own dance school and performing company. The school, Dance Spectrum School of Dance, provided stellar dance training in our community for 25 years through 2010.

Dance Spectrum Alaska (DSA) was founded in 1989 by Company Director, Gail Florio, with the idea of establishing a performing company of young dancers with professional aspirations and performance skills. At that time, while there were dancers with the talent and potential to pursue careers on the professional stage, there were no performance opportunities at that level in Alaska. The company's first performance was held at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium at the University of Alaska, Anchorage in 1989. DSA applied for and received 501(c)3 status in 1992, and was the only dance company in Alaska that continuously presented all styles of dance—including jazz, tap, ballet and modern dance, as it strived to provide dancers with the training and tools they needed to perform any genre of dance that professional choreographers may throw at them. It seems to have worked. Some DSA members’s professional careers have experienced Joffrey Ballet, Tina Turner, and Cirque de Soleil, and/or have choreographed and performed on New York and international stages.

Gail Florio developed strong, technically proficient dancers in Anchorage for 20 years, and DSA celebrated their 20th Anniversary Concert in 2009. Gail never lost sight of the importance of fostering well-rounded dancers off and on the stage, building connection and community, all while embracing the joy and power of dance. Gail passed away in Anchorage July, 2, 2010.